2019 – Atrium

Introduction

Responding to Experiences

Our experiences shape how we react to the world around us. When responding to these experiences as academics, we broaden the definition of texts to “anything that conveys a set of meanings to the person who examines it,” including personal experiences, films, works of art, etc. In this section, these essays move beyond initial, gut-level responses to texts to investigate them in new, meaningful ways.

An Artistic Rendering of Lesbian Love and Sex: A Review of Room in Rome

Ava Dennis

Dear PopPop

Langston Carter

The Story of Us: Frances Ha in Three Parts

McKenzie Beard

Warzone

Anonymous, Per Author’s Request

Writer as Witness Essay Competition Winner

Engaging with the Conversation

What does an essay look like before it’s an essay? Usually, we only get to read final drafts, but what about the work that comes before the final draft? Invention—the process of thinking, imagining and rewriting the work of others—is an important part of the process of creating new work. The following pieces represent the kinds of polished writing that prepares the way for further work.

Annotated Bibliography

Sophie Hathaway

Literature Review

Ames Jewart

Research Process Synopsis and Annotated Bibliography: Chinese Feminism: Comedy Could Change the Current Situation and Push the Way to Equal Rights

Yuhong Liu

Exploring A Problem

In exploring a problem these essays go beyond established ideas, engaging in inquiry that brings a new understanding of existing evidence. These writers raise meaningful questions about their world, and through the discovery of insight, come to new conclusions.

Insurgent or Insane: Racism in the News Media’s Portrayal of Mass Shooters

Charlie Estes

Finding the Middle Place: Moral Psychology in The Good Place

Ames Jewart

Who Saved Brooklyn Nine-Nine?: An Investigation Behind the Politics of Television

Chloe Irwin

Why Would You Feel Bad for the Bad Guy?

Todd Silberglied

X & Why: Mental Health and Masculinity Among Fans of XXXTension

Dashiell Nusbaum

Deploying Persuasive Moves

To deploy persuasive moves, writers do not need to “prove” that they are “right”; rather, writers persuade readers that what they are saying is worth considering. In this section, these writers make the important moves of acknowledging other ways of looking at their ideas, even going so far as to entertaining objections. As a result, they engage their readers in the ongoing conversation and enable them to see something in a new light.

Popping Up on Your Feed: What We are Learning from the Spread of Dermatological Information through Social Media

Alexandra M. Gootman

Winner, University Library Prize for Best College Writing Research Paper

Minorities of a Minority: The Greater Oppression Asian Subgroups

Rosalie Fillippone

From Afterthought to Elected: How Approval of Bitches Has Increased the Complexity of Roles for Women in TV

Megan Troke

Applying a Conceptual Framework

Academic inquiry rarely happens in a vacuum, as scholars and other writers not only build on others’ ideas, but borrow their approaches. Often, writers will develop their arguments using the theoretical and methodological tools of a given field. In fact, the thoughtful application of such a frame can lead to quite ambitious claims, as the writers in this section demonstrate.

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