Honors College Theses
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The capstone experience of the Honors College curriculum is the thesis, conducted across two consecutive semesters. This unique opportunity allows students to conduct scholarly research or a creative project under the direct guidance of faculty mentors.
A thesis project is required of every student who graduates from the University Honors College. The purpose of the thesis or project is to prepare the student for graduate or professional school, to provide an opportunity for the student to complete a scholarly or creative project of significant proportions, and to gain a new perspective on knowledge by becoming a contributor to the recognized knowledge in a particular field of study. This experience provides invaluable preparation and a competitive edge to students applying to graduate or professional schools.
Honors College Thesis Archives Collection is now preserved online through Walker Library’s institutional repository called JEWLScholar and are indexed in the library’s catalog. The thesis archives prior to 2015, are printed copies maintained in Special Collections (4th floor) of the James E. Walker Library and are also indexed in the library catalog.
Use the search box or "browse by" filters on the right side of this page to navigate the Honors Thesis Collection.
To see other Honors College publications, please visit http://jewlscholar.mtsu.edu/handle/mtsu/4362
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ItemGeulah(University Honors College, Middle Tennessee State University, 2023-05)For my Honors Thesis Project, I created a World War II Christian Historical Fiction short story. Originally for this project, I had intended to create a Christian Historical Fiction novella, but due to unexpected personal matters, I revised my thesis project from doing a full novella to writing a short story. The experiences that I learned from this project taught me the necessity of planning for contingencies and how vital proper time management it for the success of a more substantial project of this scale. The preface of this project is structured in a chronological fashion that follows from when I truly first began this endeavor to how it has changed to become the final product. It covers the approaches and procedure I took for the research and writing process required to create my thesis project.
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ItemDrilling Down into Stull v. Entek: Making the Case for Future Litigants(University Honors College, Middle Tennessee State University, 2023-05)American landowners take immense pride in pursuing life, liberty, and property, but sometimes these ideals collide in the courtroom with their government’s interests. This was the case for Stull Ranches, LLC, in its suit with Entek GRB, LLC, a federal mineral lessee. Stull and Entek disagreed over whether Entek was free to use Stull’s road for mining operations on the federal government’s property. Stull took issue with Entek’s interpretation of the federal government’s power, derived from 20th-century statutes, leading Entek to file suit with a federal district court. That court partially ruled in favor of Stull. However, upon appeal, Entek garnered a decisive victory, granting it the right to use Stull’s road as incident to its mining activities. So, what factors prompted the court of appeals to diverge from the district court’s ruling? If this issue surfaces again, can future litigants reverse its result?
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ItemGeothermal: An environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuel.(University Honors College, Middle Tennessee State University, 2023-05)Geothermal energy promises solutions to many of the challenges posed by reliance on fossil fuels. Demand for energy is not decreasing anytime soon, making the search for environmentally conscious resources of energy a necessary endeavor. However, geothermal also comes with its own set of challenges that must be addressed if the technology is to compete with other alternative energy sources such as wind and solar. Advances such as enhanced geothermal systems and artificial intelligence applications can reduce the obstacles to implementation. One of the biggest advantages of geothermal is the minimal interruptions in the power supply it can provide. Subsidization can also play a role in reducing the issues with riskiness and profitability; however, it does not provide scalability in the same way the private sector would. The success of the ongoing development of solutions to these challenges will determine how geothermal fares in the shift to green energy.
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ItemI came, I saw, I tasted: A Literary Travel Journal of Culinary Tourism and Cultural Acclimation(University Honors College, Middle Tennessee State University, 2023-05)Food plays an important role in culture, and by extension, becomes an integral element of identity. Individual, local, regional, and national identities include food—what food is eaten, how it is prepared, how it is eaten, and with whom it is shared. Food also proves crucial to the practice of hospitality and to the connection of people across cultures; as a table or eating space is shared, lives intermingle and identities mesh and transform. Culinary tourism invites people to interact with the food of other cultures. This travel anthology presents the culinary adventures of an American woman living, studying, and eating in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic. It elaborates on intersections of food and identity and how a long-term experience with culinary tourism allowed the native culture of one traveler to shift and become melded with elements of her adopted culture.
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ItemChlorine Dioxide Gas: Development, Optimization, and Application, of an Antiviral Assay Based on the MS2 Bacteriophage(University Honors College, Middle Tennessee State University, 2023-05)Since emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the need to identify antiviral agents for disinfection purposes has dramatically increased. Chlorine dioxide gas has previously been identified as an antibacterial agent with strong oxidizing capabilities. The MS2 bacteriophage has previously been identified as a suitable surrogate for the development and application of virucide decontamination methods. The purpose of this study was to identify and assess the antiviral properties of chlorine dioxide gas and to identify optimum physical conditions for potential deployment in support of current antiviral disinfection needs. Using the MS2 bacteriophage model system, preliminary studies used the double-layer agar plaque assay technique to evaluate the antiviral activity of chlorine dioxide gas. Results support the potential use of chlorine dioxide gas as an antiviral agent and that environmental factors heavily influences the ability of chlorine dioxide gas to act as an antiviral agent.