compare and contrast essay: structuring the paper from beginning to end
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Compare and Contrast Essay:
Structuring the paper from beginning to end
Thesis
• Statement that you are trying to prove/support
• Suggest organization of your paper
• 2 main components: claim and details to sustain it
• It’s like a bridge: Specific Claim
Supporting Details
Thesis: Claim
• Claim - 1 sentence statement:– Takes a stance/position– Not a fact– It is debatable– Presented in intro and conclusion
• Where?
Claim ExamplesApples and oranges are delicious fruits.
- strong or weak?
- why?
Claim Examples
Though they are fortified with different vitamins, apples and oranges are the best fruits a person can consume.
- strong or weak?
- why?
Thesis: Supporting Details
• Reinforce the claim• Organized into topics/categories (that become the body
of the essay)1. They are are inexpensive compared to other fruits like berries
and other seasonal produce
2. They are easily accessible; able to find them all seasons
3. Compared to the juice versions, they provide more direct sources of vitamins and minerals.
Introduction
• Most general part of the paper
• Roadmap for further discussion
• Simplified formula:– Interesting/catchy opening statement– Identify, define, and/or describe the topic
(What will you be talking about? Make a general similarity and difference statement.)
– Insert the thesis statement
Intro’s Opening Sentence: What grabs attention?
• Unusual detail
• Strong statement
• Quotation
• Anecdote
• Statistic/Fact
• Question
• Exaggeration / Outrageous Statement
Body of Essay• EACH supporting detail is a new paragraph
• Supporting detail = reworded topic sentence–At beginning of paragraph–Back it up with support
• Examples from book AND movie• Synthesize your thoughts
Conclusion
• Summarizing the introduction but in reverse order.
1. Restate the thesis
2. General statement about similarities and differences
3. Closing statement to wrap it up
3 Compare/Contrast Formats
• Whole-to-whole– describe one subject then describe the other subject
• Similarities-to-differences– write about how they are similar and then about how
they are different
• Point-to-point– write about one point for both subjects before moving
to another point
MLA Rules
• Third Person – this is a formal paper, no “I’s” or “you’s”
• Write in present tense
• MLA style: – Title: italics vs. quotation marks– header
Do Not Say…
• This paper is going to tell you…
• In this paper I will discuss you…
• I am going to explain you…
• This paper is about the similarities and differences…
In a nutshell…I. Intro
a. Thesis
II. Supporting Detail 1 (Topic Sentence)- Book and Movie Examples
III. Supporting Detail 2 (Topic Sentence)- Book and Movie Examples
IV. Supporting Detail 3 (Topic Sentence- Book and Movie Examples
V. Conclusion– Thesis
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