Comparison Essay: Comparison of two sources
For this assignment you will critically read and analyze two articles on the same subject and compare and contrast them.
Length: The essay should be 3-5 double-spaced pages. The majority of the paper should be the comparison of the sources. You will also need a Works Cited page.

A critical comparison of two different authors on the same subject can be most enlightening. This is an activity you will be doing informally whenever you are doing research. When writing a formal comparison, as in this assignment, you will want to consider the different styles of writing, the different audiences they may be written for, the different motives for writing, and any differences in opinions and/or facts. You should first analyze each article separately and then progress to a comparison between the articles considering the various elements, including your own response.

How to proceed:
1. Two articles will be assigned- read each article several times. [OR] You have the option to locate two articles on your own, only if the articles are approved by the instructor and emailed to the instructor by the end of this week.
2. Take notes, annotate the articles, and highlight the main points of the articles.
3. Break your essay into two major parts: Summary of each article and the comparison and contrast of these articles.

Introduction Guidelines:
1. Start with a grabber or some sort of engaging introductory statement.
2. Give the publication information of each of the articles—author/s, title of article, title of journal (book), and date published.
3. State each author’s main argument.
4. Include background material to help your readers understand the relevance or appeal of the articles, such as an explanation of why the subject is of current interest; a reference to a possible controversy surrounding the subject of the article or the article itself; biographical information about the author; an account of the circumstances under which the article was written, or a reference to the intended audience of the article.
5. Include your thesis statement. This should be what you will compare/contrast in the essay.

Summarizing each of the articles—one paragraph for each article:
1. Write in a direct, objective style, using your own words. Use NO direct quotations or specific statistics. Summarize the main ideas in your words.
2. Begin with a reference to the writer (full name). After this you will refer to the writer by his/her last name only. If there are two or three authors, you will name all of their last names. If there are more than three authors, use the first author listed and et al for and others.
3. Complete the summary by providing other key ideas. Show the reader how the main ideas connect and relate to one another.
4. Do not include specific examples, illustrations, or background sections.
5. Combine main ideas into fewer sentences than were used in the original.
6. Keep the parts of your summary in the same balance as you find the original. If the author devotes about 30 percent of the article to one idea, that idea should get 30 percent of the space in your summary.
7. Select precise, accurate verbs to show the author’s relationship to ideas. Write Jones argues, Jones asserts, Jones believes. Don’t use vague verbs that provide only a list of disconnected ideas. Do not write Jones talked about, Jones goes on to say.
8. Do not make any judgments about the writer’s style or ideas. Do not include your personal reaction to the work in this section!

Writing the Comparison of your articles:
Remember before you can begin, you need to have read both articles critically and annotated each article for areas that are similar or different.
1. The discussion of each source should include both similarities and differences between the articles.
2. The following are possible items for comparison—You will want to choose 3-4 items to compare and discuss in your paper:
A common