UH1604: Honors Undergraduate Research Practices
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- Trend or Trust: How College Students Perceive Credible Information on InstagramCarey, Catherine; Hunter, Danielle; Calo, Fina; Wise, Micah (2025-12-10)This study examines how college students recognize, interpret, and respond to misinformation on Instagram, a visually driven and algorithmically curated platform where credibility cues are often ambiguous. Young adults frequently rely on Instagram for news, health updates, and current events, yet prior research shows that credibility judgments on social media are heavily shaped by emotional tone, engagement metrics, presentation quality, and social endorsements rather than factual accuracy. Using a mixed-methods approach, this project integrates semi-structured interviews with a short survey in which participants evaluate researcher-created Instagram posts designed to mimic credible, ambiguous, and misleading content. Interview questions explore how students identify trust cues—such as verification badges, captions, comment quality, or source familiarity—while survey responses capture credibility ratings and engagement intentions across posts varying in design and emotional appeal. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics are combined to identify patterns in recognition, interpretation, and behavioral response. Expected findings suggest that students will rely predominantly on visual and social cues when making credibility judgments, often rating emotionally engaging or polished posts as more trustworthy regardless of content accuracy. Additionally, while students may report intentions to verify or ignore questionable information, emotional tone and peer engagement are expected to influence actual or intended behaviors, aligning with previous research on platform-driven biases. Insights from this study may inform digital-literacy education and highlight how platform design, user psychology, and algorithmic personalization contribute to the spread of misinformation. By understanding how college students evaluate credibility on Instagram, this research supports efforts to foster more critical digital engagement and strengthen communication strategies in an increasingly visual media environment.
- E. coli Contamination of Stony Creek, Mill Creek, and the Northern Fork of the ShenandoahHensley, James; Afriyie, Mary; Turner, Becca; Doble, Lizzy (2025-12-10)Water is amongst the most vital natural resources, so the growing rate of antimicrobial Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination of water sources around the world is quite unsettling, as the contaminated water can be a vehicle for the E. coli to enter the body and make people sick. Contamination typically originates from fecal sources, agricultural runoff, stormwater runoff, and various other agricultural sources (Odonkor and Addo, 2018). Stony Creek, Mill Creek, and the Northern Fork of the Shenandoah are listed as impaired for E. coli contamination, which poses issues for the population that uses them recreationally for activities such as swimming or kayaking (Brannan et al, 2006). As such, mitigating contamination in these water systems is of great importance. We want to develop and implement a strategy to help return these water systems to their communities, where we determine their uses in the community, trace the points of contamination, and analyze previous mitigation strategies to develop a plan for these particular systems. We expect to find that agricultural runoff is the largest source of contamination for Stony Creek, Mill Creek, and the North Fork of the Shenandoah. If all goes to plan and we get E. coli levels below the 126 units/100ml average E. coli level, the communities will be able to safely use these water sources, improving the health of the area and the ecosystem (Virginia Administrative Code, 2019).
- Comparing Renewable Policy: Nordics vs. United StatesMattick, Clara; Tucker, Shaan; Balaji, Hridayaesh; Fernandez-Del Maestro, Sara (2025-12-10)This project compares renewable energy policies in Sweden, Denmark, and Finland with those of the United States to understand why the Nordic region scores higher on the Energy Transition Index (ETI) and achieves greater CO₂ reductions. Using a mixed-methods approach which combines Qualitative Comparison Analysis QCA, quantitative indicators, and a Policy Effectiveness Index (PEI), this study identifies governance features linked to successful transitions. Early findings show that long-term planning, national targets, and coordinated governance help drive Nordic progress, while the U.S. system’s fragmentation limits performance. These insights can inform more cohesive renewable energy strategies in the United States.
- Predicting Future Fracking Sites Using Previous Health, Environmental, and Economic DataEunice, Jeremiah; Kehayias, Charlotte; Mehrotra, Jaanavi; Wiscarson, Eli (2025-12-10)Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is an extraction technique used to access underground deposits of natural gas and oil. While it has benefits on local and national economies, fracking is controversial due to its negative effects on environmental and human health. The goal of the current study is to understand stakeholder opinion using surveys near fracking sites and identify factors related to community vulnerability to fracking using economic, environmental, and health metrics. This study uses legal policies and economic laws as indicators for fracking motivations, soil and water contamination as indicators for environmental health, and drinking water and rates of respiratory disease as indicators for human health outcomes. The expected results are that there will be higher instances of poverty, soil and water contamination, and respiratory illness in areas close to fracking sites. Additionally, it is expected there will be economic benefits to having close fracking sites, and there will be greater public support for fracking closer to fracking sites. These metrics will be used to create a predictive model for likely locations for future fracking sites.
