Compare/Contrast Essay- Apple Ipad vs. Microsoft Surface
You will use at least two credible sources to support your claims, and remember, you must include your sources throughout the body paragraphs of your essay in a mix of cited quotes, paraphrases, and summaries. Both the support and research portions of the rubric will be negatively affected if you do not integrate your researched data.

Write an essay comparing or contrasting the two topics using EITHER the point-by-point OR the subject-by-subject method to organize the details and specific examples. Consider focusing on three to five subtopics. Develop a strong thesis statement for your essay that includes your two topics; your three to five subtopics; and a claim about how they are similar, different, or both.
Sample Thesis Statements:
If you will argue that your two topics are mostly different:
While Topic A and Topic B have (Additional supporting point) in common, they are mostly quite different; in fact, they differ in characteristics such as (Supporting point 1), (Supporting point 2), and (Supporting point 3).
OR
If you will argue that your two topics have many important/interesting similarities and differences:
Analyzing Topic A and Topic B reveals many fascinating similarities as well as differences; for instance, they share (Supporting point 1) and (Supporting point 1), but are vastly different when it comes to (Supporting point 3) and (Supporting point 4).

Tips
Be sure to avoid beginning your comparisons or contrasts in the introduction. Your thesis is the only place in the introduction where you will include this information.
Then, in the body paragraphs remember to support your claim(s) outlined in the thesis.

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?

Format Requirements:
Remember to apply the concepts you’re learning in the course, including elements of grammar, punctuation, thesis development, and other skills.
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.