  Using synthetic spectra to gauge the observational consequences of altering
the abundance of individual elements, I determine the observability of new Lick
IDS style indices designed to target individual elements. Then using these new
indices and single stellar population models, I investigate a new method to
determine Balmer series emission in a Sloan Digital Sky Surveys grand average
of quiescent galaxies. I also investigate the effects of an old metal-poor
stellar population on the near ultra violet spectrum through the use of these
new indices and find that the presence of a small old metal-poor population
accounts for discrepancies observed between index trends in the near UV and
optical spectral regimes. Index trends for 74 indices and three data sets are
presented and discussed. Finally, I determine the near nuclear line-strength
gradients of 18 red sequence elliptical Virgo cluster galaxies for 74 indices.
