Day 25 — Academic Discussion Workshop (Discussion 3)
Phase III · Mock & Mastery · Writing · Day 25 of 30 · ⏱ ~1.5 hours
📍 You are here: Day 24 · Email workshop → Day 25 · Discussion workshop → Day 26 · Mock Test 2
Sharpen the highest-value writing skill: adding an original angle fast. Fix your discussion pattern, then prove it on a fresh prompt.
🎯 Today's goal: Turn a clear stance + a genuinely new angle into a 120–150 word response in 10 minutes.
✅ You're done when: you've submitted Discussion 3 with a Magic-Trio example.
⏰ Step 1 — Warm-Up: The Magic Trio
Spot the example that has a number, a place, and a result — the DNA of a Band 6 example.
👉 Open the Warm-Up Exercise
4 items · auto-graded.
🔧 Step 2 — Workshop your pattern
Re-read your earlier discussion + Hasmik's notes. Most common leaks: echoing the students, a vague example, or an unclear stance. Re-read that part of the Discussion Master Guide PDF and the Band 6 Discussion Sample Video (the Gap Strategy).
🟢 Band 4→5 Name a classmate + add one clear new point, with a concrete example.
🔵 Band 5→6 Reframe the question or add a cross-domain angle; use a concession clause and a semicolon/em-dash for variety.
⭐ Today's Individual Task — Academic Discussion
Strict 10 minutes · 120–150 words
Dr. Norton (professor): Today we'll look at the impact of social media on society. Social media platforms have become central to daily communication and even global politics. While some celebrate the increased connectivity, others worry about privacy, mental health, and misinformation. Do you believe the impact of social media on society is predominantly positive or negative? Explain why.
Alice: I think the impact is largely positive. It lets people stay connected with friends and family regardless of distance, and it gives small businesses a platform to reach a broad audience without the costs of traditional advertising.
Ben: I think the negatives outweigh the positives. Social media often promotes unrealistic expectations and can contribute to anxiety and depression. It's also a breeding ground for misinformation, which has serious societal implications.
Write a post responding to the professor. Express and support your opinion, and contribute in your own words (at least 100 words).
📤 Submit your individual task for Hasmik's feedback: post your response in the "Tasks for Review and Feedback" section on Telegram and indicate which day's task it is.
💡 Pro Tips
- Find the gap. Alice = connectivity, Ben = harms. A fresh angle: digital literacy, regulation, or the difference between active and passive use.
- Magic Trio — a number, a name/place, a result — turns a generic point into a Band 6 example.
- Stance in sentence one — never make the reader hunt for your opinion.
- 60-second polish with the Spelling & Error Checklist.
📁 Portfolio Entry — log Day 25
- 📅 Date · ✅ Steps completed (Y/N) · ⏱️ Time spent
- 📊 Warm-up score: ___ / 4
- 🎯 Discussion 3 submitted? (Y/N) · new angle used: ___
- 🎯 Confidence today (1.0–6.0) · 🏆 One Win + 🤔 One Challenge
📞 Your 2 one-on-one meetings with Hasmik are included — book them if you haven't yet.