Compare and Contrast

This writing assignment involves writing your Comparison and Contrast essay. Once you draft your essay

and revise, you may submit it for feedback. The feedback will help you revise the draft so you can

submit it as a final. The final version will be graded.

Option #1: The Classroom or the Web?

Which method of learning is better?

Option #2: The City or the Country?

Which is the better place to live?

Option #3: Which Vehicle is Better?

Which of two vehicles in the same class do you prefer?

Choose one of the options above and write an essay comparing or contrasting the two topics in your

selection using EITHER the point-by-point OR the subject-by-subject method to organize the details and

specific examples. Consider focusing on three to five subtopics and generate ideas through prewriting.

Develop a strong thesis statement for your essay that both includes your opinion (either your

preference for one topic over the other OR which topic is best for each subtopic) as well as the specific

subtopics you used to compare or contrast the two topics in your body paragraphs.

Sample Thesis Statements:

If you prefer one topic entirely over the other:

“Living in the city is better than living in the country because (add reason 1), (add reason 2), and (add

reason 3).”

OR

If you believe some subtopics work best for one topic while the other subtopics are best suited to the

other topic:

“Online learning is more (add one reason why online learning is better) than classroom learning;

however, classroom learning (add one reason why classroom learning is better) and (add a second

reason why classroom learning is better).”

Tips

Be sure to avoid beginning your comparisons or contrasts in the introduction. The only place the

subtopics should appear in the introduction is in the thesis. Therefore, in the introduction consider

discussing your experience with each location.

Then, in the body paragraphs remember to support your preference(s) outlined in the thesis. For

instance, if you said you prefer the city over the country, your comparisons or contrasts should show

evident favoritism for the city. Remember to avoid focusing on similarities in one paragraph and

differences in another. Instead, compare or contrast the same subtopics across the two topics.

If you choose the point-by-point structure, the topic sentence for each paragraph should include the

paragraph’s two topics as well as your opinion. For example, “The traditional classroom is better than an

online class for collaborative learning.” The paragraph would compare or contrast collaborative learning

in both learning environments. If you choose the subject-by-subject structure, the topic sentence for

each paragraph should include the three to five subtopics discussed in the paragraph as well as your

opinion. For instance, “The country is so peaceful and quiet, but it does not have many restaurant or

shopping options.”

The conclusion should sum up the specific subtopics as well as your preference. A well-developed

paragraph often contains a minimum of five sentences.

Point-by-Point Subject-by-Subject

I. Introduction

A. Thesis

II. Subtopic 1

A. Topic 1

B. Topic 2

III. Subtopic 2

A. Topic 1

B. Topic 2

IV. Subtopic 3

A. Topic 1

B. Topic 2

V. Conclusion

I. Introduction

A. Thesis

II. Topic 1

A. Subtopic 1

B. Subtopic 2

C. Subtopic

III. Topic 2

A. Subtopic 1

B. Subtopic 2

C. Subtopic 3

IV. Conclusion

Here’s an example of how you might organize using these methods for an essay about cats versus

dogs as pets (remember, this topic is not one of the options for this essay).

Point-by-Point Subject-by-Subject

I. Introduction

A. Thesis: Cats are better pets than dogs

because . . .

II. Subtopic 1: Noise level

A. Topic 1: Cats are quiet

B. Topic 2: Dogs can be noisy

III. Subtopic 2: Exercise

A. Topic 1: Cats do not have to be walked

B. Topic 2: Dogs require exercise

IV. Subtopic 3: Cleanliness

A. Topic 1: Cats groom themselves

B. Topic 2: Dogs need to be bathed

V. Conclusion

I. Introduction

A. Thesis: Cats are better pets than dogs

because . . .

II. Topic 1: Cats

A. Subtopic 1: Noise level

B. Subtopic 2: Exercise

C. Subtopic 3: Cleanliness

III. Topic 2: Dogs

A. Subtopic 1: Noise level

B. Subtopic 2: Exercise

C. Subtopic 3: Cleanliness

IV. Conclusion

The guidelines for this assignment are as follows:

Length: This assignment should be at least 500 words.

Header: Include a header in the upper left-hand corner of your writing assignment with the following

information:

• Your first and last name

• Course Title (Composition I)

• Assignment name (Comparison and Contrast)

• Current Date

Format:

• Double-spacing throughout

• Title, centered after heading

• Standard 12-point font (Arial, TimesNewRoman, Calibri)

• 1” margins on all sides

•

 

Save the file using one of the following extensions: .docx, .doc, .rtf, or .txt

 

 

Compare and Contrast

 

 

This writing assignment involves writing your Comparison and Contrast essay. Once you draft your essay

 

and revise, you may submit it for feedback. The feedback will help you revise the draft so you can

 

submit it as a final. The final version will be graded.

 

 

Option #1: The Classroom or the Web?

 

 

Which method of learning is better?

 

 

Option #2: The City or the Country?

