Compare/Contrast First Draft.

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First draft:

Please note: A “draft” for this course may not be what you are used to submitting as a paper draft. A draft in this course is a COMPLETE PAPER that meets all the requirements of the assignment. It has been proofread and meets the length requirement. All topics must be pre-approved.

Please double-check your assignment to be sure it is a Word document (not a .pdf, .odt or .pages). Drafts that are not Word documents will not be graded.

Please be sure you are not submitting a “rough” draft. This draft should meet all the requirements for the final draft. See the directions below:

Essay Assignment: Compare and Contrast Essay

Overview: Write an essay that compares or contrasts two separate things (well-known people/ideas/ places/times, things, experiences, events, etc.) Develop a single sentence thesis, and then support this thesis in the body of the paper. You will only be comparing OR contrasting—not both. Comparing means looking for similarities, while contrasting means looking for differences. If you use research, you must use the library database and include in-text citations and a Works Cited page. See the Compare/Contrast Essay Resources folder for materials.

Topic: Compare or contrast any two things that are not obvious or commonly covered; local and current themes are often the least covered and most interesting. Avoid trite, simplistic topics such as comparing dogs to cats, summer to winter, healthy lifestyles/eating, etc.

Be sure to compare similar points. Review the two main ways to organize a compare/contrast essay from the Compare / Contrast Resources folder in Brightspace.

Products we will not evaluate are cell phones, computers, video games, and cars.

[Suggestions (Note: these suggestions all REQUIRE research and are not meant to be unsupported personal opinion):

Compare 2 products/tools used in your field: For example, two different stethoscopes, tracheostomy tubes, surgical masks, Photoshop vs. Pixlr, two kinds of architecture software programs, two kinds of bulletproof vests, etc. Check your field to see what tools are used and compare or contrast two of the same kind of tool.

Compare two ideas: Compare or contrast Hobbes and Locke’s ideas on government, the risks of pasteurized milk vs. raw milk, incorporated vs. unincorporated cities, U.S. occupation of Afghanistan vs. withdrawal, vaccinated vs. unvaccinated citizens and personal responsibility, the social/family life of crows vs. humans.

Compare two time periods: Compare or contrast the Renaissance and Baroque periods, Classical and Romantic era music, East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, etc.]

Research: This is not a research paper; however, you may use credible, scholarly sources if you choose. The sources may come from a website, journal, book, or the CPCC online databases (like ProQuest or Opposing Viewpoints) or the CPCC library. You must include a correctly cited in-text citation and a Works Cited page. You cannot use Wikipedia, Debate.org, ProCon.org, sites with advertising, sites without authors, sites written for middle or high school students, The Onion, Daily Mail, blogs, social media, or any fake news web site. See Brightspace for information about what resources you should use. Please contact me for help if needed.

Plagiarism: Your essay will be automatically submitted to TurnItIn to check for plagiarism. Plagiarized essays will earn a grade of 0. Please review the plagiarism policy as stated in the course syllabus.

Length: 5-7 paragraphs. The essay should have an introduction with thesis (underlined), support paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Format: Use MLA 9 format for title, heading, citations, and the works cited page (if you use research). A works cited page does NOT count as part of the length requirement.

Word Choice: Use third person point of view and a formal tone. Avoid using slang (“kids” “stuff” texting acronyms such as OMG, “u”, etc.), informal language, and contractions (can’t, won’t, shouldn’t etc).

Do not use first person (I, me, my) or second person (you, your) pronouns

Assessment: Your essay will directly reflect your capacity for critical thought and your ability to write for a college audience. Please see the rubric below.

Grading: The final essay is worth 100 points.

The body of your essay should be at least 3 paragraphs.

If you are comparing a product, you can compare two products to each other to prove a point. Avoid comparing just to compare. Your paper must take a position.

For example,

Brand X stethoscope is better for nursing students because X, Y, and Z.

X,Y, and Z are reasons that support the claim that brand X is better for nursing students.

Based on research and your own observations, make a recommendation or judgment about the two items that you compare and contrast. This opinion will be the thesis of your essay and should be fully developed. It is not enough to say that X is better than Y; you also need to summarize in your thesis the reasons supporting your recommendation. For example:

The Fitbit Flex is a product that all health-conscious individuals should buy because it is more convenient, effective and affordable than the Garman fitness band.

Your paper should be in 3rd person point of view.

Use MLA 9^th edition format. You should have a separate Works Cited page.

Note: Please see Brightspace for resources to help with MLA, paragraphing, formatting, and general essay organization. You are expected to use the information provided in the course to write this essay.

Due dates:

Single sentence underlined thesis: Sept. 19

See Brightspace for directions for the thesis. Your thesis must be approved.

First draft: Sept. 16

See Brightspace for the directions in a separate assignment for the final draft.

Final draft: Oct. 10

See below for how you will be graded on this essay: