Category: Fall 2013

Joshua Alvarado

Academic Dishonesty

Because cheating is viewed as dishonest and goes against biblical teaching, it was hypothesized that NCU students who attend church regularly would have lower rates of cheating compared to those who do not attend church. Participants were asked if they ever cheated in an academic setting including tests, assignments, or papers. In addition, participants were asked to report emotions experienced after cheating or choosing not to cheat. The results showed that most participants reported cheating at least once even if they reported attending church regularly. Results on emotional experiences and conclusions will be discussed.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Joshua Alvarado

Academic Dishonesty

This study examined academic dishonesty and the emotions that follow in college students. Students at NCU were used in this data collection. There are tremendous pressures to succeed in college and many will cheat over their time on a college campus. Also included in the survey was if the individual attended church regularly or not. Our emotions can drive us to act in many different ways. The results of this study indicated that college students will admit to cheating in school and show that being honest has no negatives attached to it.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

L203

9 – 9:30 AM

Alek Angeli

Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate on Anaerobic Performance

Athletes that undergo anaerobic exercise will ultimately reach a certain point of fatigue and an inability to maintain exercise intensity. Sodium bicarbonate has been shown to induce a metabolic alkalosis that may be effective in improving anaerobic performance. The information shown was established by analyzing different research articles and scholarly texts on the effects of sodium bicarbonate and processes of metabolic responses. The results showed that sodium bicarbonate induced alkalosis, helped maintain pH levels, and improve performance. The results from this research suggest that the ingestion of sodium bicarbonate does help improve anaerobic performance by improving buffering capacity.

EXSC 407, Senior Capstone

Heike McNeil

P114

9 – 9:30 AM

Andrea Baber, Denise Barrett, Erik Carrazco, Miranda Cruz, Matthew Dixon, Eric Fromm, Sharie Krouse, Veronica Schneider, Ethan Souers, Forest Stolk & Timothy Werth

NCU Organizational Audit

NCU’s Communication 341 class has conducted an audit on the university in order to assess the way the members view communication within the organization. The methods for collecting data included two surveys sent out to the campus. Additionally, 15 interviews were conducted with members of the organization. The results show key information about areas of NCU that members feel are excelling in communication, as well as areas in which communication is a struggle. Some of the positive themes found included department cohesion and fulfillment; some areas of concern included trust, employee recognition, and workload.

COMM 341, Organizational Communication

Doyle Srader

P103

1 – 2 PM

Megan Baum & Danielle Schmidt

Developmental Domains

This is a case study on a six year old girl whom we have collected data on by several different techniques. By observation, interviews, tests, and extant data we have been able to analyze her development in each of the five domains. We closely examined her in the developmental domains of physical, cognitive, social, moral and personal. After data collection and review it has led us to analyze her development and compare it to another case study participant.

EDUC 330/370

Brian Kaelin

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Sabrina Biggers

Analytical Thinking Promotes Religious Disbelief

The present study is a replication of Gervais and Norenzayan (2012). Participants will be recruited from a Christian school to see if analytical thinking promotes religious disbelief. Participants will view pictures then answer questions on belief in supernatural agents and

intrinsic religiosity. It is expected that this study will show analytical thinking will diminish religious belief.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Grace Bowling, Brittany Cardwell & Tyler Falk

The History of Computer Hardware

With technology playing a pivotal role in our day to day activities we will uncover the history behind the computers that we use on a daily basis. The first computer to be discussed is Apple l. It was originally previewed in May of 1976 and was later replaced by a more user friendly, Apple ll. Next, The Commodore VIC-20 and Commodore 64 were produced in 1981 & 1982. Their rival, The IBM PC, introduce in 1981, was a fierce competitor to both Apple & the Commodores. Each of these computers contributed to technology as we know it today.

BUS 360

Tim Bergquist

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Joshua Bramlett, Adam Crossingham & Linsey Johnson

EPL Player Age Analysis

This paper looks at the average age and salary of players with 500 minuets of playing time or more in the 2012-2013 EPL season. We will then compare the average ages and salary of the players to the overall success of the team.

