Through the Trapdoor - Fifth Challenge

You keep on walking through the dark corridor, praying for the worst to be over, when, suddenly, you hear a deafening sound; it seems to come from the huge wooden door right in front of you which, unfortunately, is the only way to go.

You sigh, cursing your luck, and slowly push the door open. A six-foot-tall troll is looking directly at you, waving a huge club and growling dangerously.

THE FIFTH CHALLENGE - DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS

You will have to out-troll the troll!

Challenge:

You have to write an essay to hand in to your new DADA teacher... But said essay had to be worthy of a "TROLL". You can resort to bad grammar, lack of coherence, ridiculous metaphors, or anything else you want BUT it has to be something legible. You can't submit thirty lines of jdsghkjhdfxkjhskjfhsdkjfh asdjhfkjdsfdhkjdshfkjsdfs. The essays will have to comply with The Forum Rules (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=120541).

Available Topics:

The Dark Arts - Why Do They Exist?
"That Werewolf is my friend!" or How the Dark Arts Saved My Life
Boggarts and Their Use in Birthday Parties
The Pixies, the Moste Evile Beings
Reasons Why a DADA Teacher Can't Lift The Curse On The Subject
Horcruxes: Not Necessarily a Bad Thing
How To Counter-Curse a Counter-Curse

Word count:

300 min - 800 max.

Submissions:

1. Once you have submitted your entry, it is done. No alterations or resubmissions allowed.
2. Please submit your entry via owl to one of the following staff members: Nadia (http://www.cosforums.com/member.php?u=118687), RemusLupinFan (http://www.cosforums.com/member.php?u=23922) or SusanBones (http://www.cosforums.com/member.php?u=47011).

Deadline:

The deadline for this task will be 8pm GMT time, August 16th, 2009.

Remember that all entries are to be anonymous. This means that you are not allowed to share your entry with anyone else. Any entries posted publicly anywhere else or otherwise shared will be disqualified. No exceptions.

Be creative! Keep in mind that when someone is voting, they will usually vote for the entry that amused them the most. An overuse of netspeak and smileys might not work in this case :yuhup:

Questions about the task go here :)

:wow: Wow. Now that is a creative challenge!

(...this is going to be painful...)

Very creative indeed.

Can't wait to read all the entries. They should be very amusing :lol:

Will there be an award for the most droll troll? :rotfl:

ooh! exciting!

:wow: Already??

Wow, this is my favorite challenge! :D

Question, does the challenge have to be written by myself or should it be written from a character's PoV?

:wow: Already??

Wow, this is my favorite challenge! :D

Question, does the challenge have to be written by myself or should it be written from a character's PoV?

It has to be written from your PoV, as if you were a student at Hogwarts.

Very very interesting challenge :tu:

I think I'm going to try this out :D

It has to be written from your PoV, as if you were a student at Hogwarts.

:D :D You mods made our week. I've always wanted to study Hogwarts curriculum and write their essays! Thank you!

Groan if it were to a proper essay i would have hope but to write like a troll.... Good thing there is time. But not a favourable challenge for ravenclaws :lol:

Wow! We have to write like a troll?! :wow:

*Bows to Mods* Amazing, whoever thought of it. :tu: :clap: :clap:

Brilliant idea! :clap:
Argh! But now I have to write a bad essay? On purpose? Yikes....

gah scary...how to write a bad essay purposefully?!

We have to write like a troll?!

I thought that the essay had to be so bad that the grade it would get would be a troll?

I thought that the essay had to be so bad that the grade it would get would be a troll?

I think that's probably the same thing :lol:

Can we use smileys?

haha wow this is by far the most creative task to date. AWESOME! Writing a bad essay, guess i need to go find my inner troll :p

this is going to be so much fun.

I do not believe I have ever gotten a grade nearly as bad as a troll in anything English related. I just realized the non-native English speakers will have an advantage on this one. :lol:

Wow! Very-very interesting... :clap:

Oh wow..... not a Ravenclawish task, this. :D

I guess I have to dig up my 'what not to do when writing an essay' sheet and see whether I can learn something from my students ;) :D


Fun!!!


By the way - can we submit the text with smilies and fancy editing, or do you want plain text?

I just realized the non-native English speakers will have an advantage on this one. Might be. :lol: Although I actually assume it's as difficult for a non-native as writing a normal story. In owls I tried to write in netspeak for fun purpose once, and it was really difficult for me to achieve that.

This sounds like a really fun challenge! :lol:

*sharpens quill* :relax:

By the way - can we submit the text with smilies and fancy editing, or do you want plain text?

You can submit it with smilies and editing, yep :) But remember it can't have any images, just words and smilies.

So, the troll isn't already unconsious? Dang it.

This sounds like a really fun topic.

But...that's so unfair! LOOOL! We have to dumb ourselves down! Oh gosh! I come across as snobby in anything I write (even though Im not a snob in person) my writing certainly is expressed in such a way. :( I will try my best to write like a troll. Can a troll speak english?
:(

Oh boy... yea essays :p... I have a lot of fun with those.

I'll have fun with mine... :lol:

This is going to really fun! Hard though.....well at least my poor English teacher will never see it! :)

Well done to whoever came up with this - very creative!

But...that's so unfair! LOOOL! We have to dumb ourselves down! Oh gosh! I come across as snobby in anything I write (even though Im not a snob in person) my writing certainly is expressed in such a way. :( I will try my best to write like a troll. Can a troll speak english?
:(

I thought according to Ron speaking Troll was easy, as it wasn't a proper language, just grunt and point?

But writing an essay that would get a "T" isn't quite the same as writing like a troll. What were the grades again? I know the passing ones are O=Outstanding, E=Exceeds Expectations, and A=Acceptable, right? and the failing grades are along the lines of bad, dreadful, and troll, though I might be remembering wrong.
*goes to find OotP to check*

I thought according to Ron speaking Troll was easy, as it wasn't a proper language, just grunt and point?

But writing an essay that would get a "T" isn't quite the same as writing like a troll. What were the grades again? I know the passing ones are O=Outstanding, E=Exceeds Expectations, and A=Acceptable, right? and the failing grades are along the lines of bad, dreadful, and troll, though I might be remembering wrong.
*goes to find OotP to check*


Oh so does this task mean we don't have to write the essay as if we are a troll, but we have to write it as if we are trying our very best to get a troll grade in our O.W.L's?

I have a question about the available topics, "How the Dark Arts saved my life?" should this one be a story?

Oh so does this task mean we don't have to write the essay as if we are a troll, but we have to write it as if we are trying our very best to get a troll grade in our O.W.L's?

That was the way I understood it. A few posts down someone asked if we were supposed to write as a HP character, and the Mod answer was to write as if you are a Hogwarts student.

But a stupid one who can't scrape a D=Dreadful in your DADA O.W.L.

Oh so does this task mean we don't have to write the essay as if we are a troll, but we have to write it as if we are trying our very best to get a troll grade in our O.W.L's?
Right - check back in the first post. I think it says that you are writing to get the worst grade possible, which is a TROLL rating.

So you are supposed to be a student, not literally a Troll. :)

The first post says that we have to abide by the Forum Rules, but it also says we are allowed (maybe even encouraged??) to use bad grammar. Am I right in assuming that we can break the forum rule on bad spelling, grammar and punctuation to our heart's content for this task?

