p2

Let's chat about your second writing challenge!

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.