MATH 315

Tim Bergquist

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Travis Brown

Stressed Upon Student Athletes

Stress is a state of mental or emotional tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. Stress has been shown to negatively affect physical health, mental processing, and emotional well-being. Research has shown a unique contribution of stressful events on collegiate athletes as compared to traditional undergraduate students. Collegiate athletes experience a wide range of stress because of the demands of their sport which affects academics, well-being, and athletic performance. College athletes have significantly less time to work on academics due to year-long training (in and out of season), tight scheduling, traveling, tough competition and lack of down time. Learning to cope with these additional stressors is important for the collegiate athlete’s well-being and performance.

PSY 499, Senior Capstone

Nani Skaggs

L203

9:30 – 10 AM

Tysen Buhler & Brandon Lotts

Improving the Nutritional Value of Golden Rice Through Increased Provitamin A Content

The Article “Improving the Nutritional Value of Golden Rice Through Increased Pro-vitamin A Content” was assessed. In the article, primary research was done in an attempt to increase vitamin A output in Golden rice. The researchers hypothesized a switch from daffodil to Maize genes would increase vitamin A output. Their hypothesis was proven correct. A significant aspect of the paper was that the black Mexican sweet corn genes were best because they showed the most vitamin expression. After assessing the paper we suggested that using less specialized vocabulary and a better explanation of methodology could improve the paper.

BIOL 201

Tracy Vermilyea

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Tianna Bushman & Bethany Craig

Graduates vs. Job Openings

Understanding the relationship between the job market trends and the majors offered at a school is one way to assess how well a college is meeting the needs of the students. It also provides an opportunity for the college to better design the majors offered around student needs. This study will show if there is a trend between job availability and the number of students graduating with a degree in that field.

MATH 315

Tim Bergquist

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Miranda Cruz

Christians at War

I will be exploring the act of war from the perspective of the Christian faith. The Bible has explicitly shown its characters directed by God to go to war with opposition; even today there are many Christians who willingly go into the armed forces knowing full well that they may or may not have to kill other people. Through books, Biblical commentaries on battle passages and online articles referencing modern Christian service men, woman, and veterans, we will be getting an in-depth analysis on the theories of physical and spiritual warfare.

BTH 499, Senior Capstone

Loren Crow

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Matthew Dixon

Cognitive Dissonance on Post Consumer Purchasing

This paper will investigate cognitive dissonance on post consumer purchases. I will be measuring and trying to prove that female students are more likely to feel more cognitive dissonance after a purchase than male students. I will be using a 22 point scale measuring three different elements, which are emotions, wisdom of the purchase, and concern over the purchase. The questionnaire was placed and distributed to the NCU students at the Beacon Beanery.

COMM 499, Senior Capstone

Doyle Srader

P103

2 – 2:30 PM

Amy Dummer & Wendie Green

The Influence of a Persuasive Message

Drawing from existing research that shows attitude change is associated with higher source credibility, it was expected that an expert would exert more influence in changing attitudes on learning styles than a non-expert. Undergraduates at NCU were recruited to participate in an experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: expert and non-expert. Participants watched a video presentation, but told the source of the video was a student or an expert. The results showed that the message was effective in changing attitudes. However, there was no significant difference between the expert and non-expert groups.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Allison Duvenez & Jordan Miller

The Case Study of Brother and Sister

This case study is on a two siblings, brother and sister. We are observing and evaluating where they are at in five different domains; cognitive development, physical development, identity development, social development, and moral development. We have been conducting interviews with the participants and their parents over the past couple of months. Also observing them in school and/or athletic activities to see how they interact with their peers. We will be showing where they are developmentally and also sharing how they affect each other’s development.

