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In this study, I explore several ways in which literature in the field of composition and composition instructors have constructed students for the purpose of better understanding the “why” behind course design, assignment design, and preconceptions of students. I investigate the history of the field of composition and attitudes toward students in the field first, noting the way that constructions of students have shifted from negative views of students lacking skills to positive views of students harnessing their writing abilities, along with some major approaches to teaching composition over the past few decades. I then present the results of a survey I conducted with first-year composition instructors about how they perceive their first-year composition students. This survey resulted in a better understanding of how student engagement and participation influence their preconceptions of students. Finally, I look at five textbooks that are commonly assigned for first-year composition courses. I examine the prefaces of these textbooks to determine how the editors view students, what the aims of the textbooks are, and what the editors have in mind for students. I then consider commonalities among the textbooks. Unlike other studies of first-year composition students, I focus on what trends in the field and expectations of students really say about them. My study provides a new approach to considering how instructors’ views of students can impact how they teach and interact with students. My findings from my review of the literature, the instructor survey, and textbook analysis indicate that three main constructions of first-year composition students are students as active participants in the classroom, students as writing strategists, and students as writers for life. These findings are useful for instructors to consider when designing instruction and structuring methods of feedback and conferencing for students.

California is nation’s leader in tree nut production. Weed control in orchards is essential for production and the most common form of weed control in commercial production is the use of herbicides. How growers manage their orchards, and weeds, can have an impact on herbicide residues in the environment. This work aims to answer questions that intersect environmental chemistry, weed science, and orchard management practices. We hypothesized that orchard management practices would influence herbicide residue in soil and herbicide transfer to almond kernels. Chapter 1 examines how irrigation water pH and salinity influence the partitioning of three weak acid herbicides between soil and soil solution. A modified method of a traditional Kd experiment was used to quantify herbicide concentrations eluted from treated soil after a series of flushes. We demonstrated that pH and salinity did not have a significant effect on the partitioning of saflufenacil, indaziflam, or penoxsulam out of soil. Chapters 2 and 3 focus on herbicide transfer to almonds via herbicide-bound on soil particles. Low levels of glyphosate and glufosinate residues in almonds have become a concern to the commodity board, growers, and chemical companies because of changing regulations and low maximum residue limits in kernels. Over the course of two field seasons, we measured herbicide residue in unharvested almond fractions, harvested almond fractions, and soil at various timepoints in the field before and during almond harvest as well as at the huller/sheller processing facility. The data addresses the questions of whether residues were coming from herbicide residues in the almonds or from herbicide on soil particles on almonds. It was established that herbicide treated soil could contribute to residues on almonds by being loosely attached to the almond (i.e., dust on almonds). We discovered that a glufosinate metabolite, MPP, is a major contributor to glufosinate residue in almonds and is of concern to the maximum residue limit in processed almond exports to the European Union market. Furthermore, the metabolite was found in unharvested almonds, sampled directly from the tree without contact with soil, at surprisingly elevated levels which leads us to suspect that the translocation of the glufosinate metabolite into the tree is contributing to residue levels. Glyphosate and its common metabolites were not found in kernels at the end stage of processing.

The objective of this thesis was to analyze the protective strategies and tools that are available to preserve the historic character of African American beaches across the country. This thesis looks at protective measures available to address the three greatest threats to historic African American beaches: loss from neglect, loss of character from incompatible development, and loss from natural disasters. The potential protective measures were then analyzed to see which measures would be applicable to the protection of American Beach; a historically African American Beach in Florida. The most feasible options for American Beach were taken into consideration and presented as recommendations.