Compare/Contrast Essay

What to Write About: 1. What are their titles? 2. What do they describe or depict? 3. What is their tone or mood? 4. What is their form? 5. Who created them? 6. When were they created? 7. Why do you think they were created as they were? 8. What themes do they address? 9. Do you think one is of higher quality or greater merit than the other(s)—and if so, why? 10. For writing: what plot, characterization, setting, theme, tone, and type of narration are used?

How to Organize Block Organization in Four ParagraphsI. I. Introduction: Get your reader's attention and state your purpose which is to discuss the differences between vacationing in the mountains or at the beach. II.Vacationing in the Mountains (A)the climate (B)the types of activities (C)the location III.Vacation at the Beach (A) the climate (B) the types of activities (C) the location. IV.Conclusion: Summarize your ideas and leave the reader with a good impression.

Point-by-Point Organization in Five Paragraphs I.Introduction: Get your reader's attention and state your purpose which is to discuss three differences between vacationing in the mountains or vacationing at the beach which are the climate, the types of activities, and the location. II.The first difference between vacationing at the beach or in the mountains is the climate. III.The second difference between vacationing at the beach or in the mountains is the type of activities. IV.The third difference between vacationing at the beach or in the mountains is the location. V.Conclusion: Summarize your ideas and leave the reader with a good impression.

Writing a Thesis Some instructors prefer that you only write about the differences between two things, while others want you to focus on explaining the similarities as well. Either way, you'll need to make sure that your thesis statement reflects your instructor's expectations. For example, if I wanted to write about Social Networking sites, I'd need to write different thesis statements depending on my compare/contrast assignment.

Sample thesis statement for contrast paper: In terms of social networking sites, Facebook focuses on presenting your daily life to others, whereas MySpace allows you to focus more on demonstrating your personal style. Sample thesis statement for compare/contrast paper: While both Facebook and MySpace allow you to meet other users who have similar interests, only MySpace allows you to demonstrate your personal style.

Why is it a Persuasive Essay? Compare-contrast essays are similar to persuasive essays in a couple key ways: The persuade the reader to your point of view about how they are similar and different.

A compare-contrast essay is almost always formal academic essay in which the writer presents a thesis. In most formal academic writing, the proper point of view for the essay is third person (using the pronouns he, she, it, they). It is OK to use first person (I, me, we) in the conclusion INCORRECT: First Person I think that Fitzgerald and Hemingway share many similarities despite their very different use of descriptive language. CORRECT: Third Person Fitzgerald and Hemingway share many similarities despite their very different use of descriptive language.

Using Quotes Compare-contrast essays rely on direct evidence from several sources. Why use quotes? 1. They demonstrate you read the available information closely. 2. They serve as concrete evidence to support your position 3. They demonstrate a deeper level of understanding, which is persuasive to readers.

Where can evidence come from? What can I quote from? Books, films, newspaper articles, credible websites, newscasts, etc. What can’t I use? Wikipedia, encyclopedias, other student essays, interviews with non-experts, etc.

How to set up Paragraphs ICCEE quoting: examples (i.e., your proof) of what your topic sentence claims, quoted from another source I = introduce the quote: (who, what, when, where) In chapter 8, after shaping a snowman figure out of mud and sticks, he begins to cover it with snow. C = copy the quote down correctly using quotation marks appropriately: “Jem scooped up some snow and began plastering it on. He permitted me to cover only the back, saving the public parts for himself” (Lee 67). C = cite the quote: himself” (Lee 67). E = explain what the quote means: Jem sees nothing wrong with making a snowman out of both mud and snow. E = Elaborate, expand, and explore on the significance of the quote—show how it relates to the thesis of your essay: In other words, his snowman is both black and white. What we see on the outside of a person is just a thin layer of skin, like the snow, but on the inside, we are all made of the same basic materials. It’s not what we are on the outside that matters; it’s what we are on the inside. Without the stick frame covered with black mud, there would be no white snowman.