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. 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 convenien.

1. 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?

2. 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.
Outline Examples
(
Choose Only One of the Two Following Methods)

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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, à la carte place
2.
Lines are shorter (believe it or not)

7. 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
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PLEASE USE OUTLINE
Step 1: Comparison Paragraph Prewriting & Outline
Directions:
Complete all of the elements of the prewriting; otherwise, the
content of your piece will not be accurate.
Topics:

8. Plan:
Attitude/Point:
Audience:
Purpose:
Categories of Comparison:
Topic Sentence:
Brainstorm Details:
Comparison Outline:

9. Step 2: Comparison Paragraph Rough Draft
Directions:
Write a rough draft that follows your paragraph outline,
beginning with your topic sentence. Do not worry about spelling
or grammar; just let your thoughts flow. Be sure to use
transitional phrases such as “On the other hand” or “Similarly”
to show contrast or comparison. End with a good concluding
sentence that restates the significance of the similarities or
differences.
It should be approximately 200 words, no less and not too much
more.
Step 3: Comparison Paragraph Revised Draft
Directions:
Copy your Comparison Paragraph Rough Draft and paste it

10. below, click on “Tools” or “Review” if you are using Microsoft
Word, and hit “Track Changes.” This is so your instructor can
see all the changes you make. Begin reading through your rough
draft and make changes to the content as you see fit. Add more
comparative details if needed or delete irrelevant details that do
not help prove the significance of the comparison. Add
transitional words or phrases to help the paragraph flow in a
logical order. Then, save the draft with the changes.
Step 4: Comparison Paragraph Edited Draft
Directions:
Turn off the Track Changes feature.
Copy your Revised Comparison Paragraph Draft, paste it below,
click on “Tools” or “Review” if you are using Microsoft Word,
and make sure you turn on the track changes feature. Edit for
any spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. Focus
especially on revising for subject-verb agreement and verb tense
consistency like you should have recently studied. Save these
changes.
NOTE:
Use of
contractions
(can’t, won’t, doesn’t, etc.) and
second person
(any form of the pronoun “you”) is strictly prohibited and will
result in loss of points on writing assignments.

11. *****************************************************
***********************************
Step 5: Comparison Paragraph Final Draft
Directions:
Turn off the Track Changes feature.
Copy and paste your edited draft (from above).
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 “Comparison
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.
*****************************************************
********************************
EXAMPLE OF FINAL DRAFT
Graded Example: Comparison
Step 5: Comparison Paragraph Final
Draft
Directions: Copy and paste your edited draft into this document.
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 “Comparison
Assignment.” Then use the link provided in Blackboard to

12. submit the document to your instructor. The instructor should
then be able to see your final draft.
FINAL DRAFT
My life after marriage
is a far cry from what it was before I married. As a single
teenager and the daughter of an evangelistic minister, traveling
was a way of life. I packed in less than
thirty
minutes for a journey of a few weeks to a month. I journeyed
all over the United States and some in Canada and Mexico.
Now, I find myself hesitating to leave the house to acquire
groceries. My week usually consists of departing for church,
which is situated across the street. Once upon a time, I knew
tens of thousands of people in all the churches we visited
; meeting new people as we traveled back to these places yearly
. Unfortunately, in my husband’s home town, I have found it
difficult to even make new friends or meet new people. Prior,
traveling meant that I was surrounded by people all the time.
Currently, I spend most of my days alone, seldom leaving my
bedroom except to do chores or spend time with the kids. As a
minister and
minster’s
daughter, I found myself in church several days a week
; ministering in each service to one degree or another
. In my husband’s home church I am seldom asked to minister,
yet I still receive calls from time
-
to
-
time asking me to minister in other churches. I do not like
traveling alone
,

13. so I seldom accept many offers to minister outside my home
church. This change of lifestyle is
the hardest transition of my adult life
; from the life I had to the life I have
.