Completing this assignment was such a blast! Being awarded the opportunity to branch out of the conventional, "professional" academic shell expected from students and instead produce something fun and creative was so freeing.
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Every semester I start with a goal of nudging students to think about academic research and writing as something beyond the classic research paper and to consider other ways of creating and sharing knowledge with an unknown audience. Bessey-Nolan and Kosier do this with both style and humor as they take on confirmation bias, contemporary media, and the McRib sandwich in their sassy, funny script.
- Prof. Brooke Baker
The way Dr. Anderson structured his Junior Seminar really allowed this assignment to morph into a passion project of sorts, rather than just another final paper. I felt innately compelled to shed light on the deceptively non-threatening blue-green algae that blooms in our Finger Lakes, all while being enamored by the complexities of life. I hope that readers feel inspired to learn more within their own interests. |
Aliyah's review paper is a great example of what I look for our junior-level students to produce in BIO-390. She started with a primary research article focused on a strange and unusual neurological disease in eagles (vacuolar myelinopathy), and branched off to explore that disease in much more detail: cause and effects, other organisms susceptible, and broader impacts. She gathered A LOT of information from multiple sources, and synthesized that information in a logical and well-organized manner to tell a story that any science major could follow. Her choice of data figures and images was excellent; they highlighted important concepts or validated statements she was making in her paper, and she made a point to briefly explain each figure in a succinct manner. Overall, her writing style exemplifies what we expect in scientific writing: it is clear and succinct, contains appropriate transitions between major concepts or ideas being discussed, presents well-reasoned explanations, and uses proper source attribution (citations) throughout.
- Dr. Todd Anderson
Writing this analysis of two very well-written and illustrated children's books helped me to take a deeper dive into the world of children's literature and to gain a deeper understanding of how children's books can help young children cope with and understand their emotions. This paper allowed me to look at how the different aspects of a picture book come together to create an enriching experience for readers of any age. |
This paper is both well-written and an insightful and nicely-supported analysis.
- Dr. Doug Richards
For my English 110 class I had to write about a value that I share with another person. I chose to write about Demi Lovato because of the struggles we both share. I have always looked up to them and related to their struggles with body image. This essay highlights those struggles and how we both turned those feelings into positive actions. |
Hannah chose to write about a difficult topic in a powerfully personal way. Her focus on self-advocacy is so very important for college students today.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
Writing this piece was a challenge for me. I started, then restarted it. For some reason, I couldn't say what I really wanted to, until I took a step back and thought about all of my experiences that have led me to this moment. I thought about empowerment and relied heavily on my first composition that really defined courage. I wanted to tell my audience about society's message of what a hero is and how it is false. We were always meant to see the capes of our heroes but not the constant trials of courage that shaped the "normal" person that stood behind it. I hope that this paper has given and will continue to give people an accurate and meaningful understanding of what it means to be a true hero. We are all capable of greatness because we have the greatest superpower of all: Courage. |
Sarah really took this assignment to heart, and she made wonderful connections to other literature/media. Her use of symbolism was powerful as well and brought the writing to life.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
Ty's interest in history and cross-curricular connection with this piece impressed me greatly. He wrote a fair and balanced piece that showed off his critical thinking skills.
- Prof. Cathy Reed