compare and contrast

You have probably written a compare/contrast paper before, but this one is different because it has a strategic purpose of comparing in order to conclude which is better at the end of the paper.

Take time to think about categories that interest you -- categories in which you know more than one KIND of subject.  warning: do NOT choose a boring topic such as high school versus college or online learning versus face-to-face, since those are kind of already decided by time, situation, fate, and/or a pandemic. ;) Go with something new and interesting that will allow you to GAIN KNOWLEDGE while making an argument of "this one is better" HAVE FUN with this one! Choose a pair of interesting subjects!

For example, if you love to exercise, you probably know more than one kind of workout, and you probably have a preference and a position on which is the better workout.

If you want to be smart about a used car purchase, compare two very similar cars and use the data you get to make an informed decision about which is best for your lifestyle and driving needs.

If you want to go on a mission trip, study two places you can go for two weeks to serve. Compare the experiences that particular programs offer in those two places, and decide which is better, in your opinion. 

If you love video games, you probably have detailed experience within more than one gaming interface, so you could tap into that experience and expertise to argue convincingly about which game is worth playing over the other. 

If you take dance lessons, and you have taken both salsa and tango lessons, you could argue for which you would want a friend to try, if that friend could choose only one type of dance lesson.

If you enjoy going to escape rooms, you could compare two different types of escape rooms and recommend one type over the other for someone who has been saving up to take a group of six friends. 

If you have been blessed to go to more than one beach in countries outside the U.S., you could compare and contrast those beaches and recommend the one that "wins out" as a preferred destination. 

If you want to learn more about the Covid vaccines, you could compare Moderna and Pfizer and decide which is more effective based on your research.

Then, create a QUESTION that drives your writing; for example, "Why is vinyasa yoga preferred over hatha yoga for those interested in building stamina and core strength?" CREATING A QUESTION can really help you FOCUS your paper! 

Now, let's talk about what NOT to do in this compare/contrast paper.  

1) DO NOT state the obvious.  Most of us know that most pizza has cheese, so do NOT spend a paragraph saying that a similarity is that two kinds of pizza both have cheese.  ;)  USE YOUR OWN ANGLE (edge toward a unique perspective) to come up with interesting TOPIC IDEAS that could form the material for your body paragraphs! 

2) DO NOT try to write this paper without the benefit of your helpful textbook chapter (Ch.6) and your detailed ASSIGNMENT SHEET.  Both of these will give you tips on how to organize your paper, thus saving you TIME and frustration during the drafting process.

3) DO NOT FORGET to think forward regarding the particular challenges that P2 requires of you (image embedding and also image creation with the required Venn diagram!) 

I hope these notes help you prepare for a great writing experience as you achieve the learning objective of Project 2:

ENGAGING TWO SUBJECTS 

THROUGH CRITICAL THINKING 

TO DISCUSS SIMILARITIES, DISTINCTIONS, 

AND ARGUMENT FOR WHICH IS PREFERRED 

AND WHY.  

HELP FROM OUR TEXTBOOK!:

·  Revisit the “Quick View” on Page 108 of your textbook, noting that “some persuasion is needed in comparisons, especially if you are arguing that one of your subjects is superior in some way to others. You will need to support your claims about your subjects’ strengths and weaknesses” (Johnson and Sheehan 108).

·  Use the Venn Diagram on Page 110 to think through your own topic and to IDENTIFY COMMON AREAS in a visual way! DRAW a Venn diagram of your own. Take a photo of it and insert that image into your paper (or create one using an online drawing tool!)

·  Use the good advice on Page 111 to find a “GOOD ANGLE” for comparing your subjects in a “unique and interesting way.” (See the comparison of McDonald’s and Five Guys for the “college relevance” angle, or the “impact on the environment” or “what if my friend doesn’t eat meat?” angle!) ALSO ASK YOURSELF, “WHAT FRAMES ARE TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SUBJECT?” (If you can’t remember what “frames” are—go back to Chapter 2, Page 26)

·  CREATE A QUESTION that will focus your argument! (for example, which Smartphone is better for college students having to create, save, and access files?) (Remember, you can use this question and your Venn diagram in the paper!)

·  REVIEW PAGE 117 for “Ten Things You Need to Know” about comparing!

·  Don’t forget to READ THE STUDENT SAMPLES on PAGES 119-122 AND 123-126. You will

find these helpful as you are creating your own topic for P2!

Brainstorming Question:

WHAT INTERESTING

COMPARISON/CONTRAST COULD I

MAKE OF TWO SUBJECTS THAT

WOULD persuade readers to agree

with my biased argument that one is

better/worse than the other?

RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS (THERE ARE THREE THIS TIME):

1. 1)  Find, Use, Place, and Cite AT LEAST TWO IMAGES that you find online (and are related to your subject). Use graphic design to place them where they are intentional on your part and meaningful for the reader.

2. 2)  Place your own Venn Diagram as an image inside the paper (at a location of your choice).

3. 3)  Incorporate AT LEAST ONE DIRECT TEXT QUOTE AND ONE CITED PARAPHRASE from a published source (could be a review, a usability study, a page from Consumer Reports magazine, a specification list from the Best Buy website, etc.)

Don’t forget that you will need to create a CORRECTLY FORMATTED WORKS CITED PAGE with at least 3 entries this time (2 images and one text source)! (Visit Pages 396-397 and 405 in our Argument Today textbook if you are having trouble remembering how to do a Works Cited page from English 1301! You are accountable for this skill being already developed when you begin English 1302; see a tutor if you need a review!)

Reminder: Your Works Cited page is a SEPARATE double-spaced LAST PAGE with a centered header “Works Cited” (always!) and DOES NOT COUNT toward length!

GRADING CRITERIA:

1. ORGANIZED essay that shows logical structure of a “similarities and differences” compare/contrast essay.

2. A THESIS STATEMENT clearly revealing the one subject that is judged to be better/worse than the other

3. An ANGLE that reveals the writer’s specific approach to the argument (see question- writing prewriting technique in this assignment sheet)

4. Minimum length met and minimum research requirements met

5. Incorporation of writing strategies that build coherence, including practical reasoning, evidence as support for claims, transitions (spatial, temporal, logical, as needed),interesting title, etc.

6. 6)  An introduction and conclusion that PROVIDE AND REINFORCE the ARGUMENT for which subject is better/worse than the other.

7. College-level sentence structures that are free of serious grammar errors such as run-ons and comma splices, and reveal attempts at style and sophistication (intentional syntax, parallel structures, evocative word choice, etc.)

8.  Correctly formatted Works Cited page with at least two entries per assignment specifications