Essay Instructions: COMPARISON PARAGRAPH INSTRUCTIONS
Topics: Choose two items to either compare or contrast. Use any one or any combination of prewriting strategies to generate topic ideas. There is also a list of suggested topics in your textbook. Your paragraph must be at least 200 words.
Plan: Either choose to show the similarities between two things or the differences. You cannot do both for this assignment. Just write ?similarities? or ?differences? here.
Attitude/Point: This should be your attitude toward your two subjects. Do not just write that they are similar or different. What truth or significance can be drawn from the fact that they are similar or different?
Audience: Be specific in selecting your audience. Who would be interested in hearing this comparison and the point you want to make? Who would benefit from acknowledging the significance of your comparison?
Purpose: To inform? To entertain? To persuade? Choose one or perhaps a combination of two.
Categories of Comparison: You must have at least three general categories where your two subjects are similar or different. (Like comparing LU now with LU then based on food service, rules, and dress code)
Topic Sentence: Combine your topic, your attitude/point into a complete sentence, and your categories of comparison into a sentence. (See sample outlines for a topic sentence example.)
Brainstorm Details: Brainstorm a list of similarities (or differences) for each of your three categories of comparison.
Complete each of the steps in the Comparison Paragraph Drafts document and submit it in Module/Week 5?s assignment link. This assignment is due by Monday at 11:59 p.m. (ET) of Module/Week 5.
Outline Examples
(Choose Only One of the Two Following Methods)
1. Point By Point Comparison Outline Method
Topic Sentence: The fact that LU tries to keep up with the changes in student population can be seen in their changes to dress code, food services, and rules.
I . The dress code at Liberty has relaxed.
A. Then, girls had to wear skirts and guys had to wear ties
B. Now, girls can wear pants and guys don?t have to wear ties
II. The food choices at LU have expanded.
A. We only had one small cafeteria
B. Now there is the Hangar, a huge cafeteria, and an a la carte place
III. The Rules at LU are less strict.
A. We were required to attend church & prayer groups
B. Now church is encouraged but not required
C. Televisions were not allowed in dorm rooms
D. Now they students can have televisions.
2. Topic By Topic Comparison Outline Method
Topic Sentence: The fact that LU tries to keep up with the changes in student population can be seen in their changes to dress code, food services, and rules.
I. Liberty used to be more strict and less convenient.
A. Dress Code was more strict
1. Girls had to wear skirts
2. Guys had to wear ties
B. Food Services was less convenient
1. Only had one small cafeteria
2. Lines were SO long
C. Rules were more strict
1. Had to attend church & prayer groups
2. Could not have TV in our rooms
3. Could only listen to Christian music
II. Now Liberty has become more convenient and less strict.
A. Dress code is more relaxed
1. Girls can wear pants
2. Guys don?t have to wear ties
B. Food Services are more convenient
1. Hangar, large cafeteria, ? la carte place
2. Lines are shorter (believe it or not)
C. Rules are less strict
1. Church and prayer groups are not required
2. Can have TVs in the dorm rooms
3. Can listen to secular music
ARGUMENT ESSAY TOPIC CHOICES
Choose 1 of the following topics to write about for your argument essay. Use support from outside sources and scripture, where applicable. Keep in mind that this support should be in addition to the 400-word minimum, which is required for the essay. Also, be sure to give credit to your sources by enclosing any direct quotations in quotation marks and stating the origin of the source.
1. Pick a type of learning environment like homeschooling, charter school, public school, online learning, and argue in favor of that particular setting.
2. Do you believe that smoking should be allowed in public facilities? Or are you in favor of the many changes organizations have made to limit smoking to outside locations? Argue your point of view on smoking in public locations.
3. What do you think of the ?being green? philosophy? Do you think that recycling and making environment friendly choices is a way to honor God?s creation? Or has society taken a good idea a little too far? Explain your opinion on this issue.
4. How do you feel about the fast food industry? Has it drastically impacted the nutrition of the past few generations? Or is an individual responsible to take charge of his/her own nutritional choices? Defend your point of view about this topic.
5. Are news reporters and news stations out of control? Or do you believe that the media as a whole reports the news with objectivity? Support your ideas about this topic with explanations from current events.
6. Choose 1 of your favorite things: a movie, a song, a writer, a story, an actor/actress, a sports figure, etc. Explain why you believe that this favorite item/person is the best and persuade your reader to feel the same way.
7. What do you believe about abortion? Do you believe a woman has the right to choose? Or do you believe that abortion is murder? Consider the different options available when proving your point of view.
8. Do you believe in intelligent design (creationism), evolution, or theistic-evolution? Share evidence that persuades your reader to believe as you do.
9. Choose 1 controversial topic: nationalized health care, homosexual marriage, taxation, war, prayer in schools, etc. Argue in favor of your point of view.
10. If someone asked you to defend your faith in Jesus Christ, how would you do it? Use this argumentative assignment as an opportunity to explain your belief that Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
11. The fruits of the Spirit include: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22?23). Which of these fruits is the most beneficial in life? Justify your opinion through personal examples.
12. Choose an influential figure in the Bible (aside from Jesus Christ) and argue for the effectiveness of his/her testimony.
13. Mark 8:36 states, ?For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?? Rationalize the concept that spiritual riches are far greater than the riches of this world.
14. Consider Proverbs 22:6, ?Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.? Discuss the importance of discipline in respect to raising children.
15. James 2:17?20, ?Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?? Provide reasons and examples to argue the truth that good works are an important aspect of living out one?s faith.
16. If you have been inspired by a different topic that is not listed here, email your instructor to approve the topic of your choice. Be specific with your intentions and email him/her at least three days in advance of the assignment?s due date.
ARGUMENT ESSAY THESIS & PREWRITING TEMPLATE
Step 1: Argument Essay Thesis Statement & Prewriting
Directions: Complete all of the elements of the prewriting; otherwise, the content of your piece will not be accurate.
My Topic:
My Attitude:
My Purpose:
My Thesis Statement:
My Audience:
1. How much does my audience know about my subject?
2. Age? Gender? Race? Social Status? Location? Religion?
3. Where does my audience stand on the issue; are they Opposed or Neutral?
Outline:
?
ARGUMENT ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS
You will write a 400-word essay, constructed to convince a specific audience of your chosen point. (You must choose your topic from those provided in the Argument Essay Topic Choices document.) The essay must include an introduction paragraph, at least 3 well-developed supporting paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. All paragraphs should flow well together, using smooth transitions between each reason and a piece of evidence chosen for your argument.
You will complete your progress incrementally using the Argument Essay Draft Template. You will submit your work as follows:
? Module/Week 5: Thesis Statement and Prewriting
? Module/Week 6: Rough Draft
? Module/Week 7: Revised and Edited Draft
? Module/Week 7: Final Draft
Prewriting Example
My Topic: Home schooling
My Attitude: It is the best educational choice.
My Purpose: To present the benefits of home schooling and persuade parents to consider and choose it for their children.
My Thesis Statement: Home schooling is the best educational option academically, socially, and spiritually for young children of concerned Christian parents in these uncertain times.
My Audience: Christian parents of young children in the U.S.A.
1. How much does my audience know about my subject? They know a little bit, but only what they have ?heard.?
2. Age? Gender? Race? Social Status? Location? Religion? Parents between the ages of 25 and 35 with young children, of any race, middle-class, in the USA, who are Christians.
3. Where does my audience stand on the issue; are they Opposed or Neutral? They are neutral.
Sample Outline
NOTE: You may use any method we have practiced during this course, which means that your outline may not look like the essay outline below; thus all my arguments are reasons why I think home schooling is a good option. You may choose to use some compare/contrast, classification, etc., depending on your topic. Also remember to include an answer to your opposition and support opinions with facts.
My Outline:
I. Introduction
A. Declining national averages, recent school violence, and God taken out of schools
B. Thesis statement
II. Academic Benefit: Home-schooled children advance faster due to one-on-one attention
A. Personal stories of both experiences
B. Examples of people I know
III. Social Benefits
A. Not overly exposed to violence or negative peer-pressure
B. Can still be involved in school and church activities
IV. Spiritual Benefits
A. Not exposed to false doctrine
B. Grounded in Christian doctrine (Bible verses)
V. Conclusion
A. Parents can take back a large part of the responsibility of raising their children
B. If it is possible for a couple to home school their young children, it is the best choice academically, socially, and spiritually.
ARGUMENT ESSAY FINAL DRAFT TEMPLATE
Step 5: Argument Essay Final Draft
Directions: Turn off the ?Track Changes? feature. Copy and paste your edited draft. Highlight it and choose ?Accept Changes? if the document does not automatically make the changes for you. Save the changes to this document; save it as ?Argument Essay Assignment.? Then use the link provided in Blackboard to submit the document to your instructor. The instructor should then be able to see the entire process you took to create your final draft. ?
