Write an essay that presents a comparison. You may choose
from one of the three options listed below. In an essay centered around
comparison, your thesis will be your opinion about the two elements you are
comparing. The rest of the essay will
provide evidence for why you arrived at that conclusion. Evidence can include examples, narrative,
history, definitions, processes, etc.
Your essay should be organized using either the point by point pattern,
or the block pattern. Whichever way you choose, you should compare the elements
using the same points of comparison.
Option One:
Compare two viewpoints or writing styles represented by
different essays in our textbook. Only one of the essays can be one we have
read in class, although you are free to write about a viewpoint we have
discussed in class. For example, you may compare the writing styles of two
essays discussing university learning difficulties (such as “Me Talk Pretty One
Day” and “University Days”) or you may compare the viewpoints of two essays
discussing literacy (such as “Learning to Read” and “A Homemade Education”).
Option Two:
Consider a single group of people, and write an essay that
compares the expectations of that group of people (based on stereotypes or
other people’s opinions of the group) and the reality. For example, Brent
Staples writes about the expectation that people have about him based on his
looks, versus the reality of what he really is. If you choose this option, make
absolutely sure that your version of “reality” is not just another set of
stereotypes, but is based on information from the group itself. Do a little
research if you need to (but make sure you include a References or Works Cited
page if you do any outside research).
Option Three:
Come up with your topic comparing two ways we view other
people. You will need to get this topic approved at least 2 weeks in advance of
the essay due date.
You are not required to do any outside research for this essay. You are allowed to talk about
yourself and use your own experiences for the essay, as long as you are also
talking about other people. If you do any research, make sure you provide a
Works Cited or Reference page so I know that you aren’t plagiarizing.
For more information on how to write a comparison, see pages
225-247 in Steps to Writing Well. We will be doing peer reviews for this essay.
Formatting should include:
●
Double spaced, 1” margins, 12-point font in
Calibri or Times New Roman, page numbers
●
In .docx or .rtf format
●
Length: 900-1400 words (about 3-6 double-spaced
pages). Please include a word count!
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