Mrs. Sloan

Core 110: Effective Writing

Checklist for Drafts and Final Copy, Comparison and contrast Paper

 

Name______________________________________________

 

Please place this checklist in your portfolio when you hand in the final draft of your comparison/contrast essay.

Structure

First Draft

Second Draft

Final Draft

Prewriting  

 

 

 

     1. Clear audience and purpose

 

 

 

     2. Clear plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introductory Paragraph

 

 

 

     1. Thesis and controlling idea

 

 

 

     2.  Reader interest

 

 

 

 

Body Paragraphs 

 

 

 

  A. Organization  

 

 

 

     1.  Appropriate method

 

 

 

     2.  Transitional devices present

 

 

 

     3.  Unified and coherent

 

 

 

   B. Development 

 

 

 

     1.  Details show rather than tell

 

 

 

     2.  Sufficient and convincing evidence

 

 

 

     3. Concrete language

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Style      

 

 

 

     1.  Diction

 

 

 

     2.  Sentence structure and style

 

 

 

     3.  Consistency

 

 

 

     4.  Agreement

 

 

 

     5.  Sentence variety and emphasis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concluding Paragraph 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance and Editing 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subject:  Approximate length 3 to 5 pages.  Select any one of the following.

 

1.       Many commentators have remarked that September 11, 2001 will be remembered as a crucial day that changed America.  In a well-organized essay, compare and contrast any of the following.

-American reaction to the attacks to American reaction to any other significant single event in recent American history

-American reaction to the attacks to any other nation’s reaction

-media coverage of the attacks to media coverage of any other significant single historic event

-American policy towards terrorism: before and after the attacks

-American policy towards another country: before and after the attacks

 

2.       The United States maintains a strong presence throughout the world through international business, diplomatic missions, and military bases and maneuvers.  Sometimes, American culture and values come in conflict with the culture and values of another society.  In a well-organized essay, compare and contrast American culture or values to the culture or values of any other society.

 

3.       Compare and contrast America’s attitude toward a given society before and after a significant historic event; for example, America’s attitude towards Vietnam before and after the Vietnam Conflict.