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Senior Independent Study Theses from 2009
Corruption in Baseball: Baseball and the Double-Standard, 1919 to the Present, Sean Douglas Glaser
Department: History
Defining a Wooster Education: An Independent Learner's Analysis of Critical Thinkers' Perceptions of a Liberal Arts College, Julia Glick
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Microbial Degradation of Triclosan Within Wastewater Treatment Plants, Sarah Gollwitzer
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Consistent Histories Interpretation As a Solution to the Quantum Measurement Problem, Matthew T. Gorski
Department: Philosophy; Physics
Photo-Realism Portrait Drawings: A Look into the Younger Generation of American Professional Tennis Players, Patrick Grab
Department: Art and Art History
Characterizing the Role and Function of Two Hybrid Histidine Kinases in Histoplasma Capsulatum, Daniel W. Grangaard
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
"You...Only Better:" A Critique of the Culture of Cosmetic Surgery, Sarah Green-Golan
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Examining Strategic Behavior in the Judicial Decision-Making Process: a Case Study of the Rehnquist Court, Eric Grinnell
Department: Political Science
Plato Gone Wilde: An Analysis of Same-Sex, Mentor-Pupil Relations in Plato's Symposium, Oscar Wilde's the Picture of Dorian Gray, and Alan Bennett's the History Boys, Megan Grundtisch
Department: Classical Studies; English
The Cultural Impact of Microcredit in Rural Bangladesh: Perspectives of Scholars and Development Professionals, Danielle Forman Haas
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
The Battle to Reclaim Christmas for Christ: History Reveals a Better Perspective, Laura Habat
Department: Religious Studies
"I Said, Listening to Hear What I Would Say, to Find Out What I Thought": Women Diarist's Quest For Authentic Expression As Exemplified in the Golden Notebook, Emily Halnon
Department: English
There Are Places I Remember--Maybe: the Effects of Age and Memory Techniques in the Creation of False Memories, Erica Hanuschak
Department: Psychology
Musical Emotions: the Effect of Happy and Sad Music on Mood, Crystal B. Hardman
Department: Psychology
Content Analysis of Gender in First Grade Basal Readers, Annie Hargleroad
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Is It As Bad As They Say It Is?: Epistemic Rhetorical Analysis of Hip-Hop Songs and Music Videos, Curtis Harnisch
Department: Communication Studies
Cluttering: Perspectives From Speech-Language Pathologists and Individuals Who Clutter, Avery Berier Harris
Department: Communication Studies
The Multivocality of Tiki: Cultural Appropriation of a Symbol, Tyler Hartley-Shepherd
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Towards a Comprehensive Systems Theory of International Relations: Relaxing Neorealism's Assumption of State Primacy, Mark D. Hayward
Department: Political Science
GraffiWii: The Wiimote as a text entry device, Joseph Henrich
Department: Computer Science
Investigation of Mathematical Models Used to Optimize Bus Timetables in Urban Transit Systems, Samuel W. Hickey
Department: Mathematics
Investigation of the Role of the Victim-Witness Advocate Within Victim Assistance Programs and the Criminal Justice System, Taryn O. Higgins
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Oaxaca Vive, ¿La Lucha Sigue?: Una Crónica De Conflictividad Social, Lauren Hines
Department: English; Spanish
Shared Humanity and the Collective Unconscious: a Comparative Review and Bilingual Reader of Stories, Myths and Legends, Jesse Lynn Gray Hoselton
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Your Anthropologist Wears Combat Boots: a Critical Analysis of Anthropological Engagement With the Military, Madeleine M. Howard
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Why Neoclassical Economics Must Eliminate the Assumption of Utility Maximization, Ceteris Paribus, Jonathan Shaw Howden
Department: Economics; Philosophy
Inconvenient Love: a Fantasy Type Analysis of the 1990s British Romantic Comedies Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sliding Doors, and Notting Hill, Elizabeth Hoy
Department: Communication Studies
La Memoire Vivante De La Guerre D'Algerie, Andrew Hunt
Department: French and Francophone Studies
Paleocommunities and Paleoenvironments of the Logan Formation (Mississippian, Osagean) of Northeastern Ohio, Heather Hunt
Department: Geology
Sprawl! Growth! Crumbling Cities! Oh My! How Do You Create Smart Growth Policies?, Anna Hurley
Department: Political Science
Perceptions of Drug Addiction: Is Addiction More Acceptable Under Certain Circumstances?, Ryun K. Ivory
Department: Psychology
Defining the First Amendment: a Language Analysis of the Rhetoric Surrounding the Supreme Court Case Hustler v. Falwell and Its Reflection of American Ideology, Lisa C. Jackson
Department: History
Whatever You Did For the Least of These Brothers of Mine, You Did For Me: a Study of the Differences Between Religious and Secular Community Development Organizations., Elaine Jansen
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
DNA Geometry and Its Biological Significance, Lorna Johnston
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Mathematics
Investigation Into Human Rights: the Case of Female Genital Cutting in the Gambia, Amihan Jones
Department: Philosophy; Religious Studies
Love Is Key: Filial Piety Understood from a Multicultural Perspective, Haley Jung
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Black and Pink(o): Looking Behind the Commies in Early 20th Century Race Radicalism, John Patrick Kaderbek
Department: History
Reconsidering Human Pheromones: Can the Effects of Men's Axillary Secretions on Women Predict Degrees of Visual Attractiveness?, Michael C. Karoglan
Department: Psychology
16 Phytophthora Infestans RXLR Effectors Show Weak or No Yeast Cell Growth Inhibition in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Sean Karpen
Macau's Biggest Gamble: An Analysis of Economic, Social, and Political Factors That Influence Macau's Casino Industry and the Future Viability of Macau's Tourist-Economy, Randi J. Keefe
Department: History
Pan-Handlers, Deserted Islands, and Philosophers: Solving Problems of Charity, Katelyn M. Kiley
Department: Philosophy
/., Frank W. King
Department: Physics; Mathematics
The Effect of Patch Density on Pollinator Visitation and Fruit Set in Swamp Milkweed (Asclepais incarnata), Claire Kirby
I'll Have What You're Having: Exploring Family Relationships at the Dinner Table, Emily Kirchner
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Faith as Coherence: An Alternative Justification For Religious Belief, Matthew Kirk
Department: Philosophy
Optimization of Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction-Liquid Desorption For Triclocarban and Application to Wastewater, Dustin R. Klein
Department: Chemistry
"Strike Another Match, Go Start Anew /And It's All Over Now, Baby Blue." An Inside View on Bob Dylan's Musical Switch from Folk to Rock through a Study of the Dialectical (Mutual) Relationship Shared between his Early Folk Career and the Early 1960s Political and Social Atmosphere, Jasmine A. Kolby
Department: History
Modernity, Tradition, and Indigenous Rights: a Conflict of the Ages As Viewed Through Xhosa Ritual Circumcision in South Africa, Robin Konscak
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
A Descriptive Analysis of Preschool Teachers' Techniques for Promoting Language Development During Circle Time Across Three Types of Preschools, Larissa S. Kortis
Department: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Developing the Late Holocene Glacial History of Lower Glacier Bay, Alaska Using Tree-Ring Dating of Subfossil Wood, Michael Krivicich
Department: Geology
Interknit, Carrie Krochta
Department: Art and Art History
Using Computational Genomics to Develop a General Gene Model For the Plant Pathogen Phytophthora Infestans, Michael Kwan
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Perceived Social Support and Coping Strategies Among Adolescents: Comparing Private Boarding, Private Day, and Public High Schools, Alysia Lynn LaBonte
Department: Psychology
Synthesis: Connection With Home Away From Home, Juliann Lafferty
Department: Art and Art History
Independent Study Song Cycle Op. 1 in A Major, Audrey Lane
Department: Music
Independent Study song cycle Op.1 in A Major, Audrey Lane
Department: Music
The Dilemma of the Student Diner: American Foodways and Social Patterns of Eating at the College of Wooster, Jessica M. Lee
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Ethanol and E85 Fuel: a Pillar For American Energy Independence, Timothy D. Lee
Department: History
Unified Vs. Divided Government's Effect Upon Treaties and Executive Agreements in the United States, Ian Lilburn
Department: Political Science
A 31P-NMR Study to Determine the Structure of Nanodispersions in Contrast to the Standard Bi-Layer of Liposomes, Marcus T. Liotta
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Investigation of Dioxybenzone-Alcohol Complexes Through Spectral Deconvolution and An Analysis of Symmetric Groups and Character Tables, Rachel E. Lipner
Department: Chemistry; Mathematics
An Examination of the Competitive Level of the National Hockey League through Varying Ranking Systems, David E. Livenspire
Department: Mathematics
Free Will and Animals: Rethinking the Traditional View, Emmett Mckay Lodge
Department: Philosophy
The Implementation of Negotiated Settlements After Intrastate Wars, Whitney Elizabeth Louderback
Department: International Relations
Stopping the President From Going to War, Aaron J. Lowry
Department: Political Science
"Cause We Ain't Gonna Get Our Forty Acres and a Mule, That's a Wrap": An Ethnographic Study of Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine, Michelle Katherine Lydenberg
