Structuring a Comparison and Contrast Essay

Author by author

I. Introduction

A. Hook the readers’ attention

B. Introduce texts and authors

1. Use the author’s first and last name the first time you mention him/her

2. Underline/italicize the titles of books and other large works (The Great Gatsby)

3. Put the titles of short stories or other small works in quotation marks (“The Entitlement Society”)

C. Offer background information such as context/summaries

D. Clear, arguable thesis statement about what looking at the texts and their rhetorical approaches side by side SUGGESTS/ILLUSTRATES about the writer/speakers’ purposes and which rhetorical approach is most effective in making its case about the wealthy, class differences or the American dream.

II. Subject 1: 1st text/image of your choice (Fitzgerald, politician, or lyricist/artist)

A. Topic sentence about the effect of author’s rhetorical approach

B. Evidence from author’s (2-3 quotations to illustrate)

C. Analysis of evidence

D. Last Word

III. Subject 2: 2nd text/image of your choice (Fitzgerald, politician, or lyricist/artist)

B. Evidence from author #2” (2-3 quotations to illustrate point)

C. Analysis of evidence—here you make a direct comparison/contrast to author #1

D. Last Word

IV. Subject 3: 2nd text/image of your choice (Fitzgerald, politician, lyricist/artist)

B. Evidence from author #3 (at least 2 quotations to illustrate point)

C. Analysis of evidence-- here you make a direct comparison/contrast to author #1 & author #2 D. Last Word

V. Conclusion

A. Draw final conclusions about texts by comparing/contrasting

B. Rephrase thesis statement (not in the same words!!)

C. Review points and broaden out to discuss something bigger: the nature of money, the problems of class, the reality/illusion of the American dream…

Rhetorical strategy by Rhetorical Strategy

I. Introduction

E. Hook the readers’ attention

F. Introduce texts and authors

4. Use the author’s first and last name the first time you mention him/her

5. Underline/italicize the titles of books and other large works (The Great Gatsby)

6. Put the titles of short stories or other small works in quotation marks (“The Entitlement Society”)

G. Offer background information such as context/summaries

H. Clear, arguable thesis statement about what looking at the texts and their rhetorical approaches side by side SUGGESTS/ILLUSTRATES about the writer/speakers’ purposes and which rhetorical approach is most effective in making its case about the wealthy, class differences or the American dream. II. Rhetorical Device/Strategy #1 (in relation to ALL texts)

A. Topic sentence comparing/contrasting the texts in relation to Rhetorical Device/Strategy #1

B. Evidence for point #1 from text #1 (Fitzgerald, politician or lyricist/artist)

C. Analyze evidence from text #1

D. Evidence for point #1 from text #2

E. Analyze evidence from text #2

F. Evidence for point #1 from text #3

G. Analyze evidence from text 3 H. Wrap up in Last Word III. Rhetorical Device/Strategy #2 (in relation to all texts)

B. Evidence for rhetorical device/strategy #2 from text #1

C. Analyze evidence from

D. Evidence for rhetorical device/strategy #1 from text #2

F. Evidence for rhetorical device/strategy #1 from text #3

G. Analyze evidence from text 3

H. Wrap up in Last Word IV. Rhetorical Device/Strategy #3 (in relation to all texts)

B. Evidence for rhetorical device/strategy #3 from text #1

C. Analyze evidence from text #1

D. Evidence for rhetorical device/strategy #3 from text #2

F. Evidence for rhetorical device/strategy #3 from text #3

G. Analyze evidence from text 3

H. Wrap up in Last Word V. Conclusion

A. Draw final conclusions about texts by comparing/contrasting

B. Rephrase thesis statement (not in the same words!!)

C. Review points and broaden out to discuss something bigger: the nature of money, the problems of class, the reality/illusion of the American dream…