EDUC 330/370

Brian Kaelin

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Makenzie Endresen, Emily Kaelin & Danielle Schneider

An Assessment of a Study on the Toxicity of GM Corn and Roundup Herbicide

The article “Long Term Toxicity of a Roundup Herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant Genetically Modified Maize” was evaluated. The article describes a two-year study of the effects of genetically modified (GM) corn on rats’ health. When rats were fed GM corn or Roundup, they developed more tumors, and had a higher mortality rate, than other rats. The authors concluded that transgenes in GM corn disrupted essential biochemical pathways. Although the methodology could be improved by increasing the number of rats tested, the conclusions seemed reasonable. This is the most detailed study to report long-term effects of GMOs on mammalian health. 

BIOL 201

Tracy Vermilyea

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Rebecca Espinoza

That’s a lot of BULL…ying

Bullying is defined as the maltreatment of another being. Bullying was done in the presence of the individual(s) being mistreated. The human reaction to the treatment of an abusive being was present. As time and technology progressed, so has bullying. Cyber bullying has come from the progression. Cyber bullying removes the human reaction from the abusive party. The abusive party can be anonymous and as brutal as they choose. This not only affects the psychological and identity development of the bullied, but also the actions the individual(s) takes to handle the maltreatment.

CM 499, Senior Capstone

Terry O’Casey

A201

9:30 – 10 AM

Curtis Fields, Eric Fromm, Taylor Lind, Darrell Risen, Barry Sommer & Hunter Tyler

Whither Islam? The Future of the Middle East

A discussion of the issues and possibilities for the nations of Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

HIST 312

Ron Palmer

L203

2:30 – 3:30 PM

Tyler Fox

Long Term Effects of Creatine Supplementation On The Body

The consumption of creatine monohydrate is quickly becoming a very popular ergogenic aid. Thus, the purpose of this literature review is to assess creatine monohydrate’s impact on the body and the effects that long-term consumption has on health and performance. Articles assessing these issues have been chosen from scholarly journals and focus on the scientific study of creatine and its impact on the body. In long-term creatine supplementation studies found no idacies that creatine negatively affects blood pressure, plasma creatine, or renal function (2-9). Moreover, these studies suggest that creatine supplementation appears to be a generally effective performance enhancer.

EXSC 407, Senior Capstone

Heike McNeil

P114

9:30 – 10 AM

Eric Fromm, Linsey Johnson & Veronica Schneider

Summer Study Abroad

Study abroad is an exciting part of a college student’s academic journey. This presentation will explore some of the integral parts of study abroad that NCU students have discovered this past summer. With experiences from South America, Asia, and Europe the students will be discussing the various academic influences that have come from their recent cultural experiences and how this has affected their academic year so far.

Jaime Tryon

L203

2 – 2:30 PM

LeeAnn Fudge

Fish Oil Supplementation and Asthma

The purpose of this presentation is to review literature surrounding fish oil and its influence on asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. The omega-3 fatty acids present in fish oil have been shown to reduce inflammation and because of this unique characteristic, research has been conducted to see just how fish oil supplementation may be used to counteract the symptoms of asthma, and ultimately reduce bronchial inflammation. This presentation looks in depth at some of the research that has been conducted in regards to this subject and considers whether or not fish oil is a viable solution to bronchoconstriction.

EXSC 407, Senior Capstone

Heike McNeil

P114

1 – 1:30 PM

Mikayla Gattie

“In the Beginning There was the Force

This presentation will explore the parallels of Goethe’s epic poem, Faust, and George Lucas’ sci-fi masterpiece, Star Wars. Faust is a dark tale which describes the pull of sin and corruption in the form of bliss via a bargain between Dr. Faust and Mephistopheles. In Star Wars, I will be focusing on Anakin’s draw to the Dark Side, his bargain with Darth Sidious and his foil, Luke, who overcomes every temptation that his father fell prey to. I will prove my argument by comparing the upbringings, trainings, the bargains, falls and possible redemptions for both Dr. Faust and Anakin.

ENG 499, Senior Capstone

Lanta Davis

A201

1 – 1:30 PM

Danielle Gehrke & Adelayde Hoskins

Pepsi Challenge

The Pepsi Challenge is a promotion that PepsiCo started in 1975. This promotion aimed to discover which cola American preferred. Participants are given equal size samples of Pepsi NEXT and Coca-Cola. The participants are then asked to identify which sample they prefer. This challenge has grown the Pepsi brand, and bringing this NCU will help us greater understand the trends in the brand growth. This paper will explore the correlation between age, gender and preference of Pepsi Next or Coca Cola, which will allow for a conclusion from the statistical data.