:hmm: I better start channeling my inner Crabbe & Goyle !
Are we going to be down graded for spelling things right/correctly ? or given points for bad spelling & punctuation ?

Right - check back in the first post. I think it says that you are writing to get the worst grade possible, which is a TROLL rating.

So you are supposed to be a student, not literally a Troll. :)

Oh...yeah I totally knew that...I totally wasn't planning on writing it as a troll..:scared: :blush: haha. Thanks for letting me know :) X

Oh so does this task mean we don't have to write the essay as if we are a troll, but we have to write it as if we are trying our very best to get a troll grade in our O.W.L's?

You have to write as if you were a student trying to get a Troll mark on your essay.

I have a question about the available topics, "How the Dark Arts saved my life?" should this one be a story?

Nope, they all should be essays; in that topic, you can talk about your experiences to back your ideas up.

The first post says that we have to abide by the Forum Rules, but it also says we are allowed (maybe even encouraged??) to use bad grammar. Am I right in assuming that we can break the forum rule on bad spelling, grammar and punctuation to our heart's content for this task?

Yes, you can use bad spelling, grammar and punctuation, but remember that if your essay is completely intelligible, it's likely people won't vote for it.

:hmm: I better start channeling my inner Crabbe & Goyle !
Are we going to be down graded for spelling things right/correctly ? or given points for bad spelling & punctuation ?

You are not going to get points taken or given because of grammar and punctuation (bad or good); your essay as a whole will have to convince those voting that it deserves the first place. You can write a hilarious one, making no sense, and using good grammar, and people might love it all the same. Or you can write the whole thing using netspeak, and some might think it's funny and vote for it. It's up to you.

It has to be written from your PoV, as if you were a student at Hogwarts.
There were trolls studying at Hogwarts? :hmm:

The trolls we "meet" just groan. But I guess an essay just made of groans (500 to 800 of them) would be kind of dull reading. Or making bad puns to make people groan, would that count? :lol:

Maybe I should go back and read how the trolls and Orcs speak in Lord of the Rings. ;)

This sounds fun, though. I'll try to come up with something.

There were trolls studying at Hogwarts? :hmm:

The trolls we "meet" just groan. But I guess an essay just made of groans (500 to 800 of them) would be kind of dull reading. Or making bad puns to make people groan, would that count? :lol:

Maybe I should go back and read how the trolls and Orcs speak in Lord of the Rings. ;)

This sounds fun, though. I'll try to come up with something.

Hi. You sound confused, like I was. You don't write it as though you're a troll writing an essay, you write is as though you're a human, a normal student at Hogwarts, only you don't have a clue what you're talking about. You're aiming for a TROLL grade, which I believe is the worst grade you can get in your O.W.L's. Hope you understand better now? :)
X

There were trolls studying at Hogwarts? :hmm:

The trolls we "meet" just groan. But I guess an essay just made of groans (500 to 800 of them) would be kind of dull reading. Or making bad puns to make people groan, would that count? :lol:

Maybe I should go back and read how the trolls and Orcs speak in Lord of the Rings. ;)

This sounds fun, though. I'll try to come up with something.

:lol: don't take it so literally. The Grade you want to achieve is a troll level (like an F in the states) you don't have to talk like a troll.

This question is about the topic "That Werewolf is My Friend." Do you have to literally write about how a werewolf is your friend, or is it just an essay that supports werewolves?

I would think either would be acceptable.

This sounds like fun. I'm already dreading the voting more than the essay, though. Can you imagine what this is going to be like? We'll have to vote for the best worst essay. :lol: How much more difficult could that be? :rotfl:

This question is about the topic "That Werewolf is My Friend." Do you have to literally write about how a werewolf is your friend, or is it just an essay that supports werewolves?

You can interpret it any way you want to, as long as it's an essay and it involves the Dark Arts somehow.

:lol: don't take it so literally. The Grade you want to achieve is a troll level (like an F in the states) you don't have to talk like a troll.
Oh, OK. Thank you, and thank Meggy for the clarification. :) But in the opening post, Professor Lupin does say "You can't submit thirty lines of jdsghkjhdfxkjhskjfhsdkjfh asdjhfkjdsfdhkjdshfkjsdfs." - that what got me confused.

Now I understand the phrase "worthy of a Troll" better.

Den_muggle, perfect definition, we'll have to vote for the "best worst essay". That is indeed what will be the toughest part of the contest. :lol:

Oh, I hadn't even thought about the voting....this one could be the hardest challenge yet! :lol:

This looks like fun! :D

I think this challenge is deceiving. At first it seems kind of easy--write poorly. But to write a poor essay that people will actually vote for...that is going to be very difficult. I'll have to think about some creative ways to do this. Maybe thinking back on all the bad essays I've had to grade over the years will give me inspiration. :lol:

Yes, you have to write an essay that Snape would read while muttering, "What dunderhead would write something like that?" :lol:

You have to write something bad? Sounds right up my alley!

On the other hand, "something so bad that it's good" and that people will vote for? Oh brother, that requires deep reflection.

Can we write something from a troll's point of view? I mean, a Hogwarts student who would put himself/herself in a troll's mind and think about, for example, how cool it would be to have a Horcrux or two?

Uh oh, this is really quite a challenge. :whistle:

Ah yes, I can see my dear brother writing something bad all right. But I'll beat him to it yet. We Puffs have to keep our lead over those Gryffs. :elaugh:

I just worte (see - im a natural!) a draft and I've been cracking up the whole time! :rotfl:

I just worte (see - im a natural!) a draft and I've been cracking up the whole time! :wow: You already wrote a draft??? :clap: You are always on top of these challenges! Go Puffs! :huff:

Sorry for the dumb question, but can one participate in this challenge is they haven't had any participation thus far, even in voting?

Sorry for the dumb question, but can one participate in this challenge is they haven't had any participation thus far, even in voting?

Of course you can! There are no restrictions to participation and voting :)

This challenge looks like great fun :D

I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with :rotfl:

Oh so does this task mean we don't have to write the essay as if we are a troll, but we have to write it as if we are trying our very best to get a troll grade in our O.W.L's?

I also thought we had to write like a troll. I was wrong; since, we have to only write to get a troll grade; well, I'll write normally. :D

It's things like this that make my tutors cry themselves to sleep at night *makes not not to share this with 'Professional English' tutor* but sounds like heaps of fun :D

I've wrote mine :) Going to take my time before submitting though. It was really hard, but strangely I found after writing a few lines the rest seemed to flow easily.
:)

Ok, I already wrote two pieces :lol: I've got to decide which one to use.

This question is about the topic "That Werewolf is My Friend." Do you have to literally write about how a werewolf is your friend, or is it just an essay that supports werewolves?
I bet it could go either way. That is the trick of this whole thing - misinterpreting the essay subject could earn you a Troll!

I do have a specific question though.
We vote am I right? But how do we (those who are taking part in the challenge) know what defines a "troll" grade? I mean, you could ramble on about werewolves and go completely off subject and Im sure in the wizarding world you'd get a troll for that, so basically everything that everyone enters is going to be a "troll" grade isn't it? So how do people know which one to vote for? Just because something is more funnier than something else, does that make it a better troll grade than something that just rambles?

