Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'North Dakota State University. Library'

The desire to attract an increasing number of minorities is pushing institutions of higher learning to brand themselves and communicate with students in ways that ensure their identification with the institution. Students' identification with an institution is one way to increase their enrollment numbers at the institution. This study was interested in determining whether NDSU's Graduate School and Office of Multicultural Programs used Cheney's (1983a) organizational identification inducement strategies in their recruitment and retention material that targeted multicultural graduate students. A closed coding textual analysis was used to analyze the material. Three of the four strategies were present in the analyzed communication material. Results are discussed in terms of key findings and practical implications for NDSU and other institutions that are interested in increasing their enrollment numbers of multicultural graduate students.

The approach to the department's capstone design course has changed considerably since the 1960s. The general evolution of the course has proceeded from extended laboratory exercises to individuals working on self-defined projects to team-based projects. Interactions between the capstone course and other courses have been attempted with varying success. This paper presents the development of the NDSU Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department' s capstone course and thoughts on possible future modifications to the course.
Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
College of Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies

Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) is an ornamental Rosaceous shrub producing delicate white flowers that yield fruit similar in appearance and nutrition to blueberry (Vaccinium spp.). Most serviceberry are propagated in Canada and, as imported stocks are often expensive, clones were accessed from 70 locations in North Dakota. Following establishment, a replicated field trial of wild biotypes of serviceberry was initiated at the North Dakota State University Horticulture Research Farm (NDSU HRF) near Absaraka, ND and at the Williston Research and Extension Center (WREC) in Williston, ND. Yield data was taken upon harvest in summers 2014-2017 at NDSU HRF and 2016 at WREC. ND 1-2, ND 1-4, ND 1-6, ND 1-7, ND 48-2 often out-yielded market genotypes. ND 15-2 was high in sugar content and gelling ability, ideal for processing. Through continued selection, North Dakota growers may have quality serviceberry from a local source.

Gylcoalkaloids (GA) are plant secondary metabolites that offer pests and disease resistance. Studies show correlation between GA content and CPB resistance. In this study, CPB resistance was assessed in a field trial at Grand Forks, ND, during 2012 for twenty-four genotypes from the NDSU Potato Breeding Program. Two treatments were applied, a block treated with imidacloprid (Admire?), and an untreated block. The treated block showed decreased CPB damage. Presence of aglycons (non-sugar moiety of GAs) was assessed by gas chromatography in foliar and tuber tissue. Distribution of GAs in the tuber was assessed to determine variation in tuber sections and whole tuber. Potato genotypes should be developed with tuber GAs levels below 20 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW) to ensure safety for human consumption. Focus should be on GAs that are only synthesized in the tuber, which will provide pests and disease resistance, while maintaining adequate yields and decreased inputs.

Fat-soluble vitamins are essential micronutrients that are critical in normal physiological processes. Deficiencies can pose increased risk of chronic diseases. This may be particularly important among college students, since the majority of this population is in peak phases of development. The purpose of this study was to determine intake of fat-soluble vitamins in 352 (212 males, 140 females) students. Students completed dietary analyses of their 72-hour food record, which were analyzed to determine if student intake met Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations. Additional analyses determined relationships between intake and gender, age, and frequency of attending a dining center. Few students met DRI for fat-soluble vitamins A (21%), D (3%), and E (7%). Moreover, <1% of students met the DRI for all 3 vitamins. Frequency of attending a dining center did not improve fat-soluble vitamin intake. In summary, few students are meeting DRI guidelines of fat-soluble vitamins.

Campus safety and security are important concerns for colleges and universities. One way security is addressed is through utilization of self-report questions about criminal backgrounds during the admissions process. The current study evaluates this admissions policy by using a systematic random sample of 1,400 students to compare self-reported criminal backgrounds with criminal records listed in four online databases. Results indicate that two individuals within the sample failed to report their criminal backgrounds which included simple assault, burglary, theft, possession of controlled substance, and drug paraphernalia. While the failed reporting rate appears low, caution should be taken interpreting the results. A number of policy implications and directions for future research are discussed.

The use of Genomic Selection has become popular due to its wide success in private and public breeding programs. The current dissertation aims to derive information that will be used to produce a single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) chip that can be used to successfully predict traits of economic importance for the North Dakota State University (NDSU) barley breeding program. Three training populations were tested to determine which should be used for predictive modeling. Multiple predictive models were employed to verify the most effective method for each individual trait. Through this research, four major findings were concluded: the successful identification of (i) the traits that are candidates for prediction, (ii) the most successful models for each trait, (iii) the minimum number of markers required to predict a trait, and (iv) the markers that should be included on NDSU barley breeding program’s new SNP chip for genomic selection.