- E. coli Contamination of Stony Creek, Mill Creek, and the Northern Fork of the ShenandoahAfriyie, Mary; Doble, Lizzy; Turner, Becca; Hensley, James (2025-12-10)Water is amongst the most vital natural resources, so the growing rate of antimicrobial Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination of water sources around the world is quite unsettling, as the contaminated water can be a vehicle for the E. coli to enter the body and make people sick. Contamination typically originates from fecal sources, agricultural runoff, stormwater runoff, and various other agricultural sources (Odonkor and Addo, 2018). Stony Creek, Mill Creek, and the Northern Fork of the Shenandoah are listed as impaired for E. coli contamination, which poses issues for the population that uses them recreationally for activities such as swimming or kayaking (Brannan et al, 2006). As such, mitigating contamination in these water systems is of great importance. We want to develop and implement a strategy to help return these water systems to their communities, where we determine their uses in the community, trace the points of contamination, and analyze previous mitigation strategies to develop a plan for these particular systems. We expect to find that agricultural runoff is the largest source of contamination for Stony Creek, Mill Creek, and the North Fork of the Shenandoah. If all goes to plan and we get E. coli levels below the 126 units/100ml average E. coli level, the communities will be able to safely use these water sources, improving the health of the area and the ecosystem (Virginia Administrative Code, 2019).
- Comparing Renewable Policy: Nordics vs United StatesMattick, Clara; Tucker, Shaan; Balaji, Hridayaesh; Fernandez-Del Maestro, Sara (2025-12-10)This project compares renewable energy policies in Sweden, Denmark, and Finland with those of the United States to understand why the Nordic region scores higher on the Energy Transition Index (ETI) and achieves greater CO₂ reductions. Using a mixed-methods approach which combines Qualitative Comparison Analysis QCA, quantitative indicators, and a Policy Effectiveness Index (PEI), this study identifies governance features linked to successful transitions. Early findings show that long-term planning, national targets, and coordinated governance help drive Nordic progress, while the U.S. system’s fragmentation limits performance. These insights can inform more cohesive renewable energy strategies in the United States.
- Trend or Trust: How College Students Perceive Credible Information on InstagramCarey, Catherine; Hunter, Danielle; Calo, Fina; Wise, Micah (2025-12-10)This study examines how college students recognize, interpret, and respond to misinformation on Instagram, a visually driven and algorithmically curated platform where credibility cues are often ambiguous. Young adults frequently rely on Instagram for news, health updates, and current events, yet prior research shows that credibility judgments on social media are heavily shaped by emotional tone, engagement metrics, presentation quality, and social endorsements rather than factual accuracy. Using a mixed-methods approach, this project integrates semi-structured interviews with a short survey in which participants evaluate researcher-created Instagram posts designed to mimic credible, ambiguous, and misleading content. Interview questions explore how students identify trust cues—such as verification badges, captions, comment quality, or source familiarity—while survey responses capture credibility ratings and engagement intentions across posts varying in design and emotional appeal. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics are combined to identify patterns in recognition, interpretation, and behavioral response. Expected findings suggest that students will rely predominantly on visual and social cues when making credibility judgments, often rating emotionally engaging or polished posts as more trustworthy regardless of content accuracy. Additionally, while students may report intentions to verify or ignore questionable information, emotional tone and peer engagement are expected to influence actual or intended behaviors, aligning with previous research on platform-driven biases. Insights from this study may inform digital-literacy education and highlight how platform design, user psychology, and algorithmic personalization contribute to the spread of misinformation. By understanding how college students evaluate credibility on Instagram, this research supports efforts to foster more critical digital engagement and strengthen communication strategies in an increasingly visual media environment.
- Predicting Future Fracking Sites Using Previous Health, Environmental, and Economic DataEunice, Jeremiah; Kehayias, Charlotte; Mehrotra, Jaanavi; Wiscarson, Eli (2025-12-10)Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is an extraction technique used to access underground deposits of natural gas and oil. While it has benefits on local and national economies, fracking is controversial due to its negative effects on environmental and human health. The goal of the current study is to understand stakeholder opinion using surveys near fracking sites and identify factors related to community vulnerability to fracking using economic, environmental, and health metrics. This study uses legal policies and economic laws as indicators for fracking motivations, soil and water contamination as indicators for environmental health, and drinking water and rates of respiratory disease as indicators for human health outcomes. The expected results are that there will be higher instances of poverty, soil and water contamination, and respiratory illness in areas close to fracking sites. Additionally, it is expected there will be economic benefits to having close fracking sites, and there will be greater public support for fracking closer to fracking sites. These metrics will be used to create a predictive model for likely locations for future fracking sites.
