Assignment Three: Both Sherry Turkle and Libby Copeland

Assignment Three: Both Sherry Turkle and Libby Copeland argue that our constant access to social media and to our cell phones has actually made us unhappier by decreasing our opportunities for richer, face-to-face contact and for deeper interpersonal connection. Contrarily, Gretchen Rubin argues that through social media we can maintain our social connections over the years and even find again the old friends that we lost as we changed jobs or cities. She concludes that, since social connection is such an important part of our happiness, social media makes us happier.

1. For this paper, do a few writing exercises (Brainstorming, free-writing, rough outline, writing a tentative thesis) to help yourself focus on what you want to express on this question: what is the effect of cellphones or social media on our happiness?

2. As you write your first draft, present the contending ideas on this topic and try to persuade your reader to see this social issue in the way that you do.

3. On Wednesday, Oct. 14, we will do a little library research and you will need to find one more article that you can cite in your paper. (Sharing with your classmates the article you have found is a good thing: research is like going fishing together! We all catch a certain number of fish, but we can cook and eat them together.)

4. We’re going to focus this time on how the structure of your paper can help the reader follow your ideas, and how parts of the paper (particularly the introduction and conclusion) can match English-speaking readers’ expectations.

A checklist

Do your introduction and thesis tell the reader your topic and your position/viewpoint on that topic?

Are the body paragraphs organized so that each centers on one of the supporting points for your thesis?

_ Does each body paragraph stay on the point that you introduce? (No “wandering” or introducing new topics in the same paragraph)

_ Does the writer offer convincing support for his/her point of view in the paper, including support from the authors we read and from one additional article?

_ Does the conclusion offer a fresh idea? (One final attempt to convince the reader?)