What was the most helpful feedback you received in the peer review workshops?

• The most helpful feedback I received during the peer review workshops was related to the conciseness of my writing. My peer review partners helped me identify places where I could eliminate redundant information – such as in my introduction (cutting down the description of movies) and with my evidence (I found places where I repeated information and cut it out). My first partner also advised me to tie my conclusion sentences for each paragraph either back to my thesis or to my next paragraph so that my transitions would be smoother. This advice really helped me connect my paragraphs for a better flow.

What were the most interesting discoveries you made as you researched your topic?

• One of the most interesting discoveries I made was how high schools either endorsed or condemned civic activity by its students. A lot of high schools follow a curriculum of built-in civic engagement, yet some punished their students who participated in gun control and climate change walkouts with suspensions or worse consequences. Also, schools in Europe seem more inclined to condemn teen activism than American schools.
• Another interesting topic was examining how students have lost their faith in the older generation to make change. The comments of Greta Thunberg, Claire Nelson, and David Hogg show that teens have assumed the burden of changing policy onto themselves instead of trusting their representatives to do so on their behalf.

What is the significance of the paradigm shift you explored? In other words, what do you feel is most important point for your reader to take away from your paper?

• I think that my reader should understand that youth activists aren’t backing down from the political scene, so no matter what the positive or negative views are of them, we will be dealing with them. Therefore, it’s best to understand their motives and how they are treated before we dismiss them or add to the hate directed towards them.

How has this project helped you develop as a writer?

• This project is the first truly extensive research paper I’ve worked on. I’ve learned how to find reputable and relevant sources through the library resources at Penn State (honestly a lifesaver). I also learned how to balance my time by creating an extensive plan for the week before I had to turn my rough draft in – I outlined my general ideas, researched sources and added relevant information under each idea in my outline, then wrote a couple paragraphs each day so that I wouldn’t get stressed about writing many pages at a time. This plan helped me stay focused and not drain my energy. Additionally, I learned how to string many ideas together into a cohesive paper across more paragraphs (instead of the standard 5-paragraph essay model from high school). I had to make sure that I was interested in my topic, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to write 7-10 pages on it!