Laura’s essay does a really nice job defining the novel. It is an all-encompassing definition but also very specific. The imagery and way that Laura put these novels into conversation with one another is really illuminating. I found it refreshing that she didn’t simply discuss the novels in the order in which we read them. This worked really well to highlight different features of the novel and allowed her to contrast paired novels in an insightful discussion that demonstrates her clear understanding of these texts, the criticism, and the course overall.
- Dr. Jennie Joiner
Maddy's use of imagery and expressive language helps the reader relate to her sense of nostalgia around her skiing trips.
- Prof. Lauren Hess
The experience of writing this paper really opened my eyes to the ways in which legislative bodies and the media can misrepresent scientific processes. Growing up, I never really understood why people frowned upon GMOs, but now I understand the driving forces behind this common belief. Through the process of this experience I learned a lot about my preferred research methods and how to improve upon my own academic practices. |
Aliyah was an excellent student throughout the semester who wrote really well. Her topic is important and current, and she approached it from a global perspective, not just focusing on the U.S.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
The World Health Organization states that yellow fever, a preventable illness, takes up to 60,000 lives each year in Africa alone. A powerful statement, right? Dr. Anderson provided me with the perfect opportunity to take a deep dive into this eye-opening statistic and explore why this is the case. With family members currently living in other continents ravaged by the disease, I saw faces instead of numbers. With this paper, I want to be an advocate for underserved people around the world with hopes of raising awareness of the economic and social disparities that bar them from receiving basic healthcare. |
I am choosing to submit this paper for publication in the KC Review because I think it is an excellent example of science writing: clear and concise, with enough background information for context that successfully sets up the extent of problem (the purpose), then a discussion and synthesis of multiple research studies to evaluate the topic at hand and arrive at a reasonable, justified conclusion, all while using appropriate references, source attribution, and in-text citations in the CSE (Council of Science Editors) style.
- Dr. Todd Anderson
Lillie wrote about assisted suicide in what I felt was a very mature and thorough way.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
The piece I wrote was a reflection on one of my own fears. With such a personal topic, I tried to include much detail about my thought process at the time into the pages. It was a long and arduous process that concluded with a newfound pride in myself. My goal was to explain to the reader that having fears is not something that should hold us back, but rather be a catalyst that makes us greater in the end. |
Rage deftly balances descriptive language with well-paced narrative to express his anxiety about going on a roller-coaster for the first time.
- Prof. Lauren Hess
On the first day of class, Dr. Joiner told us upfront that the final exam for the course would require us to define what a novel is. At first, defining what a novel is seemed impossible, but through her invigorating lectures and the excellent literature she brought to my attention, I feel I was able to encapsulate what a novel is quite well. |
Josh did an excellent job discussing the novel and putting his argument into context with the critics. It is refreshing to read an essay that does not merely devote a paragraph to each novel, and instead brings the novels into conversation with each other, finding common themes and attributes for discussion. I'm particularly impressed with the beautiful and rich language that conveys the insight Josh develops in this essay.
- Dr. Jennie Joiner
Josie's paper was on a very current and important topic, and I thought she did a thorough analysis and wrote a strong, unbiased paper.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
When considering ethics and diversity in the social work field, I decided to focus my research paper on LGBTQ youth in rural communities due to the lack of resources and attention given to this population. I am thankful for the Keuka College community and the conversations I've had with Keuka alumni Mitchell Leet and Tanya Baker which helped me better understand the isolation felt by LGBTQ youth living in rural settings and how this relates to mental health. As someone embedded in the local community surrounding Keuka College, this paper provided me the opportunity to explore LGBTQ youth experiences both nationally and close to home. |
I appreciate Mollie addressing LGBTQ youth issues in the context of a rural environment. Mollie uses qualitative interviews and existing research to address sensitive ethical concerns and gaps in services. Mollie's work embodies the perspective and role of a developing social worker.