 

 

Which is the better place to live?

 

 

Option #3: Which Vehicle is Better?

 

 

Which of two vehicles in the same class do you prefer?

 

Choose one of the options above and write an essay comparing or contrasting the two topics in your

 

 

selection using EITHER the point-by-point OR the subject-by-subject method to organize the details and

 

specific examples. Consider focusing on three to five subtopics and generate ideas through prewriting.

 

Develop a strong thesis statement for your essay that both includes your opinion (either your

 

 

 

preference for one topic over the other OR which topic is best for each subtopic) as well as the specific

 

subtopics you used to compare or contrast the two topics in your body paragraphs.

 

 

Sample Thesis Statements:

 

 

If you prefer one topic entirely over the other:

 

“Living in the city is better than living in the country because (add reason 1), (add reason 2), and (add

 

reason 3).”

 

 

OR

 

 

If you believe some subtopics work best for one topic while the other subtopics are best suited to the

 

other topic:

 

“Online learning is more (add one reason why online learning is better) than classroom learning;

 

however, classroom learning (add one reason why classroom learning is better) and (add a second

 

reason why classroom learning is better).”

 

 

Tips

 

 

Be sure to avoid beginning your comparisons or contrasts in the introduction. The only place the

 

 

 

subtopics should appear in the introduction is in the thesis. Therefore, in the introduction consider

 

discussing your experience with each location.

 

 

Then, in the body paragraphs remember to support your preference(s) outlined in the thesis. For

 

 

 

instance, if you said you prefer the city over the country, your comparisons or contrasts should show

 

 

evident favoritism for the city. Remember to avoid focusing on similarities in one paragraph and

 

differences in another. Instead, compare or contrast the same subtopics across the two topics.

 

If you choose the point-by-point structure, the topic sentence for each paragraph should include the

 

 

 

paragraph’s two topics as well as your opinion. For example, “The traditional classroom is better than an

 

online class for collaborative learning.” The paragraph would compare or contrast collaborative learning

 

in both learning environments. If you choose the subject-by-subject structure, the topic sentence for

 

each paragraph should include the three to five subtopics discussed in the paragraph as well as your

 

opinion. For instance, “The country is so peaceful and quiet, but it does not have many restaurant or

 

shopping options.”

 

 

The conclusion should sum up the specific subtopics as well as your preference. A well-developed

 

 

 

paragraph often contains a minimum of five sentences.

 

 

Point-by-Point Subject-by-Subject

 

 

I. Introduction

 

A. Thesis

 

II. Subtopic 1

 

A. Topic 1

 

B. Topic 2

 

III. Subtopic 2

 

A. Topic 1

 

B. Topic 2

 

IV. Subtopic 3

 

A. Topic 1

 

B. Topic 2

 

V. Conclusion

 

I. Introduction

 

A. Thesis

 

II. Topic 1

 

A. Subtopic 1

 

B. Subtopic 2

 

C. Subtopic

 

III. Topic 2

 

A. Subtopic 1

 

B. Subtopic 2

 

C. Subtopic 3

 

IV. Conclusion

 

 

Here’s an example of how you might organize using these methods for an essay about cats versus

 

 

dogs as pets (remember, this topic is not one of the options for this essay).

 

 

 

Point-by-Point Subject-by-Subject

 

 

I. Introduction

 

A. Thesis: Cats are better pets than dogs

 

because . . .

 

II. Subtopic 1: Noise level

 

A. Topic 1: Cats are quiet

 

B. Topic 2: Dogs can be noisy

 

III. Subtopic 2: Exercise

 

A. Topic 1: Cats do not have to be walked

 

B. Topic 2: Dogs require exercise

 

IV. Subtopic 3: Cleanliness

 

A. Topic 1: Cats groom themselves

 

B. Topic 2: Dogs need to be bathed

 

V. Conclusion

 

I. Introduction

 

A. Thesis: Cats are better pets than dogs

 

because . . .

 

II. Topic 1: Cats

 

A. Subtopic 1: Noise level

 

B. Subtopic 2: Exercise

 

C. Subtopic 3: Cleanliness

 

III. Topic 2: Dogs

 

A. Subtopic 1: Noise level

 

B. Subtopic 2: Exercise

 

C. Subtopic 3: Cleanliness

 

IV. Conclusion

 

The guidelines for this assignment are as follows:

 

 

Length: This assignment should be at least 500 words.

 

Header: Include a header in the upper left-hand corner of your writing assignment with the following

 

 

 

information:

 

 

• Your first and last name

 

• Course Title (Composition I)

 

• Assignment name (Comparison and Contrast)

 

• Current Date

 

Format:

 

• Double-spacing throughout

 

• Title, centered after heading

 

• Standard 12-point font (Arial, TimesNewRoman, Calibri)

 

• 1” margins on all sides

 

• Save the file using one of the following extensions: .docx, .doc, .rtf, or .txt