Carpenter
Freshman Composition
Essay Assignment #4: Comparison and Contrast
In an essay full of examples, compare and contrast the two subjects in any one of the following pairs:
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two musical styles, such as classical and contemporary reggae
two scientists, such as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking
two military leaders, such as Robert E. Lee and Ulysess Grant
two American Presidents, such as Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson
two world leaders, such as Vladimir Putin and Mikhail Gorbachev
two professional athletes such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant
living on campus with living off campus
online classes versus traditional classes
two political systems, such as communism versus democracy
two religions, such as Christianity versus Judaism
two religious leaders, such as the Pope and Dalai Lama
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS ASSIGNMENT?
Writing a comparison/contrast paper involves comparing and contrasting two subjects.
o A comparison shows how two things are alike.
o A contrast shows how two things are different
It is not enough to merely list what is the same and what is different. Consider the following:
o What overall pattern is operating in the similarities and why does it matter?
o How does the comparison enhance our understanding of the separate entities?
o What is the cause of the differences and why does it matter?
o What unique and new insight comes from contrasting the entities?
The answer to these questions will form your thesis statement. The thesis must make a claim that goes beyond the listing of similarities and
differences and creates a new understanding, a weaving together of separate strands to make a new form. This new synthesis becomes your
thesis.
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STEP 1: BRAINSTORM TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE SAME AND WHAT IS DIFFERENT.
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STEP 2: CREATE A THESIS STATEMENT:
The thesis statement will evolve from the brainstorming. Look at your list and ask yourself some questions.
o "Is there something important, significant, or interesting in the similarities and differences on my list?
o "What have I discovered about my two topics?"
Present the subjects and indicate that they will be compared and contrasted. Make a point about the specific ways the two can be compared.
Example 1: (Compare two versions of a fairy tale)
The two stories of Cinderella, one from Disney and the other from the Grimm Brothers, have three important points of contrast: X, Y, and Z. Because of these differences, I
would read the Grimm version to my niece Beatrice.
Example 2: (Compare two seasons)
Although there is exquisite beauty in the seasons of autumn and spring, there are also distinctions which allow each season to stand on its own.
STEP 3: CONSIDER THE POINTS OF COMPARISON OR CONTRAST
When writing compare and contrast essays, one is often dealing with a vast amount of detail. The subject must be broken down into parts for analysis
and a sufficient number of significant characteristics and details must be considered. Pull it apart and look at each detail in isolation so you can
decide how they all go together.
Example: When comparing the two stories of Cinderella (one from Disney and the other from the Grimm Brothers) compare:
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Characters
Animals
Costumes and setting
Violence
Parents and step-parents
Lessons
STEP 4: PERFORM RESEARCH
o Research your topic
o DOCUMENT IN-TEXT CITATIONS AND FULL CITATIONS (MLA FORMAT)
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STEP 5: ORGANIZE AND DRAFT YOUR ESSAY
The Alternating Pattern
Alternate the details from one side of the comparison or contrast to the other. You must include the following elements in your essay:
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Title Page
o Creative Title for Your Essay
o Your Name
o Date
o Draft (Rough or Final)
o Professor Carpenter
Introduction and thesis statement
Discuss and give all the details of the similarities between both subjects (use in-text citations using MLA format)
Transition statement
Discuss and give all the details of the differences between both subjects (use in-text citations using MLA format)
Transition statement
Concluding statement (The conclusion of your paper should include final connections about the two subjects and then a restatement of your thesis)
Works Cited Page – include all sources used in essay in correct MLA format
Your essay should be 3-4 pages in length. Double-space your essay and use Times-Roman font 12.
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Comparison and Contrast Rubric
Points
Earned
Title Page and
Directions
Introduction and
Thesis Statement
Purpose &
Supporting Details
In-text citations
(MLA citations)
Paper includes:
o Creative title
o Your Name
o Date
o Draft (Rough or Final)
o Professor Carpenter
Essay is 3-4 pages in length. Essay is double-spaced in Times-Roman font 12.
Paper includes an
Paper includes an
Introduction is
Introduction is missing or inadequate.
attention-grabbing introduction with a incomplete, and
introduction and
thesis statement
missing either a
clear thesis
that is adequate
thesis statement
statement
or attentiongrabbing topic
sentence
The paper
The paper
The paper
The paper compares or contrasts, but does
compares and
compares and
compares and
not include both. There is no supporting
contrasts items
contrasts items
contrasts items
information or support is incomplete.
clearly. The paper
clearly, but the
clearly, but the
points to specific
supporting
supporting
examples to
information is
information is
illustrate the
general. The paper incomplete. The
comparison. The
includes only the
paper may include
paper includes
information
information that is
only the
relevant to the
not relevant to the
information
comparison.
comparison.
relevant to the
comparison.
In-text citations
In-text citations
In-text citations
There are few in-text citations and those
are accurately
are used and most are used but most that are used are done incorrectly.
used to document are documented
are not
sources. All in-text accurately. All indocumented
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Points
Possible
25
30
60
40
citations have
corresponding
entries on the
Works Cited Page
text citations have
corresponding
entries on the
Works Cited Page
Organization &
Structure
The paper follows
a consistent order
when discussing
the comparison.
The does not
follow a consistent
order when
discussing the
comparison.
Transitions
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Works Cited Page
(MLA citations)
The paper moves
The paper moves
The transitions between ideas are unclear
smoothly from one from one idea to
or nonexistent.
idea to the next.
the next, but there
The paper uses
is little variety. The
comparison and
paper uses
contrast transition comparison and
words to show
contrast transition
relationships
words to show
between ideas.
relationships
The paper uses a
between ideas.
variety of sentence
structures and
transitions.
o All in-text citations have corresponding entries on the Works Cited Page
o All entries are in alphabetical order and in correct format
Grammar &
Spelling
(Conventions)
Writer makes no
errors in grammar
or spelling that
40
Writer makes 1-2
errors in grammar
or spelling that
accurately. There
are in-text
citations that do
not correspond to
the Works Cited
Page
The paper breaks
the information
into astructure,
but some
information is in
the wrong section.
Some details are
not in a logical or
expected order,
and this distracts
the reader.
Some transitions
work well; but
connections
between other
ideas are fuzzy.
Writer makes 3-4
errors in grammar
or spelling that
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Many details are not in a logical or
expected order. There is little sense that
the writing is organized.
Writer makes more than 4 errors in
grammar or spelling that distract the reader
from the content.
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50
distract the reader
from the content.
distract the reader
from the content.
distract the reader
from the content.
Grading Scale:
320-288
287-256
255-224
223-192
Below 191
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
59 and
below
Grade
A
B
C
D
F
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