Costello Brit Lit II Persuasive Essay: HYPERtheticals Some people are extremely good at making small talk.

These are the kind of humans who can talk to a stranger for 40 minutes without learning anything essential about who that stranger is they talk about the weather and about other people, and they mention what kind of car they drive and how old their children are. They have conversations in public that are ultimately no different than silence in an empty room. I refuse to be that kind of person. I refuse to make small talk. I refuse. I dont care what the situation is or what the protocol is supposed to be: I see no value in asking someone a friendly, nonadversarial question if neither party cares what the answer is. Instead, I prefer to ask questions where the solution is irrelevant I pose hypothetical questions where how one answers the query matters far more than the literal conclusion. What matter is how you think, not what you think. If these questions seem absurd or boorish or juvenile thats totally fine. Dont read them and dont answer them. We dont need to be friends. We are not the same. But if you want to find out who other people really are, these are the conversations you need to have. And you need to have them now. Prepare to become interesting. ~~Chuck Klostermans introduction to Hypertheticals: 50 Questions for Insane Conversations Rhetorical Situation Author: someone thoughtfully and thoroughly responding to one of Chuck Klostermans hyperthetical scenarios. Audience: someone who doesnt agree with the authors stance Context: The author must convince the audience to change their mind and adopt the authors response to the scenario. Plan of Attack
T 1/31: review assignment guidelines; review possible scenarios W 2/1: class time in 002 with laptops to write TH 2/2: class time in 002 with laptops to write; submit 1st final copy before 11:00pm via turnitin.com and bring 1 hard copy to Mondays class M 2/6: bring 1 hard copy of 1st final copy to class for a peer response activity T 2/7: before 11:00 pm, submit revision to turnitin.com

Costello Brit Lit II Prompt Options Compose a 500-word minimum response to one of Chuck Klostermans hyperthetical scenarios. Your response is to be persuasive in content, style and tone. Your textbook has a wealth of tips on persuasive writing (p. 674-683). Features of Essay should include: GOALS Present a clearly stated opinion to a target audience. STRATEGIES Choose an issue with opposing viewpoints. Choose your side of the issue and clarify your position.

Present relevant evidence, explanation, and/or support in a logically organized argument.

Defend your position with appropriate reasons, specific details, and evidence presented in a logical order.

Anticipate and address audience concerns and counterarguments

Present your views and respond to opposing views in a reasonable voice and tone.

Use persuasion as an instrument for action or change.

Persuade your audience to act in response to your position.

Grading I am available to offer suggestions on draft throughout the assignment. Bring in a hard copy or email the draft as an attachment with the concerns you have. When I score your essay, it will be graded according to the following rubric: Q3 Points (40 total): 1st final copy: 25 pts. Peer response activity: 15 pts. Portfolio Points (100 total):
/25 /25 /25 /25 o o o o Develops a point of view, demonstrates critical thinking, uses appropriate support Organization and focus, coherence, progression of ideas Language and vocabulary usage, sentence structure Grammar, mechanics, and format

Costello Brit Lit II Formatting Guidelines When you submit to turnitin.com, you will be uploading a document. Once uploaded, the formatting will be affected, but the original file will need to comply with the following guidelines: y y y 12 point Times New Roman font Double-spaced Name, Class period, date, assignment title on 1st line of 1st page o Assignment title is Persuasive Essay Hypertheticals #[the number of the scenario youve chosen] Right-justified header of last name, page number. Include the entire text of the hyperthetical scenario to which youre responding at the top of the first page. o This is to be single-spaced.

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Submission Guidelines:

What is due BEFORE 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 2nd: You must turn in an electronic copy of your 1st final copy via www.turnitin.com
y y y y Log in at turnitin.com Click on your class period Click on the submit icon for the assignment Persuasive Essay to turn in the 1st Final Copy Choose the paper submission method single file upload a) If not using Microsoft Word, choose the copy & paste method to submit, and bring in a hard copy of essay from the program you used to create it Make sure your first and last name are correct Enter Hyperthetical #[the number of scenario you chose] in the submission title space Click Submit (you should then see a copy of your essay. The format may look different, but thats fine) Click Submit again. Youll then see a digital of our essay, showing the correct format. There is no need to print this receipt.

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What is due no later than the beginning of class on Monday, February 6th : You must have ONE hard copy of the 1st final copy:
y This will be used for a peer response activity during Mondays class. If you do not have it, or have not submitted your 1st final copy to turnitin.com, you will not be able to participate in the peer response activity, missing out on both helpful feedback to improve your essay as well as the points for this step in the process.

Costello Brit Lit II

Theres more What is due BEFORE 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 7th: You must turn in an electronic copy of your revision via www.turnitin.com
y y y y Log in at turnitin.com Click on your class period Click on the submit icon for the assignment Persuasive Essay Revision 1 to turn in the 1st Final Copy Choose the paper submission method single file upload b) If not using Microsoft Word, choose the copy & paste method to submit, and bring in a hard copy of essay from the program you used to create it Make sure your first and last name are correct Enter Hyperthetical #[the number of scenario you chose] in the submission title space Click Submit (you should then see a copy of your essay. The format may look different, but thats fine) Click Submit again. Youll then see a digital of our essay, showing the correct format. There is no need to print this receipt.

y y y y y