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Religion as a Magical Art: Christianity and Transition in the Work of Aleister Crowley, Noah Adrien Lyons
Department: Religious Studies
How Long Does it Take for Cricket Frogs to Croak?: A Study on Longevity and Survivorship in Blanchard's Cricket Frog Acris Blanchardi, Michael Callahan MacDonald
"In Our Culture, It's Known that the Women are Beneath the Men": A Qualitative Study Examining Gender Inequality and the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Zulu Women in South Africa, Taylor L. Madal
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Media Coverage of African-American Candidates Running For Office: Are all Candidates Treated Equally?, Heather E. Madonia
Department: Political Science
Detrimental Post-War "American Dream" in the United States: Contemporary Propaganda Posters, Andrew Maloney
Department: Art and Art History
What Remains: the Role of Photography in the Ephemeral Environmental Sculpture of Andy Goldsworthy and Nils-Udo, Jessica E. Marsh
Department: Art and Art History
Waste Load Allocation For Regional Wastewater Treatment Planning in the Willamette River Using Linear Programming, Sheldon Masters
Department: Mathematics
Does Sexual Orientation Affect Empathy? An Examination of Participants’ Empathy Levels Towards Victims of Domestic Violence, Kristin E. McCall
Department: Psychology
Moral Responsibility and the Insanity Defense: Implications For the Mentally Ill, Katharine McCarthy
Department: Philosophy
Notions of Child Rearing in Peter Pan and Lolita, Jonathan McKay
Department: English
An Examination of the Role that Faith-Based Social Action Organizations Play in the Empowerment of Women in the Greater Mekong Region of Thailand, Lauren Stephanie Merriman
Department: Religious Studies
Fusing Interstices: Exploring the Relationship Between Science and Religion in Theory, in Particular Relgious Scientists and in Self, Elise A.G. Meyers
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Religious Studies
Civic Capacity and Public Education Reform: Identifying Components For Implementing Sex Education Curricula, Kayla S. Miller
Department: Political Science
Baseball's Effect in the Military and on Soldiers' Morale During World War II, Mark Andrew Miller
Department: History
Self-Organized Criticality and the Effects of Pseudo-Randomly Dropping Beads Onto a Bead Pile, Mary Elizabeth Mills
Department: Physics
The College of Wooster's Students' Understanding of Organ Donation, Kasia Minor
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
Concerning Nathaniel Bloom, Daniel Paul Miraldi
Department: English
Other-Race Face Perception: An Investigation of the Perceptual-Expertise Hypothesis, Kara M. Mitchell
Department: Psychology
Characterization of a Putative Monooxygenase Involved in Nad Catabolism, Theodore Carlton Moore, III
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Masculinity of Juvenal Satire and the Roles of Men, Grant Dominic Morrison
Department: English
An Ornithological Perverse Nostalgia: A Series of Unexpected Consequences, Sacha Marie Nalepa
Department: Art and Art History
Don't Fret the Exchange Rate: the Study of Subunit Exchange Between Oligometric Complexes of ZmHsp17.0-CII Using Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer, Chris T. Nau
Department: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Public Opinion and Executive Decision Making: Does Electoral System Matter?, Jeffrey Neal
Department: Political Science
Knitters For Equality: An Exploration of the Issues of Femininity, Masculinity and Gender Roles in Knitting Communities, Emily Neumann
Department: Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Sociology and Anthropology
The Effects of the Presence of An Animal on Anxiety and Communication, Benjamin T. Nielsen
Department: Psychology
An Agenda For Change: a Burkean Pentadic Analysis of Barack Obama's Speech, "A More Perfect Union", Rebecca A. Niemeyer
Department: Communication Studies
Protolith Determination of the Hyde School Marginal Gneisses, Adirondack Lowlands, NY, Robert M. Nowak
Department: Geology
"We're Together": Word Choice and Relationships in College Culture, Hilary M. Ober
Department: Sociology and Anthropology
The Legal Thriller: Learning to Love to Hate the Law, J. Brendan O'Conor
Department: English
The Resurrection of Scottish Culture and Identity: the Role of Tourism in Scotland, 1800-2009, Molly Ogrodnik
Department: History
An Analysis of Shifting Trends in the New York Times' Presentation of the Soviet Union Through Periods of Leadership Change, Andrew Christian Olsen
Department: History
The Love That Dared Not Speak Its Name: Talking About Sexual Minorities in French, German and Russian, Michelle M. Ort
Department: French and Francophone Studies; German Studies; Russian Studies
From Impoverished Conditions to College: Factors That Lead to the Academic Success of Low and Moderately Low-Income Students, Aaron Oster-Beal
Department: Sociology and Anthropology