Excellent question although I am not quite sure I know the answer. I will say that in my opinion that you have to decide which essay best deserves it. You must decide why and which one. It could be that it was just completely terrible and deserved a troll grade etc. :err: That probably won't help but...Thats what I have to say.

wow this task is really messing with my head, once i type a decent (and by decent i mean bad) draft I couldnt write properly without thinking really hard first. YIKES! (and had to edit this before i posted it as i made several bad grammatical/spelling mistakes, thank goodness for spell check!)

:rotfl:

:rotfl: OMG, who came up with this?? It's BRILLIANT! This is going to be soooooooo fun...

EDIT: oh dear. I forgot. I'm a Ravenclaw. This is so difficult. I can't...use...bad...grammar...

Ok, I already wrote two pieces :lol: I've got to decide which one to use.

That's my problem, too - the possibilities are endless. I've already started three essays that are each totally different. :relax:

I have finally narrowed the ideas, down to one. The task is not that simple as it looks. :hmm: It will really push the limits of creativity...

Ahh yes! This should be very entertaining indeed! I could just ask my little brother to write it for me--it'd be pretty close to a troll writing an essay, I think--but I will bite the bullet and do it myself. I have a wide variety of thoughts already. This should be fun.

:yuhup:


(ps--my brother is not really an idiot...)

I guess we are all capable to write a rambling piece, turning the spell and grammar check off. Thing is, how "bad" is "bad", and how to determine "so bad that it's good"? :hmm:

I guess we should also try to be funny, right? "Making them laugh" is almost always the first rule for a lot of things, from picking up a potential date to making an entry in a contest like this. :lol:

Who is the 'new DADA teacher'? The same approach wouldn't get us a T in Lockhart's and Moody's book... :relax:

Who is the 'new DADA teacher'? The same approach wouldn't get us a T in Lockhart's and Moody's book... :relax:

well technically i think its us, the voters, that are the new DADA teachers as we are the ones who decide which entries are especially troll worthy! Unless this isnt a voting task but id imagine it is.

Who is the 'new DADA teacher'? The same approach wouldn't get us a T in Lockhart's and Moody's book... :relax:
Good point.

well technically i think its us, the voters, that are the new DADA teachers as we are the ones who decide which entries are especially troll worthy! Unless this isnt a voting task but id imagine it is.
Good answer. We're both the students turning in their essays and the DADA teachers grading them. :lol:

I believe it is a voting task. We wouldn't be asked for anonymity if the essays were to be graded by the Mods only. There's no anonymity as far as they're concerned. :no:

Guys, don't worry about voting right now, and focus on the task itself :)

Actually, if you want to be technical, the DADA teacher would be the same as the DADA teacher in PS/SS. Then again since it was not specifiedit could probably be any of them.

Wow, this challenge sounds fun but at the same time really hard, at least for me. My real challenge it's not mess up with grammar (what it's kind of easy in my case :lol: ) but to make it a troll grade essay regarding the ideas and conclusion. However I will give it a try.

I don't see what difference it makes who the DADA teacher is??? :huh:

A bad student is bad no matter who the teacher is - you could make up a new teacher if you liked. Really, as someone said, we are the teachers when we vote.

Our bad opinion is what matters. :cool:

A bad student is bad no matter who the teacher is
I'm not so sure, if the teacher was Umbridge for example. There's always the question of favoritism. But it doesn't apply here, this was just for the sake of argument.

Our bad opinion is what matters. :cool:
Or our good opinion on what is bad. :lol:

I'm glad I decided to stay out of the running. What would my chances be of getting the "Most Likely to Correct Your Grammar" award if I were to write something riddled with grammatical errors? ;) :p

It will be a lot of fun reading the entries, I think. I'm looking forward to it! :rockon:

:rotfl: Fleur!

I've got a draft going, at least. :D

I don't think you need to know any certain DADA Teacher. You can assume any that were there in the books including the Carrows. Or you could invent one for the time not covered in the books. You just have to be a character that writes an essay and unless you create a cover page where you will write your name and the DADA teachers name, this information should not be relevant

Yes, you can use bad spelling, grammar and punctuation, but remember that if your essay is completely intelligible, it's likely people won't vote for it.


Are you sure about that, or are the mods going to filter out pieces which are completely off the beaten track?

I remember a 'Worst Image Maker' competition I competed in once. It was a lot of fun, until it became a bit pointless because people often voted out entries just because they had something to do with the actual task set, and the completely random ones were the winners.

I'd be very sad if this were to happen here, because it sort of spoils the fun.

I think one should at least be able to tell the topic of the essay without seeing the title.

I think one should at least be able to tell the topic of the essay without seeing the title.

That must be the ravenclaw in you always trying to answer the question being asked. And to a degree i agree with that statement but if someone decides that part of getting a troll means not answering the question at all and going completely off topic i think for this task thats ok. But i do see what your saying you'd probably at the very least start with some semblance of what the topic is about and then wander off topic or something.

Are you sure about that, or are the mods going to filter out pieces which are completely off the beaten track?

I remember a 'Worst Image Maker' competition I competed in once. It was a lot of fun, until it became a bit pointless because people often voted out entries just because they had something to do with the actual task set, and the completely random ones were the winners.

I was voted out in said contest because people believed my entry was random while not getting that it only was heads down.

It's as Nadia explained: enter such random entry at your own risk, but it won't get filtered out by the moderators beforehand.

I want to give people a heads up when submitting their entries. Whatever you send in the Owl is what we will post. Preview your Owl before you send it in to make sure it has all the formatting in it that you want. Entries that are written in a program like Word do not retain format commands like "center" or "underline" when they are copied and pasted into an Owl. You will need to add them before sending the Owl to us.

I remember a 'Worst Image Maker' competition I competed in once. It was a lot of fun, until it became a bit pointless because people often voted out entries just because they had something to do with the actual task set, and the completely random ones were the winners.

I'd be very sad if this were to happen here, because it sort of spoils the fun.
I agree with you, Klio. And I will probably use some criteria like that to cast my votes. But that's the thing about this competition--every voter has his own criteria, and they are as varied as the voters. So I'm sure some people will vote for the entries that are absolute gibberish, while others will vote for the ones that very cleverly approached this task. And others will vote for other reasons. You really can't control the voters. Just submit an entry you feel good about, and that's all you can do.

Are you sure about that, or are the mods going to filter out pieces which are completely off the beaten track?

I think one should at least be able to tell the topic of the essay without seeing the title.If this task is user-voted, then you have to have an idea of what the voters will go for. Will they vote for pure rubbish because it is pure rubbish, or are they looking for ones that are a cleverly poor interpretation of the topic. For example if my topic is xx and I write about yy will the voters get the joke and think that is worthy of their vote?

This is a pretty smart and clever crowd, and they read things very, very carefully - so I think you need to keep that in mind when entering. Does that make sense?

If this task is user-voted, then you have to have an idea of what the voters will go for. Will they vote for pure rubbish because it is pure rubbish, or are they looking for ones that are a cleverly poor interpretation of the topic. For example if my topic is xx and I write about yy will the voters get the joke and think that is worthy of their vote?

