Comparison/Contrast Essay Topics

Choose ONE of the following topics for the comparison contrast essay.  Please keep in mind the importance of critical thinking and organization in this essay.  Develop concepts with “real life” / concrete illustrations, details, examples. Avoid/DO NOT USE clichés or 2^nd person (“you,” “your”).

Papers are due the first day of class, the week of Nov. 3^rd.

 

1.        People today are more environmentally conscious than ever. Write an essay in which you explain how being environmentally conscious has changed the way you live. Be sure to compare your life before you became environmentally conscious with your life now. Your essay can be either humorous or serious.

 

2.       Write a “study in contrasts” (similar to Catton’s essay about Grant and Lee) about two people you know well—two teachers, your parents, two relatives, two friends—or about two fictional characters you are very familiar with. Be sure to include a thesis statement. (Note: if you have trouble with composition, this might be a topic to consider, as you could model your essay after Catton’s.)

 

3.       Write an essay comparing two places. Your thesis statement should indicate whether you are emphasizing similarities or differences and convey your opinion of the new area. (This could be two places where you lived, two different vacation spots, or even your past high school and current college.) 

 

4.       Read the following list of advantages of taking online courses:

·       A student who is ill will not miss classes

·       Students who are employed and cannot come to campus can take courses.

·       Nontraditional students—the elderly and disabled, for example,--can take courses.

·       Courses are taken at any time, day or night

·       Guest speakers who cannot travel to campus can be integrated into the course.

Then, make a list of disadvantages (for example, students never have face-to-face contact with an instructor). Finally, write an essay in which you discuss whether the advantages of online instruction outweigh the disadvantages. 

 

5.       How are the attitudes toward education different among students who work to finance their own education and students who do not? Your thesis statement should indicate what differences exist and why.