Step 1 Write a paper.
In a two-page (500-word) paper, construct a comparison and contrast essay that incorporates one of the following guidelines:
Compare online to on-ground education.
Compare a book you’ve read to the movie adaptation (such as Lord of the Rings, A.I., or The Color Purple).
Compare parenting styles.
Choose your own topic.
Consider what your topic has to offer your reader. Why should this comparison be interesting and/or relevant to your audience?
You must cite at LEAST ONE source in this essay. The source should be reliable so avoid just googling something. If you are using the book/movie comparison, you can cite both of those. See all APA related rules for citing your source(s).
This week, we are writing the compare/contrast essay. This will be the first essay where you MUST cite at least one source for your paper. Now, logically, if you’re comparing 2 things, you’re most likely citing 2 sources–unless an analysis of those two things occur in the source you find. The instructions do give you the option of comparing a film with a book–but, I would urge you to find something more challenging. However, if you DO choose that, you MUST directly cite the movie and book (APA has a way to cite films) and be specific about that comparison.
I would urge you to pick something relevant to one of your other classes or your career. One thing that’s important to think about with compare/contrast is that it’s not about just creating a list of similarities and differences. It’s about the relationships between those similarities/differences. Give me an example of something you’re thinking of comparing for your essay–now, try to give me some reasons why comparing or contrasting those things is even important? What do you hope for it to tell you? Why do you need to know that? How can it help others? If there are no differences–does that mean that the similarities suggest corroboration? For instance, if you read two articles on the same topic and they make the same points–does that suggest a consensus? If there is agreement, is there something in the agreement you can analyze to examine WHY that consensus is important?