- A Proposal: Investigating the Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Teacher-Student InteractionsO'Brien-Gonzalez, Bella; Resta, Catherine; Viray, Rafael (2022-12-07)Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a more prominent part of everyday life. Our research proposal aims to explore the effects of implementing AI into education. We want to investigate the effects of utilizing AI as the main method of instruction in high school math classes. Specifically, we want to study how the implementation of AI affects the amount of time that teachers can spend interacting with students. We hypothesize that in a classroom that uses AI as the main method of instruction, teachers will have more time to interact with students. To conduct this research, we propose recording math classes in one high school and documenting the amount of time that teachers spend working with students each semester when traditional methods of teaching are used and when AI is implemented. If our hypothesis were to be supported by the results of this study, then we could share this information with other schools in the district or on a broader scale to demonstrate the benefits of using personalized AI in classrooms. This study could show the potential benefits of using AI in education and how it could influence the amount of time that teachers can spend interacting with students.
- Electric Trucks and Respiratory Health: A proposed simulation on the electrification of semi-trucks and its effects on respiratory health in the USSrinivasan, Ashwin; Sykes, Sean; Drum, Matt; Rimm-Kaufman, Davida (2022-12-07)Using a vehicle simulation software, we plan to analyze the emissions and energy usage of an all-electric fleet and compare it to existing emissions and energy use data attributed to gas-powered trucks. We believe that a complete shift to electric-powered trucks that produce no roadside NOx emissions would lower total annual NOx emissions enough to decrease the number and severity of respiratory health cases nationwide.
- A Proposed Analysis of the Prevalence Rates of Comorbidity Between Schizophrenia and Individual Personality Disorder ClustersWaters, Shelby; Hoffer, Loralee; Ploof, Hayley; Abu-Izz, Judy (2021-05-05)This study seeks to identify the comorbidities between schizophrenia and personality disorders in order to discover which DSM-5 cluster is most prevalent in those with schizophrenia. Cluster A (odd, eccentric thinking and/or behavior), cluster B (dramatic, unpredictable thinking and/or behavior), and cluster C (anxious, fearful thinking and/or behavior) are the three personality disorder clusters specified by the DSM-5. Two designs are presented, with the non-experimental being more appropriate. An experimental approach to the research question entails the random assignment of situations that warrant a reaction from those participating in the study. A non-experimental approach to the research question entails an exploratory case study in which multiple mediums of data are collected. Both designs establish a relationship between schizophrenia and personality disorders, as well as exhibit which personality disorder is most prevalent. This research allows experts in many fields to better understand schizophrenia and subsequently develop accurate treatments. This product is a learning artifact from the Spring 2021 semester of the Introduction to Honors Quantitative and Qualitative Research course (UH-1604). Primary instructor: Anne-Lise Velez; Secondary instructor: Nikki Lewis; Graduate Teaching Assistant: Joseph Daniel
- Artificial Intelligence Powered Facial Recognition in the Public EyeOrr, Jack; Waite, Lucy; Taylor, TJ; Ulmishek-Anderson, Phineas (2021-05-05)Artificial Intelligence’s use in facial recognition has led to improvements in efficiency for many different groups, including law enforcement, however its use in society has been met with controversy due to the general public’s distrust in different entities using the technology. Our research focus seeks to understand why the public may distrust facial recognition AI or find its usage unethical, as well as determining the different cases in which the general public would trust the technology. We aim to study this through a non-experimental research design that distributes surveys to the public measuring their levels of trust in facial recognition AI. Understanding our research focus through this non-experimental design will allow AI users to better understand the cases in which they can use AI ethically without upsetting the general public or violating any essential rights. This product is a learning artifact from the Spring 2021 semester of the Introduction to Honors Quantitative and Qualitative Research course (UH-1604). Primary instructor: Anne-Lise Velez; Secondary instructor: Nikki Lewis; Graduate Teaching Assistant: Joseph Daniel
- Comparison of Energy Efficiency, Eco-Friendliness, Cost, and Convenience of Phase-Change and Biosolar Materials in Solar PanelsVaughan, Clint; Richardson, Kelly; Yang, Jiongzhi (2019-05-08)Solar energy is a clean, renewable energy source that is a good alternative to nonrenewable energy sources. Currently, the two major materials utilized in solar panels are phase change materials (PCMs) and biosolar materials. The purpose of this study is to determine whether biosolar materials or phase change materials are better overall, in terms of energy efficiency, cost and convenience, and eco-friendliness in solar panels. Utilizing solar panels that implement phase-change materials or bio-solar materials, this study explores the energy efficiency, cost and convenience, and eco-friendliness, in a variety of different conditions and designs, for each type of material. To ensure that an overall finding on the better type of material can be found, this study uses a rating system, based on government regulations, industry standards, experimental data, and common scientific values. It is expected that there is higher energy efficiency with the utilization of phase-change materials than with bio-solar materials. However, it is expected that the bio-solar materials are more eco-friendly than the phase-change materials. Overall, it is expected that bio-solar materials are the better choice for solar panels because of their eco-friendliness, low cost, and similar energy efficiency to phase-change materials. The findings of this study can help to push communities to make an informed decision on a switch to renewable energy methods. More importantly, this study supports the use of clean, renewable energy with biosolar material solar panels, to combat rapid change in global climate and negative impacts of most nonrenewable energy sources.
