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 4 notes for Community Colleges and Universities.

The purpose of the Compare and Contrast Assignment is to take two topics of your choice and write a 2 full-page Compare and Contrast Essay using the organization techniques presented in Unit 4.

Here are the details:

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 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 finding topics.
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 4 lecture notes we found the items of Cost, Size, and Teachers for our Community College and University essay. Again, the items you choose will decide 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.
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 4 notes for Community Colleges and Universities.
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,  Attention Grabber, Signposting.

Last Completed Projects