MATH 315

Tim Bergquist

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Danielle Gehrke, Randi Kostner & Torie O’Keeffe

Telecommunications Infrastructure

Due to an increase with technological production, the telecommunications industry is expanding. Communication between international countries and the U.S. has advanced resulting from telecommunication infrastructure. Telecommunication infrastructure links wireless technology to business practices and is the overall driving force behind acquiring consumers. Through different communication media types such as: physical media (twisted pair, coaxial cable, and optical fiber) and Free Space (broadcast radio frequency, communication satellite, wireless LAN).

BUS 360

Tim Bergquist

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Stephanie Harrison & Linda Paredes

Development of a Six-year old Boy

This paper investigates five of six-year-old Cody and Carter’s developmental domains, which are cognitive, physical, social, personal, and moral development. For the purposes of this research, interviews of Cody and Carter, their families, and teachers, experiments, observations, and tests were used. All the facets of research helped to diagnose Cody and Carter’s developmental level in each domain. The research shows that Cody and Carter are developing normally in all areas. For a continued normal development minor suggestions had been made in each developmental domain.

EDUC 330/370

Brian Kaelin

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Ryan Herriage

Vitamin D and How it Relates to Overall Health and Sport Performance

This purpose of this project was to show how the importance of Vitamin-D for both the average individual as well as a collegiate athlete. The significance of my research will help to explain how individual’s current Vitamin-D levels tend to be insufficient, shows how both supplementation and radiation will help to improve an individuals’ health, as well as may improve their athletic performance. Through my research I will be able to show the importance of Vitamin-D. This will assist many athletes in learning the benefits of having proper supplementation and hopefully show how they may benefit in their sport performance.

EXSC 407, Senior Capstone

Heike McNeil

P114

1:30 – 2 PM

Adelayde Hoskins

Hydration

Hydration plays a vital role in an athlete’s performance. It is important because the body is mostly made up of water, and the proper balance between water and electrolytes in our bodies really determines how most of our systems function, including nerves and muscles. If the nerves and muscles are not functioning properly, the athlete cannot perform to their best ability. During this presentation we will look at a few different studies on athletes and their given sports to assess their hydration statuses. 

EXSC 407, Senior Capstone

Heike McNeil

P114

10 – 10:30 AM

William Jones

Fractals: the Geometry of Chaos

Fractals are self-similar objects with fractional dimension . These objects can be constructed using dynamical systems, and expressed geometrically. The dynamical systems used in these constructions have chaotic properties. These properties are density, transitivity, and sensitivity to initial conditions. The most primitive fractal set is the cantor middle thirds set. Fractal geometry is distinct from Euclidean geometry and can be used to better model natural phenomenon.

MATH 499, Senior Capstone

Connie Wilmarth

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Belinda Kinkade & Sharaya Moretti

The Effects of Color When Purchasing Chocolate

Colors are influential as each color is believed to evoke specific emotions and feelings. Research has shown that males and females like the color blue. This study measured the impact of color on decisions to purchase chocolate bars. It was expected that participants would select the blue wrapped chocolate bar more frequently. Students from NCU (n = 31) completed a questionnaire rating quality and attractiveness of chocolate bars in colored wrappers. The result showed that brown was the preferred color wrapper. Understanding the effect of color perception on decision making is important for marketing. 

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Taylor Kraal

The Effects of Caffeine on Endurance Sports

The effects of caffeine on endurance athletes as well as its effectiveness as a performance enhancer examined. Six experimental studies were reviewed to determine the effects of caffeine in various performance related scenarios. After carefully reviewing all the parameters in the different experimental setups, it was concluded that caffeine reduces the athlete’s idea of perceived exertion which can essentially increase performance in endurance events. In certain scenarios, caffeine was shown to function directly as an ergogenic aid. The majority of the research showed that caffeine was beneficial to endurance athletes mostly because it decreases perceived exertion.