- The Effect of Reading Workshops on Ability to Identify PseudoscienceLou, Lan; McCartney, Abby; Makwana, Sunny (2019-05-08)Pseudoscience, or scientific research presented with manipulated data or conducted with flawed methods, has measurable and potentially dangerous impacts on society. With increasing media focus on pseudoscientific data, learning how to identify pseudoscience is vital to the modern public. As such, this research project seeks to assess if the average person can distinguish pseudoscience from peer-reviewed science based on visual cues within the writings, such as experimental methods, tone, and organization of the paper. A critical reading workshop will be implemented to train individuals to recognize pseudoscience so that they may base important, life-altering decisions on reliable sources. Individuals in six different age groups will be presented with two medical research articles, one peer-reviewed and one pseudoscientific, and will be asked to label which is which and explain their answers. Afterwards, we will lead a short language workshop designed to develop critical reading skills. Next, we will survey the age groups again. We expect to find close to half of each age group in the sample will be unable to determine the pseudoscientific article from the initial survey. Our estimates may increase for specific age groups based on prior research. After completing our workshop, we expect meaningfully larger portions of individuals will be able to recognize falsified work. In summary, the workshop strategy suggests that workshops should be implemented into educational systems so that citizens are better prepared to analyze scientific research when making important decisions for themselves and their children.
- Mental Health Treatment in United States Prison Systems: The Influence of Varying Treatment Methods on Inmates with SchizophreniaMarr, Corinne; Morris, Jill; Francis, Kathryn; Schmidt, Mattie (2019-05-08)Schizophrenia is a psychological disorder that produces symptoms commonly of hallucinations, delusions, movement disorders, and confused thought or speech. Americans diagnosed with schizophrenia are three times more likely to be imprisoned than hospitalized for their symptom expression, thus necessitating prison reform to treat individuals and reduce repeat offenses. The influence of mental health treatments on inmates with schizophrenia (IWS) in the United States will be analyzed. In order to conduct the research, surveys will be distributed to IWS in 100 prisons across the United States. Five caregivers and 45 IWS within each prison will fill out six surveys over a six month period with questions that measure changes in levels of delusions, hallucinations, interpersonal distress, and disorganized thought that IWS express while incarcerated. Changes in symptoms will be analyzed over the six month period to observe how medications and other forms of treatment affect symptoms of IWS. Federal prisons fail to classify serious mental illnesses in prisoners and only require treatment in 3% of inmates. In comparison, California prisons classified over 30% of inmates in need of regular treatment for serious mental illness. Lack of treatment causes many IWS to experience heightened negative symptoms which, without treatment, drove some inmates to attempt suicide. Administering antipsychotic drugs, providing counseling, and offering emotional therapy to people with schizophrenia reduces their negative symptoms, which would help current inmates, and keep non-incarcerated people with schizophrenia out of prison.
- The Impact of Microplastic Ingestion on the Bivalve Filtration Efficiency of the Hooked Mussel (Ischadium recurvum) from the Chesapeake BayBetsill, Matthew; Gonzalez, Juan; Woods, Allison (2019-05-08)Microplastic pollution is an increasing issue as sea animals are observed with pollutants within their bodies and cells. Mussels and other marine bivalves have the capability to filter phytoplanktonic organisms and chemical pollutants, but cannot break down microplastics if ingested. Because bivalves filter pollutants out of the water, many kinds of debris enter their systems. It is hypothesized that microplastics will reduce the efficiency of the Ischadium recurvum and its ability to filter toxins that deteriorate water quality. This study will determine the effect of intaking 5 to 50-micrometer diameter plastic on the filtering efficiency of Ischadium recurvum. The experiment will prepare two 10-gallon water samples with 34% salinity and water turbidity of ~100 NTU from the algae concentration for mussels’ environment. Twelve mussels will be collected from the York River to measure the nutrient concentration, dissolved oxygen concentration, water transparency, and chlorophyll concentration to determine the water quality before and after the filtration in both the controlled and polluted environment. A comparison of the two water quality results will determine how microplastics have affected the mussels’ filtration. The mussels are expected to completely filter out the contaminants in the control test and experimental trial with microplastic contaminants, albeit at a slower rate. With a bivalve system, mussels can capture particles at a low nutritive value, which will slow down consumption, but leave little filtration difference. The study will provide information for bay restoration projects to utilize different mussels to filter bay water at a higher efficiency.