- Dr. Philip Miller
When I was asked to write about something that I did not like at first but which then grew on me, I had a difficult time at first because I struggled to come up with a topic that I could write in depth about. I also had a hard time thinking of something that really grew on me over time. After a few unsuccessful topics, volunteering came to me. Volunteering was something that I really hated when I was young but it grew on me as I got older. I enjoyed writing this paper because it reminded me of things that I had volunteered at in the past and reminded me of how much I enjoyed volunteer coaching. |
Andrew applies narrative to share his memories of volunteering at different ages and shows us how he came to appreciate an activity he previously resented.
- Prof. Lauren Hess
As someone who always overthinks and tends to talk myself out of trying new things, I had a few examples in mind when we were asked to write about a time we tried something we did not think we would like but ended up enjoying. I decided to write about my experiences with live music concerts because I have always been easily overwhelmed in large crowd situations. However, there was one time where I found myself being able to enjoy live music. I thought this would be something that most other natural introverts like myself could relate to. |
When this paper came across my desk in the Writing Center, I thought it described a very relatable experience, told in descriptive language that makes the reader feel as though they are right there with Jillian. I encouraged her to submit it to the KC Review because I think it is a nice example of well developed, thoughtful writing in a first-year English course.
- Catherine Agar, Writing Center Director
When deciding on a topic for my argumentative research paper, I found myself stuck among many topics that I was interested in. While searching from topic to topic, I stumbled across the minimum wage discussion. In the United States minimum wage is widely discussed, and some may even consider it a controversial topic. I wanted to use my knowledge, as well as the knowledge of others, to educate a wide group of people. |
Madison covered why minimum wage should be increased, certainly a pertinent topic today, and did a thorough and fair-minded piece of research and writing.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
When writing a research paper, you try to find things that are interesting to you or something that you want people to be more aware of. As social work students, we learn about many different things that impact people and can have a negative effect on their lives. I chose to write about whether or not social media plays a role in the development of eating disorders. Everyone uses social media, whether every day or every once in a while. We all see it and we are all impacted by what we see. Eating disorders also impact a large number of people. Many people know about eating disorders but they aren’t educated about what might trigger someone to develop one. I wanted to find a topic that had opposing viewpoints. Some may say that social media has an effect, but others say that other things such as peers or family play a role. Whatever that may be, I wanted to bring attention to the impact of social media today because I know it has affected me and I’m sure it has affected others. |
I thought it was a thorough examination of a current problem, whether social media causes people to develop eating disorders. She looked at many aspects of the problem: gender, race, etc. It was quite thoroughly researched and well-written.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
In my academic history, I have rarely felt a personal connection to a paper that I was required to write. Growing up in the age of social media, I felt as if I could put so much more into this research paper than any paper in my past. Although this was a challenging and serious topic to write about, I feel as though it could bring light to a topic that is often pushed into the background. This research paper had such an impact on my own life that I decided to center my 2021 Field Period experience around “Nutrition on Social Media," where individuals could experience social media for its positive aspects. I aim to create the same impact on others with this research paper. |
Bethany's paper was on a relevant topic. I thought she was very thorough in her research and wrote very well.
- Prof. Cathy Reed
I wanted to write about COVID-19 because it has greatly impacted our world and how we live our daily lives. I wanted to learn more about the research that was being conducted to help combat this deadly virus and it was exciting to learn about COVID-19 and developing research as the research was being published. I thoroughly enjoyed researching this topic and its prevalence in our lives. As a result of living during this global pandemic I have learned that we cannot take anything for granted. |
Delaney's paper demonstrates exactly what I look for in a scientific research paper. She did a great job synthesizing background information from a variety of resources, as well as funneling her topic in from a general concept -- COVID-19 -- to more specific aspects -- using animal models to determine how COVID-19 is transmitted and the current state of vaccine development at the time she wrote. Also, having read the science journal studies that she referred to and took figures from, I can say she did an excellent job synthesizing and interpreting a really complex set of experiments and then explaining them in a way that any biology student can understand.
- Dr. Todd Anderson