Reference no: EM133725847

The Compare Essay

Write a compare/contrast essay, MLA format with 2 scholarly articles from the past 10 years, 750 words, underline the thesis statement.

Assignment Prompt

For this assignment, you will be writing a compare/contrast essay-an exploratory piece of writing in which you attempt to show readers how two topics are similar, different, or a combination of the two: both similar and different. Whether you focus exclusively on comparing, exclusively on contrasting, or a mix of both, is totally up to you. However, regardless of which approach you decide to take, you will want to include a strong thesis/claim statement, at least three effective supporting points, and a streamlined point-by-point organizational strategy.

Rhetorical Mode

Compare/contrast essays are both creative and analytical in nature. They are typically more formal than a personal narrative in the sense that they are written from a third-person perspective, where a writer is not injecting their own opinion directly using "I" or "me" language.

To prove points-compare/contrast essays rely on researched evidence, and not personal opinion or experience, per se. When you choose two topics, you will have numerous options for comparing and contrasting them-much more than you can actually use in a single paper. Therefore, you will need to decide what elements are worth comparing and contrasting, and why. This is the seek and discover part of the essay, but also the creative part. For example, another writer may choose the same two topics as you, but their essay may rest entirely on thesis and supporting points. When you limit your supporting points to those points you think you can prove most effectively, you are maximizing your creative and analytical writing abilities.

Rhetorical Considerations

Purpose:
Remember that this is an exploratory paper: The piece of writing should show readers, through the inclusion of careful detail and specifics, and strong supporting points, how your two topics are similar, different, or a combination of the two: similar and different.