The best essays of 2012-13

Sophomore Alan Aquino waits to read his 3808 essay at this fall's Reading and Book Signing event.

Earlier this fall, the Critical Writing Program released its latest volume of 3808, a journal that showcases some of the best essays written by the students in Critical Writing seminars over the past year. This year's volume was inaugurated at a recent Reading and Book Signing event at the Penn Bookstore Café.

The volume features 21 essays chosen by an editorial board of faculty and students. In order to be considered, each essay was initially nominated by Critical Writing faculty and represents the culmination of a self-directed research project in a writing seminar. This year's essays cover topics as diverse as art and religion to history and public health, and are written by students majoring in a wide array of disciplines across the university.

Alan Aquino, a rising sophomore majoring in Computer Engineering, is one of this year's featured writers. His essay, Thinking from Beneath the Surface, addresses the use of Unconscious Thought as part of the problem solving process. His research was conducted in Prof. Jo Ann Caplin's popular writing seminar on Einstein and Picasso. Alan's essay, and others, can be read here.