This is a pretty smart and clever crowd, and they read things very, very carefully - so I think you need to keep that in mind when entering. Does that make sense?

HMN - my question was asked with those things kept well in mind.

I think freelantzer says it best. It's going to be a gamble.

Freelantzer: I agree - the only thing you can control is what you write. The funniest essays will stand out no matter which way people decide to approach the task. The only danger is overthinking to the point where it isn't fun anymore. :relax: There isn't a right way or wrong way to do it or to vote on it.

I think freelantzer says it best. It's going to be a gamble.
:lol: I agree! I read her response after I posted mine.

In the past people have stated their voting criteria in the comments and reviews, I hope that happens again. I love seeing how others think about these things. :)

I would also love, as part of the submission, to include a bit of the strategy of how you tried to achieve a T - but I guess that will come after the voting.

:lol: I agree! I read her response after I posted mine.

In the past people have stated their voting criteria in the comments and reviews, I hope that happens again. I love seeing how others think about these things. :)

I would also love, as part of the submission, to include a bit of the strategy of how you tried to achieve a T - but I guess that will come after the voting.

I agree about the strategy part, HMN. But I guess it could potentially give one's entry away. On the hand, I would love to explain my entry to other reader's and explain to them the concept that I tried to capture by writing the piece. ...:)

I wish there was some way we could get a Grading System to see which approaches we could take to achieve a Troll grade. I suppose we will just have to do what we think is worthy of a Troll, and hope for the best.

I personally would prefer that the Mods (the Staff) judge this contest, but it's not my call to make. I'm not doubting the judging ability of the "student body" here at CoS-Hogwarts, but to me it fits better. To be students writing the essay until midway through August, then switching to being DADA teachers grading the essay in the second half of August, feels a little off to me.

Of course I know it's not my call to make, just a silly suggestion, and I will totally abide by the Mod's decision on this. Maybe judging the essays would be more work than posting them in a votable format would be, maybe not.

I seem to recall a serious Legillimency Studies essay contest not too long ago; that was student-judged, wasn't it?

While we are doing the paper we should also keep in mind that we want a troll. If it were too jumbled up an illegable it would probably get an incomplete and a detention in which to complete it.

It sounds to me we're really thinking too much about this. Just write and see what comes out.

It sounds to me we're really thinking too much about this. Just write and see what comes out.

That's the perfectly Gryffindor approach. ... and probably the best one in this case. :D

I seem to recall a serious Legillimency Studies essay contest not too long ago; that was student-judged, wasn't it?

It was, although there weren't many entries, so it was pretty easy to do a vote (indeed, there was only one entry in one category - which is how I got my UT!).

I have a feeling that there's going to be huge participation for this task.

Oh!! I would have loved to do a serious essay!! One where we have to pretend to be like a Hermione type character or something and aim for an Outstanding. That's something I'd really get into!! I love writing essays! Which probably makes me weird?

Having said that, I am having fun with my troll one, I just don't know if it's Troll enough.

It sounds to me we're really thinking too much about this. Just write and see what comes out.
You're the voice of reason, Leah. :tu:

Probably, like some other tasks, it will be both, the student body and the Faculty each having their say. I'd like to be able to have mine, though. This will be so much fun to judge! :elaugh:

I agree about the strategy part, HMN. But I guess it could potentially give one's entry away. On the hand, I would love to explain my entry to other reader's and explain to them the concept that I tried to capture by writing the piece. ...:)

I think to have to explain it would mean that you failed to portray the point you were attempting to get across (sorry to be blunt). So 0pts for you.
Then again, everyone is anxious about their own work, even when its really good. So don't worry.:lol:

This is one tough challenge! :lol: Having to write to get a Troll...

Good thing my thesis defense, major papers, and finals are coming up soon--I'll make sure to write this when my brain turns into goo :lol:

I think to have to explain it would mean that you failed to portray the point you were attempting to get across (sorry to be blunt). So 0pts for you.
Then again, everyone is anxious about their own work, even when its really good. So don't worry.:lol:

I would agree with you, under normal circumstances but this isn't one, IMO. Since, we will be writing an essay that has potential of getting a 'T', the entries, many of them, will be hard to discern. My mom, a teacher, always says that the badly written ones are almost always the most difficult essays to grade. That's why I suggested a system wherein the writer can explain in a short paragraph as to what he/she tried to achieve and what according to them, makes the essay troll-worthy.

Cheers,
Vignesh. :)

This is one tough challenge! :lol: Having to write to get a Troll...

Good thing my thesis defense, major papers, and finals are coming up soon--I'll make sure to write this when my brain turns into goo :lol:

Now there's a good plan! :clap: :lol:

Would writing totally off-topic earn a Troll grade? For example, if you gave your essay the title "Werewolves" and spent your 800 words writing about the Knight Bus, would that be considered a Troll-worthy essay? :hmm:

Maybe. It really depends so much on how each person interprets the task, and how each essay compares to the others. :shrug:
I'm just going for what I like and having fun, I'm not worrying over the voting, since it's so unpredictable. :)

Would writing totally off-topic earn a Troll grade? For example, if you gave your essay the title "Werewolves" and spent your 800 words writing about the Knight Bus, would that be considered a Troll-worthy essay? :hmm:

Probably, but it seems a lot of other people have the same idea as you (going off-topic). To make it stand out from a bunch of off-topic essays, you'll have to add something to make it unique (I have no idea what that might be, however).

Would writing totally off-topic earn a Troll grade? For example, if you gave your essay the title "Werewolves" and spent your 800 words writing about the Knight Bus, would that be considered a Troll-worthy essay? :hmm:

Nope, that'd get you a 'Please Rewrite and Hand in Again' note :lol: It has to be on topic.

:lol: I agree! I read her response after I posted mine.

In the past people have stated their voting criteria in the comments and reviews, I hope that happens again. I love seeing how others think about these things. :)

I would also love, as part of the submission, to include a bit of the strategy of how you tried to achieve a T - but I guess that will come after the voting.
I think if you have to explain it, then you've probably failed to write one. What I mean is - shouldn't the bad entry speak for itself?

Sometimes you can give voters too much information. Plus they might be able to tell who the writer is by the explanation and that's unfair because these are supposed to be anonymous.

I think this task is fun and easy - I don't know why everyone is stressing out about it. No one has to do it if it bothers them. :)

I'd say to just be creative and trust people to recognize it. The voting in the last challenge made perfect sense to me.

My mom, a teacher, always says that the badly written ones are almost always the most difficult essays to grade.
That's true, vig--they're very tough to grade. Sometimes they have so many problems, you don't know where to begin. I guess I should be aiming for something like that... :lol:

My mom, a teacher, always says that the badly written ones are almost always the most difficult essays to grade.
I'm finding out that writing a bad essay on purpose isn't that easy either. :no:

Question: Are we limited to the sample subjects listed in the opening post or can we pick another Dark Arts subject, like for example, "The Joy of Using the Unforgivable Curses" or "Living under Grindelwald's reign of terror", things like that? Those two just popped into my mind as examples, I'm sure there are countless others.

