Document Type
Conference Paper
Publication Date
2026
Abstract
Following similar pedagogical practices to Steven Krause's (2011) chapter on antithetical writing in Writing Spaces, an open-source composition studies textbook, I developed a short writing assignment requiring students to role-play a "hostile" or oppositional viewpoint from the one they were preparing to take in their larger persuasive writing project. Titled the "Antithetical Micro-Essay," the purpose of the short writing assignment is to prepare students for unintended audiences and counterarguments they could hypothetically encounter while composing their persuasive essays (called the Editorial). By adopting an oppositional viewpoint, students were challenged to earnestly understand the positions of their oppositions, including their beliefs, backgrounds, and kinds of evidence they found valuable.
Recommended Citation
Grey, C. (2026). Integrating Antithetical Thinking and Writing Practices. In Proceedings of the 2026 Scholarly Teaching Conference at West Virginia University (pp. 1-2).