Learn about comparison and contrast writing through engaging in a comparison and contrast genre analysis. Engaging in this analysis will enable you to identify genre-specific features and rhetorical devices that writers use. At the same time, you will utilize these rhetorical devices to write effectively in various writing situations targeting certain audiences for certain purposes.
Assignment Goals
This assignment has the following goals:
To engage in a deep and thoughtful analysis of texts beyond the usual reading goal for comprehension in exposition.
To learn about the rhetorical situation and compare and contrast genre conventions of different texts.
To experience writing as a process through submitting drafts and receiving and giving feedback.
To understand how authors can achieve certain goals through writing.
Task
For this assignment, you will choose a topic that appeals to you. It is preferable to choose a related topic to your field of expertise. Then you will write a compare and contrast text, and you need to be aware of the purpose, audience, style, context, and rhetorical appeals. It would be best if you mentioned examples as evidence for each claim you make. The purpose of your analysis is to understand and identify the standard features of Comparison and contrast essays concerning the text you selected.
Length & Format
You need to write 4-6 double-spaced pages, 12-point font, Times New Roman, 1-inch page margins (follow APA format: title page, running head, heading format, in-text citation, & reference list).
Audience
Your audience for this paper is your instructor and your peers.
Evaluation Criteria
CATEGORY X 30
Exceeds the Standard X 30
Meets the Standard X 20
Does Not Meet the Standard X 10
Purpose & Supporting Details
The paper compares and contrasts ideas, points to specific examples to illustrate the comparisons and contrast, and includes only the information relevant to the comparison and contrast.
The paper compares and contrasts ideas clearly, but the supporting information is general. The paper includes only the information relevant to the comparison and contrast.
The paper compares and contrasts items clearly, but the supporting information is incomplete and may include information that is not relevant to the comparison and contrast. (The thesis statement is not supported in the body.)
Organization & Structure
The paper breaks the information into a block-by-block structure. It follows a consistent order when discussing the comparison and contrast
The paper breaks the information into a point-by-point structure or block-by-block but may not follow a consistent order when discussing the comparison.
Organizational pattern not identifiable. Some details are not in a logical or expected order, and this distracts the reader.
Transitions
The paper moves smoothly from one idea to the next and uses transition words and subtle transitions to show relationships between ideas.
The paper moves from one idea to the next but may lack or misuse transition words to show relationships between ideas.
Transitions may be missing; connections between ideas are fuzzy or illogical.
Grammar & Spelling (Conventions)
The writer makes no errors in grammar or spelling.
The writer makes 2-3 errors in grammar or spelling that distract.
The writer makes several errors in grammar or spelling.
120/ 6 (20)
