Essay 3 Description: Comparison and Contrast Essay
For your next essay this semester, you will focus on examining two arguments: one short video and one short article. Your choices are listed at the bottom of this page.
Choose one set of texts to analyze (either option A or option B), and write a paper arguing either that one text is stronger than the other OR that both texts are equally strong.
Begin your essay with an introduction paragraph that gives a brief summary of your texts and ends with your thesis statement.
Each body paragraph (you should have at least three) should make a point about the arguments you are examining. For example, if you feel that the video is stronger than the article, your topic sentence might look like this: One reason that Chavez’s article presents a stronger argument than the video is because…then you give give your reason, and you would support your point in your body paragraph.
Be sure to avoid summary outside of the introduction paragraph. You should use information from the texts (at least two direct quotes from either text) and cite everything correctly.
End with a concluding paragraph that discusses the significance of the topic.
Minimum Requirements:
- Be sure to include a works cited page for your essay.
- Your essay should have an introduction (at least five sentences) a conclusion (at least 3 sentences) and at least 3 body paragraphs (at least 7 sentences a piece).
- Correctly format your paper according
Choose ONE of the following options for your paper. For whichever option you choose, be sure to read the article and watch the video. You must refer to both texts in your essay, and be sure to correctly cite every direct quotes that you use.
- Option A— Compare and/or contrast both of these texts:
- Jeb Golinkin, “Why Parents Should Let Their Kids Play (Links to an external site.) Dangerous Sports”
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrfsn0BWREg (Links to an external site.)
(focus on Malcolm Gladwell’s argument)
- Option B–Compare and/or contrast both of these texts:
