3-4 Page Compare/Contrast Essay
Subject of essay: Compare and Contrast the professions of farming with cattle and being a high school football coach.
This essay must be 3-4 pages in length, typed, double-spaced, in Arial or Times New Roman 12 point font. You must write in third person-no first person (me, I) or second person (you). You must use proper MLA format. You must use clear, precise language.
The compare/contrast essay should compare and contrast two potential careers you're considering.
You must include a works cited page in MLA format; you must list at least one source. You may use personal interviews, credible websites, books, YouTube and other legitimate videos, or journal articles. Be sure your sources are credible and academic/scholarly. Wikipedia, generic encyclopedias, and other generic sources are not considered scholarly or academic. If in doubt, ask your instructor before proceeding.
Notes on how to compare/contrast
In comparing and contrasting, you are describing two subjects, pointing out similarities and differences. To present the "whole picture," you will use both comparison and contrast. To maintain consistency in this paper, you must use the same points for both subjects.
Purposes of comparison/contrast:
• To show two subjects side by side with no bias - one subject is not better than the other.
• To convince the reader one subject is better or that you prefer one subject over the other.
• You can choose whether to write your essay with bias or without.
Choosing subjects:
• Subjects must have a clear basis of comparison; there must be something the two subjects have in common.
• Comparison/contrast should be limited. Choose a narrow topic. In general, a more limited scope results in a better essay.
Prewriting:
• Try to observe the two subjects or list categories for comparison/contrast.
• Decide what you can discuss, how much you know about each point, and eliminate points you can't use.
• Determine the purpose of the essay - to show subjects side by side with no judgment or to demonstrate that one is better than the other.
Organization - Two ways to organize a comparison/contrast essay:
• Subject by subject - Balance points for consistency. Better method for shorter papers.
• Point by point - Balance points for consistency. Better method for longer papers.
Thesis Statement and Conclusion:
• Thesis statement should help readers easily identify the two subjects and essay's purpose.
• Conclusion - summary of similarities and differences, restatement of thesis.