11/12/2021
The Experience
It is finally time to provide an update on my research progress. I found that researching over the summer was a difficult experience. Now that I am back on campus, I am working more with secondary documents and sources. Throughout the summer, the bulk of my time was spent working with primary documents. Those documents included sources like records from high courts, usually the United States Supreme Court. In those documents, I was able to find information regarding public and private forums, content neutrality, and significant government interests to name a few. It was a wonderful experience to have. It was challenging to keep going despite my other commitments over the summer but it all worked out. It was great to work alongside Dr. Kasper, the Menard Center for Constitutional Studies, and the McNair program.
What I have Done to Prepare
My research is not finished yet. My goal over the summer was to have the paper completed. However, there was not enough time to look at secondary sources such as peer-reviewed articles and law reviews regarding specific areas of concentration. I have recently reconnected with my mentor and asked him to provide suggestions on my write-up. I received feedback about a couple of things he recommended cut out entirely. He also suggested looking at Westlaw to find some secondary sources. Moving forward, my research work will consist of finding these secondary sources. Keeping better communication with Dr. Kasper is another vital tool that will be utilized as the McNair Symposium has passed. Earlier this semester, I practiced the content I would say by doing the three-minute research story assignment. The three-minute research pitch was a good starting point. From there, it will be important to slow down and touch on specific case decisions and how they will impact the answer to my research question. There were a couple of cases that needed to be cut to make the allotted time. Now, the presentation can be given at a comfortable speed.
How I am Continuing to Prepare
Currently, my research consists of preparing for the presentation. This means building a PowerPoint and condensing my research to slides. The presentation will have screen captures from websites and documents that help answer my research question. The structure of my presentation will likely be a little different than past McNair presentations. My time will be spent on explaining some history of case law on free speech. Second, I will focus on my critiques of a text and examine secondary sources. Then, my conclusion will explain my results and if I think it is constitutional at UWEC. As I mentioned earlier, my mentor provided feedback. I am going to continue working on his suggestions and adding them to the presentation. I have already made a couple of minor fixes that he suggested. Despite the suggestions he made, I still went a couple of minutes over time when practicing this week. The cuts that will be made are going to be to the incorporation cases. My mentor and I have determined that they are not necessary to the audience. While the time before my presentation is short, I am encouraged by the progress and will be ready to present my research.