Amylose and amylopectin, the mostly resistant and soluble forms of starch, respectively, are two forms of starch present in the granule. In this study, we examined the effect of a new cooking method, microwave steaming, on soluble starch and resistant starch in order to determine and determined that this method may be used as a more efficient means to cook tuber material for starch analysis. Using the steaming method, we found clones present in the North Dakota State University potato breeding program with unique levels of soluble or resistant starch. Clones with high or low levels of soluble or resistant starch displayed diverse granule sizes, pasting characteristics, gelatinization temperatures, and amylose and amylopectin molecular weight and abundance. Greenhouse-grown tubers were found to contain more soluble and resistant starch content than fieldgrown tubers, implying that greenhouse-grown tubers cannot be used to screen genotypes for starch content.

The purpose of this study was to determine if student housing gender-type is significantly related to student alcohol consumption at North Dakota State University. The researcher examined whether the residence of students in coeducational residence halls or single-gender residence halls was related to the rate they consumed alcohol in an average week or the frequency they engaged in binge drinking. NDSU researchers allowed the researcher of this study to add an institutional question to the biannual Student CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey that gathered demographic information about what residence hall gender-type participants lived within. For the first time, this provided the opportunity to quantitatively compare alcohol consumption of students living in coeducational residence halls against those living in single-gender residence halls at NDSU. At the time of this study the NDSU on-campus population was particularly hospitable for such research since the multi-thousand person population was evenly distributed between single-gender and coed residency. Using this preexisting data set regarding student alcohol behavior and residence hall demographics, the researcher analyzed the data through descriptive statistics, bivariate correlational analysis, and analysis of covariance while controlling for the effect of age and gender. Results revealed that there was no significant relationship between NDSU student alcohol consumption and their residence hall gender-type. Recommendations for future research included adapting the national CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey to include residence hall gender-type to allow for further analysis.

From 1950-1980, women's intercollegiate athletic programs experienced exponential growth, with newspapers rarely detailing the journey until Title IX passed in 1972. This project examined how women's athletics developed at North Dakota State University, the University of North Dakota, and Minnesota State University Moorhead, as well as the correlating press coverage. Articles from two regional newspapers and three student newspapers from 1950-1980 illustrated the coverage women's athletics received, while women integrally involved in the three athletic programs from 1950-1980 supplemented the coverage and further explained the development. This thesis proposes a cohesive narrative of the press coverage associated with the development of three women's intercollegiate athletic programs in the Midwest from 1950-1980. The project also speculates on the reasons why different newspapers covered women's athletics in the area differently and why 1975 emerged as a watershed year for women's athletics at NDSU, UND, and MSUM.

Assessment is necessary in many programs to be certain that expected outcomes are being met. Without curriculum evaluation, higher education faculty would be unaware if students are competent in the skills and knowledge that the faculty thought they were teaching. New curriculum competencies related to dietetics are introduced every five to seven years from the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE). CADE establishes the minimum requirements of foundation knowledge, skills, and competencies for institutions to train entry level dietitians. Even though a variety of criteria have been proposed to evaluate curricula, no common model or format is used because of the differences in each program, college, or university. The purpose of this study is to evaluate North Dakota State University's (NDSU) dietetics program through students' understanding and knowledge as demonstrated by the change in pretest and post-test scores to ensure they are meeting competencies. The Dietetics Program Assessment Test is made up of questions contributed by each instructor in the dietetics program at NDSU regarding their particular area of expertise. The effectiveness was assessed by comparing students' Dietetics Program Assessment pretest scores, taken during sophomore year, with their post-test scores, taken during senior year. This evaluation was used to determine if pretest scores predict program course grades or if high pretest results indicate a more successful student. Therefore, the scores could be used as a selection criterion for acceptance into the dietetics program if there is a strong correlation. Results from students in the Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CPD) were compared to those in the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and those not accepted into either program to see if there is a difference between the groups. The test was also divided into dietetics core content areas (community nutrition, medical nutrition therapy/clinical, food service, basic nutrition/lifespan, and management) to see if there was an area in which students were scoring poorly. Pretests were taken by 122 pre-dietetics students; of these, 46 were admitted into the CPD, 29 were admitted into the DPD, and 47 were not admitted into either program. A paired t-test found there to be a significant difference (p<0.0001) between individual mean pretest scores and post-test scores, which means students' knowledge about the area of dietetics had greatly improved through courses throughout each program. A t-test found there was not a significant difference between either the pretest scores (p=0.9847) or the post-test scores (p=0.4263) of those in the CPD and DPD programs. In all of the core dietetics content areas the average percentage of correct questions improved from the pretest to the post-test, and each content area had a similar improvement, roughly a 25 percentage point increase. Using an exact Kendall's Tau Test to examine the association between pretest score and final course grades, no significant difference was found in all of the core dietetics courses expect for Food Selection and Preparation Principles (HNES 261) (p=0.0324). In conclusion, since no one content area on the post-test appears to be lacking more than any other, it would appear that the students are learning from all courses. Due to the lack of association between all core dietetics course grades and pretest scores along with the small sample size, pretest scores should not currently be used alone or as one of the selection criterion for admittance into either dietetics programs.