Compare and Contrast Essay Assignment
Compare and Contrast Essay Assignment
The purpose of the Compare and Contrast Assignment is to take two topics of your own choice and write a 2 full-page Compare and Contrast Essay using the organization techniques (Topic-by-Topic or Item-by-Item) presented in Unit 4.
Here are the details:
1. Choose two topics of your choice to compare and contrast. You are not required to do any research for this essay, so this assignment encourages you to pick topics you know about so that you can use your own knowledge to build the content of the essay. Below, there will be some examples of compare and contrast topics, but you may pick your own. Ask your instructor if you have difficulty in finding topics.
2. When you choose your topics, spend some time brainstorming to find three items you can compare between the two topics. The example here is how in the Unit 5 lecture notes we found the items of Cost, Size and Teachers for our Community College and University essay. Again, the items you choose will be your decision about what you would like your essay to focus on. Use your judgment of what you feel is most important to discuss between the two topics.
3. Decide whether to use the Topic-by-Topic pattern or the Item-by-Item pattern. Either pattern is valid, so use the one you are most comfortable with. When you decide on your pattern, create an Outline as we did in the Unit 5 notes for Community Colleges and Universities.
4. Be sure that your essay has an introduction that has the four points listed in the lecture notes, not necessarily in the order given in the notes: Topic, Thesis, Attention Grabber, Signposting. (Note, if you decide to write the essay inductively by not having the thesis in the introduction but in the conclusion, that is acceptable, so in place of the thesis in the introduction, you may ask a question and/or explain the purpose of the essay).
5. With your outline, you will write the essay filling in all the details for each point in the outline.
6. Be sure to have a conclusion where you evaluate and analyze the topics. This conclusion could be more than one paragraph, and you will likely develop it after writing all the other points of the essay. Part 3 of the Unit 5 notes show how the essay evaluated and analyzed the two types of schools to question the saying “you get what you pay for.”
7. Include a title for the essay.
8. Read over the essay several times to see if you need to make any revisions. Also, proofread the essay to make corrections. It is a good idea to let at least one other person read your essay for revision and proofreading. Your reader could be a friend or family member, or it could even be someone you connect with in class. It is fine to get together with a classmate to e-mail essays back in forth for proofreading and revision.
The essay needs to be at least two full pages following the MLA formatting guidelines of 1-inch margins, double spacing between lines, Times New Roman 12 type.
Ideas for Compare and Contrast Essays: As the instructions above say, you may write your compare and contrast essay on any two topics you choose. However, here are some ideas. These are based on essays the instructor writing this page has seen over the years and ideas from when that same instructor was a student and had to write this type of essay:
Online Classes vs. On-Campus Classes
High School vs. College
Renting vs. Buying a House
After High School: Attending College vs. Going to Work Full-Time
Summer vs. Winter (or Fall vs. Spring)
Dogs vs. Cats
Movies vs. Books
Two Books compared against each other (or two t.v. shows or two movies compared against each other).
Standard Transmissions vs. Automatic Transmissions
Sons vs. Daughters
Two court cases (writer of this page had to compare two court cases in political science class)
Two different historical events (World War II vs. Civil War)
Playing Guitar vs Playing Bass
Two Restaurants compared against each other
Two Branches of Government (Legislative Branch vs. Judicial Branch)
Two Different Decades (1970’s vs. 2010’s)
Two Periods of Your Life (teenage years vs. young adult years)
You can see there are many different ideas for this essay. You may use any of these ideas or modify them in any way. It is okay to pick completely new topics. It is amazing some of the creative ideas students have come up with, and the evaluations and analysis to come out of the essays has been fascinating
Rubric
Compare and Contrast Essay Grading Rubric
Compare and Contrast Essay Grading Rubric
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Introduction/Thesis Statement
20.0 pts
Excellent
Very well-developed introduction and thesis statement. They engage the reader and create interest. They cover both subjects and the author’s point for the comparison or the contrast.
17.0 pts
Good
Introduction and thesis statement create interest and are fairly well developed. But while they cover both subjects, they are not very engaging.
15.0 pts
Fair
Introduction and thesis statement introduce the subjects for comparison or contrast, but they either do not give accurate and complete information, or they do not emphasize the author’s point for the comparison or contrast.
12.0 pts
Poor
Introduction and thesis statement do not introduce both subjects for comparison or contrast, or they may not be a complete sentence. No controlling point about the subjects is evident.
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Overall Organization Unit and Coherence
20.0 pts
Excellent
The details are in a clear effective order and the author sticks to one pattern: subject-by-subject or point-by point. Both subjects are covered vividly and given about the same amount of space.
17.0 pts
Good
The details are in a clear order and the author sticks to one pattern. Both subjects are given roughly the same space.
15.0 pts
Fair
The details are in a discernible order, but the author does not stick to one pattern in the essay, or the details do not adequately support the author’s controlling point.
12.0 pts
Poor
No discernible organization. Details are either missing or not in any discernible order.
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Body Paragraphs, Topic Sentences, and Supporting Details
20.0 pts
Excellent
Each paragraph contains a clearly focused topic sentence that relates to the thesis statement. Details in the paragraphs are clear and specific, and there are enough details to create a thorough comparison or contrast. The details clearly support the author’s point.
17.0 pts
Good
Each paragraph contains a topic sentence that relates to the thesis statement, and both subjects are given roughly the same amount of space. Details are clear and specific, but they do not vividly support the author’s point for the comparison/contrast.
15.0 pts
Fair
At least one topic sentence is not clear nor does it relate to the thesis statement. There are details, but they are not clear and specific, or both subjects are not given roughly the same amount of space.
12.0 pts
Poor
There are no apparent topic sentences for each paragraph. Details are either wrong or lacking. Effective language is not used. Or the details do not fit the author’s point for the comparison/contrast.
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Style
20.0 pts
Excellent
Writing is smooth, skillful, and coherent. Sentences are strong and expressive with varied structure. Consistent and appropriate tone and word choice is used throughout the essay. Transitions are appropriate and add to the effectiveness of the essay.
17.0 pts
Good
Writing is clear and sentences have varied structure. There is consistent tone and word choice is appropriate with fairly good use of transitions to guide the reader.
15.0 pts
Fair
Writing is clear, but sentences may lack variety. The tone is inconsistent and word choice, while adequate, could be better. While transitions are present, they do not add to the overall effectiveness of the essay.
12.0 pts
Poor
Writing is confusing and hard to follow. Contains fragments and/or run-on sentences. The tone and purpose is inconsistent and difficult to determine. Transitions are either missing or inappropriate.
20.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
Grammar and Punctuation
10.0 pts
Excellent
No errors in punctuation, spelling, grammar, or capitalization.
9.0 pts
Good
A few minor errors in punctuation, spelling, grammar, or capitalization, but they do not detract from the overall meaning and effectiveness of the essay.
8.0 pts
Fair
Several errors in punctuation, grammar, spelling, and capitalization, but while distracting, the meaning and intent of the essay can still be discerned.
6.0 pts
Poor
Distracting and major errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization.
10.0 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome
MLA Format
10.0 pts
Excellent
No errors.
9.0 pts
Good
One or two minor errors.
8.0 pts
Fair
Major errors in formatting.
6.0 pts
Poor
Paper does not follow MLA formatting guidelines.
10.0 pts
Total Points: 100.0
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