Avoid choosing subjects that require extensive outside research that requires citation
you should choose a topic that you have some personal knowledge of so that you have sufficient points of comparison or contrast to discuss in your essay.
Have you included a clear, focused, and detailed thesis statement?
❒ Does your thesis state the subjects to be compared or contrasted and include the two or three points of comparison or contrast?
❒ Is your thesis a single sentence located towards the end of the introductory paragraph?
You will need to compare or contrast two or three primary points about the two subjects you choose to write about, resulting in an essay with either four or six body paragraphs, an introductory paragraph, and a conclusion. The writing for this assignment should be informative and objective, avoiding the first-person voice or any personal details that may inform bias or personal opinion.
Remember that the two subjects you choose should have a meaningful connection so that you can draw comparisons or contrasts between the two.
After you’ve drafted your essay, answer the following questions about your writing. Include answers to all of the questions below your essay.
1. Did you use the point-by-point or block method to organize your body paragraphs? What made you decide to organize your essay in this way (3-4 sentences)? Which organization did you choose and why?
2. In what ways did writing a comparison/contrast essay differ from the Narrative essay you wrote in Touchstone 1? Give specific examples (3-4 sentences).
3. Remember that the writing process is a recursive process, and your first draft of an essay is rarely your last. What part of the draft did you struggle with (3-4 sentences)? Think about how you could improve the draft if you continued the writing process with revision and editing