:hmm: I found it very easy... I wrote two pieces in under an hour, and they both looked complete and needed almost no editing. I can't imagine how any of them could get more than a T, and yet they're completely on topic. I guess, like Leah said, you just have to do it without thinking about it too much. :shrug:

Question: Are we limited to the sample subjects listed in the opening post or can we pick another Dark Arts subject, like for example, "The Joy of Using the Unforgivable Curses" or "Living under Grindelwald's reign of terror", things like that? Those two just popped into my mind as examples, I'm sure there are countless others.

You need to use one of the available topics for your entry. You can't make up a topic.




The Dark Arts - Why Do They Exist?
"That Werewolf is my friend!" or How the Dark Arts Saved My Life
Boggarts and Their Use in Birthday Parties
The Pixies, the Moste Evile Beings
Reasons Why a DADA Teacher Can't Lift The Curse On The Subject
Horcruxes: Not Necessarily a Bad Thing
How To Counter-Curse a Counter-Curse

It occurred to me the other day that I didn't write my essay poorly enough. I think it might only be a Poor or Dreadful - but it got me thinking. I'd love to see when people inevitably leave comments about each other's entry what grade they'd assign it. Just for fun, you know. :)

Passing Grades


O = Outstanding
E = Exceeds Expectations
A = Acceptable

Failing Grades


P = Poor
D = Dreadful
T = Troll

:hmm: I found it very easy... I wrote two pieces in under an hour, and they both looked complete and needed almost no editing.
Lucky you! I started writing, and found I was writing grammatically and spelling-correct sentences that made sense. So, back to the drawing board. :(

AHHRG! The waiting is killing me!

!TOO!
!LONG!
!TO!
!WAIT!

ahhhhhhh!

AHHRG! The waiting is killing me!

!TOO!
!LONG!
!TO!
!WAIT!

ahhhhhhh!
Poor you. I sympathize, but, having trouble writing my entry, I'm asking you to be patient. Go explore the site, there're enough topics of discussion there to keep you busy for 10 more days. :)

Go socialize in the Hogwarts Common Room or have a drink in the Never-Ending Party. You'll have fun, I promise. :rockon:

NEVER ENDING PARTY?! Why did no one mention this to me?! I LOVE parties!!!!! eeeeee!

NEVER ENDING PARTY?! Why did no one mention this to me?! I LOVE parties!!!!! eeeeee!
Apart from the Never Ending Party (look in the Quibbler subforum), you can also join the Dragon Quidditch game, in same subforum. You can join as either player or spectator/commentator. It's great fun. Come on, have a look. The link is in my signature. We'll be expecting you.

It will help pass the time nicely. :)

Would writing totally off-topic earn a Troll grade? For example, if you gave your essay the title "Werewolves" and spent your 800 words writing about the Knight Bus, would that be considered a Troll-worthy essay? :hmm:

Just because it is supposed to be about the topic does not mean you can't go off on a tangent about something else.

It occurred to me the other day that I didn't write my essay poorly enough. I think it might only be a Poor or Dreadful - but it got me thinking. I'd love to see when people inevitably leave comments about each other's entry what grade they'd assign it. Just for fun, you know. :)

Passing Grades


O = Outstanding
E = Exceeds Expectations
A = Acceptable

Failing Grades


P = Poor
D = Dreadful
T = Troll


Ooh! Good idea! I think I'll do that after I vote, if I write reviews again.

Can our entries be modeled after the speech idiosyncracies of a public figure?

Can our entries be modeled after the speech idiosyncracies of a public figure?

As long as it's not insulting or degrading to the public figure in question, then yes.

Righto, my entry's in. I didn't want to mess about with it too much, in case I made it better/worse. Worse/better? Ah, you know what I mean...:D

:lol: Colonel. Then again worse to one person might be better to another.

Do the opposite of what is suggested in this and a troll shouldn't be too hard to achieve. If you need more help, the web site has a step by step.
Brief Overview of the 10 Essay Writing Steps (http://www1.aucegypt.edu/academic/writers/)
Below are brief summaries of each of the ten steps to writing an essay. Select the links for more info on any particular step, or use the blue navigation bar on the left to proceed through the writing steps. How To Write an Essay can be viewed sequentially, as if going through ten sequential steps in an essay writing process, or can be explored by individual topic.

1. Research: Begin the essay writing process by researching your topic, making yourself an expert. Utilize the internet, the academic databases, and the library. Take notes and immerse yourself in the words of great thinkers.

2. Analysis: Now that you have a good knowledge base, start analyzing the arguments of the essays you're reading. Clearly define the claims, write out the reasons, the evidence. Look for weaknesses of logic, and also strengths. Learning how to write an essay begins by learning how to analyze essays written by others.

3. Brainstorming: Your essay will require insight of your own, genuine essay-writing brilliance. Ask yourself a dozen questions and answer them. Meditate with a pen in your hand. Take walks and think and think until you come up with original insights to write about.

4. Thesis: Pick your best idea and pin it down in a clear assertion that you can write your entire essay around. Your thesis is your main point, summed up in a concise sentence that lets the reader know where you're going, and why. It's practically impossible to write a good essay without a clear thesis. (We already have that.)

5. Outline: Sketch out your essay before straightway writing it out. Use one-line sentences to describe paragraphs, and bullet points to describe what each paragraph will contain. Play with the essay's order. Map out the structure of your argument, and make sure each paragraph is unified.

6. Introduction: Now sit down and write the essay. The introduction should grab the reader's attention, set up the issue, and lead in to your thesis. Your intro is merely a buildup of the issue, a stage of bringing your reader into the essay's argument.

(Note: The title and first paragraph are probably the most important elements in your essay. This is an essay-writing point that doesn't always sink in within the context of the classroom. In the first paragraph you either hook the reader's interest or lose it. Of course your teacher, who's getting paid to teach you how to write an essay, will read the essay you've written regardless, but in the real world, readers make up their minds about whether or not to read your essay by glancing at the title alone.)

7. Paragraphs: Each individual paragraph should be focused on a single idea that supports your thesis. Begin paragraphs with topic sentences, support assertions with evidence, and expound your ideas in the clearest, most sensible way you can. Speak to your reader as if he or she were sitting in front of you. In other words, instead of writing the essay, try talking the essay.

8. Conclusion: Gracefully exit your essay by making a quick wrap-up sentence, and then end on some memorable thought, perhaps a quotation, or an interesting twist of logic, or some call to action. Is there something you want the reader to walk away and do? Let him or her know exactly what.

9. MLA Style: Format your essay according to the correct guidelines for citation. All borrowed ideas and quotations should be correctly cited in the body of your text, followed up with a Works Cited (references) page listing the details of your sources. Make sure it is between 600 and 800 words)

10. Language: You're not done writing your essay until you've polished your language by correcting the grammar, making sentences flow, incoporating rhythm, emphasis, adjusting the formality, giving it a level-headed tone, and making other intuitive edits. Proofread until it reads just how you want it to sound. Writing an essay can be tedious, but you don't want to bungle the hours of conceptual work you've put into writing your essay by leaving a few slippy misppallings and pourly wordedd phrazies..

You're done. Great job. Now move over Ernest Hemingway — a new writer is coming of age! (Of course Hemingway was a fiction writer, not an essay writer, but he probably knew how to write an essay just as well.)


