Cats groom themselves
The conclusion should sum up the specific supporting points as well as your overall assessment of why these points are important. Consider what kinds of interesting or new conclusions you can draw from your comparison. In other words, your essay must reveal why your comparison is important. A well-developed paragraph often contains a minimum of five sentences. Note that any of the main sections below labeled with Roman Numerals (I, II, III, IV) could be more than just a single paragraph.
Point-by-Point
I. Introduction
A. Thesis
B. Additional information to introduce your topic and gain the reader’s attention
II. Supporting point 1
A. Topic 1
B. Topic 2
III. Supporting point 2
A. Topic 1
B. Topic 2
IV. Supporting point 3
A. Topic 1
B. Topic 2
V. Supporting point 4 or Additional point
A. Topic 1
B. Topic 2
VI. Conclusion
A. Reiterate your thesis (but do not simply restate it from the introduction)
B. Give your overall assessment—the “so what” factor—about your topic. For instance, is one topic better than the other for some reason? Is one topic misunderstood?
Subject-by-Subject
I. Introduction
A. Thesis
B. Additional information to introduce your topic and gain the reader’s attention
II. Topic 1
A. Supporting point 1
B. Supporting point 2
C. Supporting point 3
D. Supporting point 4 or Additional point
III. Topic 2
A. Supporting point 1
B. Supporting point 2
C. Supporting point 3
D. Supporting point 4 or Additional point
V. Conclusion
A. Reiterate your thesis (but do not simply restate it from the introduction)
B. Give your overall assessment—the “so what” factor—about your topic. For instance, is one topic better than the other for some reason? Is one topic misunderstood?
Here’s an example of how you might organize using these methods for an essay about cats versus dogs as pets (remember, this topic is not one of the options for this essay).
Point-by-Point
I. Introduction
A. Thesis: While cats and dogs are both clear winners when it comes to pet choices, these animals are vastly different when it comes to noise level, exercise needs, and cleanliness.
II. Subtopic 1: Noise level
A. Topic 1: Cats are quiet
B. Topic 2: Dogs can be noisy
III. Subtopic 2: Exercise
A. Topic 1: Cats do not have to be walked
B. Topic 2: Dogs require exercise
IV. Subtopic 3: Cleanliness
A. Topic 1: Cats groom themselves
B. Topic 2: Dogs need to be bathed
V. Conclusion
Subject-by-Subject
I. Introduction
A. Thesis: While cats and dogs are both clear winners when it comes to pet choices, these animals are vastly different when it comes to noise level, exercise needs, and cleanliness.
II. Topic 1: Cats
A. Subtopic 1: Noise level
B. Subtopic 2: Exercise
C. Subtopic 3: Cleanliness
III. Topic 2: Dogs
A. Subtopic 1: Noise level
B. Subtopic 2: Exercise
C. Subtopic 3: Cleanliness
IV. Conclusion
Format Requirements:
Remember to apply the concepts you’re learning in the course, including elements of grammar, punctuation, thesis development, and other skills.
Length: This assignment should be at least 500 words.
Sources: You need a bare minimum of two credible sources for this assignment.
Header: Include a header in the upper left-hand corner of your writing assignment with the following information:
Your first and last name
Course Title (Composition I)
Assignment name (Comparison and Contrast)
Current Date
Page Layout:
MLA style documentation (please see the tutorial in the course topic)
Last name and page number in upper-right corner of each page
Double-spacing throughout
Title, centered after heading
Standard font (Times New Roman or Calibri)
1″ margins on all sides
Save the file as .docx or .doc format
Underline your thesis statement.
