This is just my opinion... I have 2 teenage daughters. I have seen them doing their homework and right in the middle of reading a chapter, or researching a project, etc. they will receive a text message. Not only does it break their concentration, but sometimes it puts their schoolwork on the back burner completely, depending on how "hot" the "omg my bff just broke up w/her bf!" gossip is!
So, in my opinion, yes text messaging does affect the way students work. In my house, I have their phones until their schoolwork is completed. However, I did have to go through notes getting sent home from school and a few detentions for no homework or homework not completed in order to realize what was going on.
I don't scold them or make them think it is a punishment by not being able to use them, I try to use positive reasoning (yeah, right... teenagers & positive reasoning? LOL) and let them know that 1-2 hours of not texting & doing homework sure beats 3 to 6 weeks of being grounded from your ... more.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.