My Promise: The Rest of This Site Will Really Teach You How To Write an Essay
For half a dozen years I've read thousands of college essays and taught students how to write essays, do research, analyze arguments, and so on. I wrote this site in the most basic, practical way possible and made the instruction crystal clear for students and instructors to follow. If you carefully follow the ten steps for writing an essay as outlined on this site — honestly and carefully follow them — you'll learn how to write an essay that is more organized, insightful, and appealing. And you'll probably get an A.

Now it's time to really begin. C'mon, it will be fun. I promise to walk you through each step of your writing journey.

Righto, my entry's in. I didn't want to mess about with it too much, in case I made it better/worse. Worse/better? Ah, you know what I mean...:D

I know what you mean - at some point you have to leave it alone. :lol:

Go Slytherins! :slyth:

*will Obliviate herself the moment she owls her entry in*

I can't http://www.smilies-and-more.de/pics/smilies/talking/030.gif believe I wrote such...

word keeps correcting my 'mistakes'...even after I turned autocorrect off

That happened to me too lucybird! It was annoying! :huff:GO HUFFS!!!!!!!!!!!]:huff:

:rotfl: The "advantages" of technology, huh? :rotfl:

Dags! You entered! Yay! :clap:

Go Slytherin!!! http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd140/Colonel_Fubster/cos%20pics/Smilie_Slytherinwappen.gif

Aw shoot! I wrote a piece and realized it's not really an "essay" at all, it's sort of a rambling story. Back to the drawing board. :sigh:

I've written two pieces but I'm having a hard time staying inside the word limit and yet making the essay satisfactorily Troll-worthy :(

I must be really stupid - writing complete nonsense peppered with errors came naturally to me... Nor do I feel it's something to lament or feel bad about. :shrug:

I've entered.
GO RAVENCLAWS!!!:rave::rave::rave::rave:

Submitted my entry last night! I think I bored my family to tears from reading it so much to them...maybe it might be worthy of a troll after all.

Let's go Gryffindor...Let's Go! Let's go Gryffindor...Let's Go!!!

Aw shoot! I wrote a piece and realized it's not really an "essay" at all, it's sort of a rambling story. Back to the drawing board. :sigh:

Nothing wrong with that. You're trying to get a T, remember.

Submitted my entry last night! I think I bored my family to tears from reading it so much to them...maybe it might be worthy of a troll after all.

Let's go Gryffindor...Let's Go! Let's go Gryffindor...Let's Go!!!

:clap: Go Gryffindor!


(I just had to do it. Everyone else was cheering on their houses).

How about this:http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo261/DenMuggle/COS%20Avatars/Gryffindor-winking-smiley.gif

Here's hoping that, on this task, my house will be:

Rubbish
Atrocious
Very bad
Execrable
Nuts
Cringeable
Laughable
Appalling
Worst

Here's hoping that, on this task, my house will be:

Rubbish
Atrocious
Very bad
Execrable
Nuts
Cringeable
Laughable
Appalling
Worst
It would be so delightfully ironic if a Ravenclaw was to win the Troll challenge! :lol:

I have to use incorrect grammar? This will not be easy . . .

A great idea though! :tu:

I have to use incorrect grammar? This will not be easy . . .
I don't think you actually "have" to. If you write complete nonsense using impeccable grammar, you could still get a bad grade. But that's just how I understand the rules.

I don't think you actually "have" to. If you write complete nonsense using impeccable grammar, you could still get a bad grade. But that's just how I understand the rules.

That is my interpretation, as well...:tu:

word keeps correcting my 'mistakes'...even after I turned autocorrect off
Same with me, it was driving me nuts. I sent off my entry as quickly as I could, I got so tired of all those red-underlined words! :grumble:

Go Slyth! :slyth:

Where shall we write this? I got that we'll send the finished entry to one of the staff members...

Please send your entries to those members of staff mentioned in the starting post only, if you want to make sure you meet the deadline. We're busy with different duties and not all will manage to actually take care for your work if send wrongly.

From the staring post of this thread:

2. Please submit your entry via owl to one of the following staff members: Nadia (http://www.cosforums.com/member.php?u=118687), RemusLupinFan (http://www.cosforums.com/member.php?u=23922) or SusanBones (http://www.cosforums.com/member.php?u=47011).


Hope that helps. :)

Nothing wrong with that. You're trying to get a T, remember.



:clap: Go Gryffindor!


(I just had to do it. Everyone else was cheering on their houses).

How about this:http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo261/DenMuggle/COS%20Avatars/Gryffindor-winking-smiley.gif

Woooooh yeaaahh Gryffindor!!!! Lets wipe the floor with 'em all! :lol:

Woooooh yeaaahh Gryffindor!!!! Lets wipe the floor with 'em all! :lol:
Jolly good luck! Ravenclaw is leading! :rockon:

I have to use incorrect grammar? This will not be easy . . . You definitely don't have to - I believe it is just a suggestion. I'm sure it is possible to use correct grammar and spelling in an essay and still receive a Troll - esp. if Snape is grading! :)

By the way, Go Hufflepuff!

You definitely don't have to - I believe it is just a suggestion. I'm sure it is possible to use correct grammar and spelling in an essay and still receive a Troll - esp. if Snape is grading! :)

By the way, Go Hufflepuff!
Yes I guess if it's silly enough it doesn't matter if the spelling and grammar are good. Or - I hope - if you present your essay as if it were a story, not a "thesis" on the subject. I don't know. I just turned mine in.

Now we wait. http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa261/drgreenediscussions/nailbiter.gif

I'm just about to send in my entry. I was going to wait a while but I'm finding it quite hard so I don't think I'm going to get it much better and I have a really busy week ahead (results of 'the single most important exam you will ever take' are out on Wednesday so I'm just a bag of nerves!:eeep:). My mind works in the strangest way so I think my essay is going to seem a bit crazy - hopefully that will help me get a T!

I can't wait to read everyone's entries - I think they're going to be really varied!

Oh and.....

GO RAVENCLAW! :rave:

I was wondering if you can create your own spontaneous title for the essay? Something that involves the original topic titles, though.

I was wondering if you can create your own spontaneous title for the essay? Something that involves the original topic titles, though.
I guess as long as you adhere to the main topic (pixies, horcruxes, DADA teaching, etc.) it should be OK. Actually, straying a bit (or a lot) from the main topic is one of the things that might earn you a T grade, as long as the topic title is mentioned somewhere in your essay. JMO. :)

I disagree, I think part of the challenge is writing within the fixed topics otherwise its just a crazy free for all! Or is THAT the point... I just don't know anymore! :err:
Awww screw it, I can't turn back now, I just wrote mine out and sent it in in <30min and I'm gonna have to live with it!

I was wondering if you can create your own spontaneous title for the essay? Something that involves the original topic titles, though.

As long as you stick to the topics given, you can give it any title you want.

Oh, drat.
Two years of accelerated English... and I have to write my worst?

Oh, my now this is a challenge :elaugh:

Oh, drat.
Two years of accelerated English... and I have to write my worst?

