About this Journal

The Best Text Collection is one way the Writing Program (WP) works to highlight and circulate texts created by University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) students for writing courses at all undergraduate levels. Texts are reviewed and prepared for publication by graduate writing instructors, further deepening the WP focus on mentoring teachers of writing on inclusive pedagogical practices by extending these practices to graduate level instruction.

Published annually, each issue presents projects created for any Writing, Identity, & Power (ENGLWRIT111), College Writing (ENGLWRIT112/112H), or Junior Year Writing courses written by current UMass Amherst undergraduate students.

Volume 3 • 2022

111: Writing, Identity, and Power


My Vietnamese

Thanh Mai Xuan Tran

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Marathi and the Maharashtrian Community

Sayali Bhalerao

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Is It Wrong Not to Speak Standard American English?

Kelli Jarvoja

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Experience Versus Understanding

Adam Lachapelle

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

A Rejection of Identity

Rose Cusack

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

112/112H: College Writing


Out in STEM

Ruby DiGregorio

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Affordable Housing Crisis: In Amherst and America

Christmaelle Vernet

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Mi Idioma Y Cultura

Jokaira Diaz

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

American Tamed Tongues

Jenny Ly

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Artificial Intelligence Art: The End of Creativity or the Start of Something New?

Manu Hegde

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

How to End the Housing Crisis, Together

Dana Trifunovic

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

112/112H: Multimodal


Oh My Geese!

Jessica Zhang

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Fighting Anti-Black Discrimination in Real Estate

Thamar L. Pierre - Louis

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

From Crop to Cup: The Bitter Origins of Brazil's Coffee

Jahnavi Anand Modi

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

The Darker Sides of Modern Self Help and What We Can Do About It

Aryan Sajith

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Teaching—A Declining Profession?

Avantika Manikandan

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Editorial Board


2022 Editorial Board

Best Text Admin

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Junior Year Writing


Accepting the Past While Emphasizing the Future

Ryan Welsh

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022

Separating Debussy from Impressionism: How Non-Western Scale Patterns, Parallel Harmony, and Heterophonic Orchestration Truly Create the Unique Sound of Debussy

Sarah Connors

2022-01-01 Volume 3 • 2022