Journal of Undergraduate Research

Collin Flake and Dr. Renata Forste, Sociology After careful consideration and several discussions with my faculty advisor about potential projects, I set out to tackle the problem of child obesity. I began my project by extensively reviewing previous literature on the issue. Child obesity is rapidly becoming one of the most prevalent health concerns in […]

Wade Jacobsen and Dr. Renata Forste, Sociology Electronic media (EM) include social networking sites (SNS), instant messaging (IM), text messaging, email, television and movies, and video and online games. Though the use of these devices has recently exploded among college students, little research has been conducted to explore the influence they have on academic performance […]

Collin Flake and Dr. Renata Forste, Sociology After several discussions with my faculty mentor and a thorough review of the existing research, I set out to examine the effectiveness of after school programs in Utah, specifically the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Greater Salt Lake area. The purpose of my research is twofold. The […]

Varden E. Hadfield and Dr. Joseph A. Olsen, Sociology Extensive cross-sectional research has examined marital status and family composition and their effects on academic performance. Many cross-sectional studies have found moderate correlations between family structure and both grades and test scores. A few studies have found when race and socioeconomic status are controlled, correlations remain […]

Christopher L. Pitzak and Professor Lynn England, Sociology Introduction The purpose of my research was essentially to evaluate the effects that race and gender have in the hiring practices of elite management consulting firms. I chose this industry because of the effect it has in today’s business world. Given the fact that management consuting is predominantly […]

Eric Peterson and Professor Lynn England, Sociology I went to Cuba to do an ethnographic study of common folk medicine. My original intent was to focus on the traditional, home-remedies used by Cubans and the possible discovery of new homeopathic treatments for use in our society. What I discovered, along with a short list of herbal […]

Emily Lippincott and Dr. Renata Forste, Sociology Breast-feeding is the healthiest way for a mother to ensure that her newborn child gets the best nutrition possible; in addition, breast milk provides maternal antibodies to the child that are highly effective in preventing disease (2). Hence the slogan “Breast is Best” was created to encourage mothers […]

Jeffrey Swindle and Dr. Tim Heaton, Sociology and International Development Introduction CHOICE Humanitarian and Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP) partnered to support a local project proposal by villagers in Tamaula and Huaricho, Mexico to create small goat cheese factories in each of the villages. The goal of the project was to create jobs for villagers so […]

Annie Samhouri and Dr. Ralph Brown, Sociology Jordan is considered one of the most progressive Arab states, yet only a handful of Jordan-specific research has been performed that address pertinent topics related to government programs that assist female victims of domestic violence. My original research project sought to identify the demographics of women that seek […]

Erin Moore and Dr. Renata Forste, Sociology My ORCA grant was used in a statistical examination using data from the 2001-2002 Health Behaviors in School-age Children, a nationally representative survey measuring children and adolescents on a variety of health-related behaviors and attitudes. With these data, I explored the effects of a discrepancy between actual and […]