Oh, my now this is a challenge :elaugh:

What would your English teachers say about that? I graduated with a degree in English and I'm being told to forget everything I ever learned! ;)

What would your English teachers say about that? I graduated with a degree in English and I'm being told to forget everything I ever learned! ;)

I've heared that :D

Oh god, I'm gonna be wasting my time taking english at uni arnt I?! Ah who cares, I'm not good at anything else :lol:

*grumbles that, since I'm a better writer than graphics person, why can't the challenge be "who can make a graphic like a troll"--I'd be the winner, then, no question about it--sigh*

Well, I've turned in my essay--hope you all find it bad enough to earn the lowest grade possible--maybe give it an F (flobberworm) which, I would think, would be worse than troll. (Ironically, I am now finding it difficult to type properly, since I got rather used to poor spelling, grammar, and typing skills during the creation of my little monstrosity. AAUUGGHH! :yuhup: :argh:

Anyway, GO RAVENCLAW!!

Hope we're...uh...terrible!
(this is so weird....;) )

I've discovered I'm better at misspelling than actual spelling. I mean "spelin."

Not that I'm actually proud of this fact. :)

I am SO glad that I read through some of these posts first and figured out that you had to write as a Hogwarts student going for a Troll GRADE... At first, I thought you had to write as if you were an actual TROLL! I was about to run out to Barnes and Noble tomorrow to grab a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to find out as much as I could about Trolls... Wow... maybe I don't deserve to be in Ravenclaw :sigh:

Well, you should get a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them anyway, you'll enjoy it! :D ;)

*grumbles that, since I'm a better writer than graphics person, why can't the challenge be "who can make a graphic like a troll"--I'd be the winner, then, no question about it--sigh*:rotfl: :tu:

I've discovered I'm better at misspelling than actual spelling. I mean "spelin."
I spent years trying to spell right, avoid typos and inverting letters... Now I have to fall back on my old habits, and avoid re-reading what I write in case I have the urge to correct myself. :lol:

I'm short on ideas, though. Just managed about 100 words, and now I'm stuck, not knowing which way to go. I suppose that's a good thing, because it's not going to be consistent or logical, which is what we want, right?

I am SO glad that I read through some of these posts first and figured out that you had to write as a Hogwarts student going for a Troll GRADE... At first, I thought you had to write as if you were an actual TROLL! I was about to run out to Barnes and Noble tomorrow to grab a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to find out as much as I could about Trolls... Wow... maybe I don't deserve to be in Ravenclaw :sigh:

Actually, so much dedication to research would suggest you are pefectly placed in Ravenclaw. :lol:

Well, you should get a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them anyway, you'll enjoy it! :D ;)

:agree: i know! I have to get that and Quidditch Through the Ages!

Actually, so much dedication to research would suggest you are pefectly placed in Ravenclaw. :lol:

:lol: My god, you're right!! Ahh, I feel so much better now! I don't want to let my house down :D

*grumbles that, since I'm a better writer than graphics person, why can't the challenge be "who can make a graphic like a troll"--I'd be the winner, then, no question about it--sigh*


Oh you'd have had tough competition in that Anhelda, from yours truly ;)

Ugh I turned in mine as well, and I can't bear to read it anymore, it makes me cringe. That has to be a good thing though, right?

*grumbles that, since I'm a better writer than graphics person, why can't the challenge be "who can make a graphic like a troll"--I'd be the winner, then, no question about it--sigh*Oh you'd have had tough competition in that Anhelda, from yours truly ;)


And from me! Did you see my Percy chesspiece?:lol:
I'd put a link but it's really just too awful!

And from me! Did you see my Percy chesspiece?:lol:
I'd put a link but it's really just too awful!

But you became Ravenclaw's local hero for doing so well on your story on your first CoS contest entry, for which we're all in awe of you!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anhelda
*grumbles that, since I'm a better writer than graphics person, why can't the challenge be "who can make a graphic like a troll"--I'd be the winner, then, no question about it--sigh*
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kanksha
Oh you'd have had tough competition in that Anhelda, from yours truly

And from me! Did you see my Percy chesspiece?
I'd put a link but it's really just too awful!

Yeah, I saw both of your pawns--I still think I would win, especially since I can only dream of having the ability to make something look as good as the Percy pawn. ;)

But you became Ravenclaw's local hero for doing so well on your story on your first CoS contest entry, for which we're all in awe of you!

Aww, thank you! Gosh, I'm embarassed now!:blush:

Yeah, I saw both of your pawns--I still think I would win, especially since I can only dream of having the ability to make something look as good as the Percy pawn. ;)

Oh, I could teach you if you want!:lol:

Hufflepuffs stay united with eachother
All of us are winners in the eyes of one another
But with our hard work and extra steps, we'll...
Beat the rest of Hogwarts 'cause we're the best, for real
None of us mean to be of bragging sorts
What really rocks is our school, Hogwarts
But Huffs mean lots to everyone, you know that it's true
So be prepared for Huffs to beat beat beat you!

:huff:Woohoo! Go huffs!!!!!!!!!:huff:

Hufflepuffs stay united with eachother
All of us are winners in the eyes of one another
But with our hard work and extra steps, we'll...
Beat the rest of Hogwarts 'cause we're the best, for real
None of us mean to be of bragging sorts
What really rocks is our school, Hogwarts
But Huffs mean lots to everyone, you know that it's true
So be prepared for Huffs to beat beat beat you!

:huff:Woohoo! Go huffs!!!!!!!!!:huff:
Nice poem there, Dan the Man. :tu: As a Hufflepuff sympathizer, I applaud you. But as a Ravenclaw, I defy you to catch up to us, let alone beat us. :elaugh:

Hufflepuffs stay united with eachother
All of us are winners in the eyes of one another
But with our hard work and extra steps, we'll...
Beat the rest of Hogwarts 'cause we're the best, for real
None of us mean to be of bragging sorts
What really rocks is our school, Hogwarts
But Huffs mean lots to everyone, you know that it's true
So be prepared for Huffs to beat beat beat you!

Yeah, I saw both of your pawns--I still think I would win, especially since I can only dream of having the ability to make something look as good as the Percy pawn. ;)
Nobody, but nobody can beat my Nagini pawn for a Troll Minus grade. :no:

It's so bad, poor Nagini has been mistaken for a toad, and got absolutely no vote in the "best pawn" category. :upset:

I did win in a three-way tie for best story, though. :rockon: So Anhelda, we're in the same boat. Though I don't think my Troll entry will be able to achieve a T. :no:

Since we're in the poetry mood:

There's a house by the sign of the Eagle,
In bearing majestic and regal.
They're so learned and wise
That it causes surprise
That such talent and brilliance is legal!

Nice little limerick, Melazka. :tu:

So, the house spirit thing is obligatory now? All right, here we go...

There is no house quite on a par
With the chosen of old Salazar
You may rave and huff
But we'll call on your bluff
And let you adore... from afar :relax:

So, the house spirit thing is obligatory now? All right, here we go...

There is no house quite on a par
With the chosen of old Salazar
You may rave and huff
But we'll call on your bluff
And let you adore... from afar :relax:

:rotfl: That's awesome! :slyth:

There once was a brave Gryffindor
Who knew that tough tasks were in store
But she knew her house mates
Would show off their great traits
Because winning is part of their core!

http://i382.photobucket.com/albums/oo261/DenMuggle/COS%20Avatars/Go-Gryff.gif

I love all this House Spirit! Great job, Den Muggle! :tu: :lol: And also Melaska and Dan_the_Man.