EXSC 407, Senior Capstone

Heike McNeil

P114

2 – 2:30 PM

Sharie Krouse, Rachel Stanton & Nicole Tessin-Mason

Influences of Mobile Phone Technology

This topic will focus on the change in phone technology over the years and its impact on businesses and the way they function. To narrow this wide subject of phone technology, we will examine mobile phones and the time frame will be from the year 2000 and forward. This time period was selected because of the impressive leaps technology made in the phone industry and the impacts it had on businesses specifically.

BUS 360

Tim Bergquist

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Danae Laufer

Supplemental Carnitine 

Carnitine is an endogenous compound, meaning it originates in the body. It transports long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria during fat oxidation. I studied the literature of different research articles and their findings to discover if the claims made about supplementing carnitine are accurate. Each study produced specific results in the difference made by carnitine in the body. Altogether, the results show that there are some advantages in supplementing carnitine but there was also no evidence that most athletes eating a balanced diet are at risk for carnitine deficiency and therefor, there is no reason to supplement carnitine.

EXSC 407, Senior Capstone

Heike McNeil

P114

2:30 – 3 PM

Hayley Leno & Rachel Stanton

Sleep Acquired by College Students

This report analyzes data collected on the sleep acquired by college students, specifically NCU undergraduate students. The data collected is a result of research conducted online though Survey Monkey and data collected by other researchers to be used for comparison. The data collected about NCU students will be analyzed next to a national average to see where NCU students fall in comparison. This report will also analyze where NCU students fall in comparison to the amount of sleep needed according to the National Sleep Foundation.

MATH 315

Tim Bergquist

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Aaron Martin

Using Information Technology for Strategic Advantage

Companies can use IT in a variety of different ways. Some choose to use it only for their day to day activities. Others choose to use it for other things in order to gain competitive advantage. These people view IT as a competitive differentiator. They make business strategies using IT. They develop new services and products based on the data that they collect. Their business is shaped by the information they get. This gives the business a major advantage in whatever market it is in. I will talk about how companies can use IT to gain this advantage and I will give brief explanations for some smaller parts that make up this system, including Business Process Reengineering and Virtual Companies.

BUS 360

Tim Bergquist

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Jenny Maupin

My Mother’s Quilts: Quilting for Good Mental Health

Quilters, in general, appear to have good mental health primarily because they quilt. A two-part questionnaire was conducted with the Emerald Valley Quilters Guild. Part one included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and part two was more geared toward necessary demographic information, levels of happiness, satisfaction with life, and love of quilting. Any identifying references were removed from BDI and it was labeled “Well-Being Inventory Part I.” The goal was to achieve a negative correlation between depression (i.e., low depression scores) and life satisfaction and enjoyment of quilting (i.e., high scores).

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Sharaya Moretti

Pros and Cons of Technology and Social Media

The world has been greatly altered by the innovations and improvements of technology. Computer monitors used to take up entire rooms and now there are laptops, touch pads, and smartphones. Although there are many positive aspects of using technology, there are also drawbacks. This presentation explores how the progression of technology has transformed the way businesses advertise to customers by utilizing social media, as well as the negative impact it has had on individuals’ interpersonal relationships. 

BUS 360

Tim Bergquist

Banquet Room

9 – 11 AM

Amber Osbourn, Taylor Richardson & Emmelene Romer

The Effects of Self-Reflection on Happiness

Previous studies have shown that self-reflection can affect an individual’s happiness level. In this study two different modes of self-reflection were used: prayer and journaling. The hypothesis was that level of happiness would be different after self-reflection through prayer or journaling, and prayer would result in higher happiness levels. Participants were NCU students (n=29) who were randomly assigned to pray or journal for 5 minutes then answer a Daily Mood Form. The results showed a statistically significant difference between groups; participants had higher levels of happiness in the prayer group as compared to the journaling group.

PSY 350

Nani Skaggs

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM