comparison/contrast
For comparison/contrast, consider two credible authors (find the sources in the academic databases through the library) who have different opinions from one another on the topic.
Write a 2-3 page essay comparing these two sources and what they say on the topic. You may indicate how the authors succeed or fail in their analyses.
Discuss each source’s authority (Does the author have any credibility? Who is sponsoring the publication, and what agenda is behind that sponsorship?)
Discuss whether any appeals are being made to the emotions.
Discuss each source’s use of logic (How is logic being used in the article? What logical fallacies are committed?) Be specific in your response, and refer to the sources by using proper in-text citations and by building a correctly formatted MLA-8 works cited page (refer to owl.english.purdue.edu for assistance with your work cited page).
Analyze what is most successful in each position, and discuss what is best in each source’s argument and what misses the mark. Take the best parts of each argument and analyze what a single stronger position would be. If only one has elements of their discussion that are successful, then explain why the other one is not helpful in gaining a clear understanding of that central issue.