Everyone's rallying their troops. :)

Leave it to Godric's roll call
To make it their collective goal
And call on house mates
To 'show their great traits'
- so Snape could award them a Troll. http://www.smilies-and-more.de/pics/smilies/tired/018.gif

I think we've established that all houses are in great spirits :) Now we can go back to asking questions about the task in this thread, and we can move all the cheering and rhyming to the Hogwarts Common Room (http://www.cosforums.com/showthread.php?t=120992) :D

You definitely don't have to - I believe it is just a suggestion. I'm sure it is possible to use correct grammar and spelling in an essay and still receive a Troll - esp. if Snape is grading! :)

By the way, Go Hufflepuff!

Especially if you throw in a potion recipe for shampoo.

Especially if you throw in a potion recipe for shampoo.
Oh, Rox! :rotfl:

I hope someone thought of that! :lol:

Good Luck All!

Especially if you throw in a potion recipe for shampoo. :lol: Why didn't I think of that :p

After the contest is over, it would be interesting to get a breakdown of how much each essay topic was used--what percentage of essays were about horcruxes, what percentage were about werewolves, etc. It would be interesting to see if essay topic affected how people voted--for example, will most of the winners be a certain topic, or will people be rewarded or penalized for using a less-chosen topic, etc. Also, it would be interesting to see if the topics break down by house--will the majority of Hufflepuffs pick topic A or B while the Slytherins go for topic D & E, and so on.

I think it will also be interesting to see if the "winners" are ones that have the most spelling/grammatical errors or if they are ones that use something else to make their essay the best worst possible. I can't wait to see what people used besides the obvious spelling/grammar errors/typos to make their essay worthy of a Troll grade.

Funny thing, when I told my husband the essay had to be worthy of a "Troll," he took it to mean troll like a message board troll, as in someone who just tries to stir up trouble or start fights/flame wars. (He's seen the movies, but hasn't read the books.) I thought that was funny, especially since several people thought they had to write like a troll at first (albeit a different kind of troll). :lol: (Sorry, maybe I'm just up too late or writing that Troll-worthy essay warped my brain. :yuhup:)

I agree, Den, it will be interesting to see just what constitutes the best example of T-level work to the COS community! And I suspect that at least one of the "awards" will be named after Crabbe and/or Goyle. :lol:

I agree, Den, it will be interesting to see just what constitutes the best example of T-level work to the COS community! And I suspect that at least one of the "awards" will be named after Crabbe and/or Goyle. :lol:
That'd be so funny. Does anyone really want to display the Crabbe/Goyle Award in their signature? :lol:

I suspect that at least one of the "awards" will be named after Crabbe and/or Goyle. :lol:I'm sure whoever wins it will be proud to display it, I know I would! :)

I wonder what kind of award Professor Snape will be giving out? Ooooh so many opportunities... Quirrel, Lockheart, Lupin, Moody, Umbridge, Snape - there is a long line of DADA teachers to present awards from.

I think that Umbridge would give an award for telling too many lies. :)

Maybe the award for the biggest dunderhead? :lol:

I wonder if the overall winner will get a chance at detention with the DADA professor of their choice? :eyebrows: :D

Well I've put my Troll into the... um sorry that should be my essay into the Troll... um that should be my essay into the through the troll contest... Aww dang it ! I'm in the game! there I've said it ! Wish me luck ! :lol:

twins:p

I wonder if the overall winner will get a chance at detention with the DADA professor of their choice? :eyebrows: :D
:lol: Is that wishful thinking, Col. Fubster? :rotfl:

I think "The Dunderhead Award" would be a lovely thing to win. :love:

Finaly got something in.

:lol:

I would be glad to except any award, be it the "Gregory Goyle Award for being the biggest dunderhead" or the "Vincent Crabbe set-fire-to-himself-stupid Award"

:rotfl:

We could also have a special award for the essay most likely to get an "O", call it the biggest loser.
This task is so subjective I bet the votes will be all over the place.
I kind of wonder if we should hold off on making comments until after the first round of voting is over. That way everyone will use their own voting criteria.

I am SO glad that I read through some of these posts first and figured out that you had to write as a Hogwarts student going for a Troll GRADE... At first, I thought you had to write as if you were an actual TROLL! I was about to run out to Barnes and Noble tomorrow to grab a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to find out as much as I could about Trolls... Wow... maybe I don't deserve to be in Ravenclaw :sigh:

I didn't :lol: and i wrote to a troll AHAHA! it's still really bad though, im not gonna worry about it too much:D

Well I've put my Troll into the... um sorry that should be my essay into the Troll... um that should be my essay into the through the troll contest... Aww dang it ! I'm in the game! there I've said it ! Wish me luck ! :lol:

twins:p
Sounds like you've spent too much time writing your essay and now are having trouble being coherent again. :lol: I guess that means you have a good shot. :tu:

Turned mine in last night. Looking forward to seeing the entries, although it could get very tedious to read through them all, as it sounds like lots of people entered. I'm proud of myself...I actually wrote something that I didn't use every single word available (and more) and then have to cut it down due to what I had to add in final editing. I was able to go back and clarify, correct and enhance where needed without having to worry about going over the limit. :clap:

Finally! I am home from Brazil until the 2nd of September. No more crappy connections or internet filters at home! Gratefully, I managed to write my troll essay and submit it. Hopefully, it will be worthy of a troll!

:lol:

I would be glad to except any award, be it the "Gregory Goyle Award for being the biggest dunderhead" or the "Vincent Crabbe set-fire-to-himself-stupid Award"
:rotfl:

:rotfl: :lol: :elaugh: This is one of the best lines I've ever read in my life--if an award is named after Crabbe, it should so use that exact wording! :elaugh: :lol: :rotfl:

And if there's an entry that absolutely no one votes for, its author should get a "Most Swotty" award or something like that...;)

I'm sure whoever wins it will be proud to display it, I know I would! :)

I wonder what kind of award Professor Snape will be giving out? Ooooh so many opportunities... Quirrel, Lockheart, Lupin, Moody, Umbridge, Snape - there is a long line of DADA teachers to present awards from.

I think that Umbridge would give an award for telling too many lies. :)

Wait...What? Wasn't it Lupin that actually assigned us this challenge? :hmm:

The Quirrel Award for Biggest Split personality
The Lockheart Award for most inept
Lupin Award for most warm and fuzzy
Umbridge Award for least likely to be able to tie your own shoes
Moody Award for most likely to be a DE in disguise.
Snape Award for most Snarky

Wait...What? Wasn't it Lupin that actually assigned us this challenge? :hmm:

Yes but the rules did not say anything about writing it for a specific teacher.

Yes but the rules did not say anything about writing it for a specific teacher.

Which point I tried to make in the Bookery long ago when this contest was first announced. I think if you did direct it at a specific teacher, it ought to be either Quirrel, as he's the one in the right part of the storyline for the Trap Door Challenges and the one who set the Troll, or for Lupin, who started this thread and set the challenge for us.

It doesn't make much sense to direct it at Snape, who spent about fifteen years as Potions Professor before he taught DADA at Hogwarts. :cool: