Compare/Contrast Argument Synthesis Analysis Essay (1500 words/5 pages minimum)
FORMAT: Typed and double-spaced in MLA format.
OBJECTIVE: A synthesis is a written discussion that draws on two or more sources in which you make explicit the relationships that you inferred among separate sources.
• Comparing and contrasting is a form of synthesis. You compare different criteria in order to make a larger point about the subject under consideration. Thus, comparing and contrasting is more than laying out similarities and differences in a paper side-by-side, but is about pointing out those points of comparison and contrast and then analyzing their significance
• The aim of an argument synthesis analysis essay is to argue a certain topic, and utilize/synthesize your secondary sources to support that topic. In doing so, your concise analysis will enhance the reader’s understanding of the topic under consideration.
• A good analysis provides a valuable point of view, a way of seeing, a way of interpreting some element of the primary source (the novel) that otherwise may appear random or unexplainable. Your job is to make the implicit explicit.
*You will locate TWO secondary sources. Both must be academic. One must come from the library’s journal database, and the other can either be another journal article or a book. These are the ONLY types of sources to be used—no websites, or content from anywhere else is acceptable and will result in loss of points.
TOPIC: Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is a work of speculative fiction that asks “what if…?” “What if…firefighters burned down houses instead of saving them?” The book imagines a world flooded with information pouring into citizens’ ears and eyes through ear buds and wall-sized flat-panel screens. More to the point, the book imagines the disastrous results of a society where isolation and disconnect for the individual become the norm. The book is also about a lot more. As Neil Gaiman suggests in the introduction, the book is about censorship, mind control, humanity, the power of the government, and, of course, the book is also about books.
Your essay should be structured thusly:
Two part title: _______broad____:_____specific with author and title_____
1. Introduction- begin with a broad summative sentence with a specific mention of the author and novel. Provide specific context from the text to help the reader understand your topic. End with an argumentative X as a means to Y thesis that clearly reflects the focus of your essay.
2. Summary of article 1 (summarize with particular awareness to your topic)
3. Summary of article 2 (summarize with particular awareness to your topic)
4. Compare and contrast your two sources (with an awareness to your topic)
5-7. Analysis of your topic, which is supported by a synthesis of all three sources. To be
clear—include (synthesize) direct content from all three sources. You will use
THREE “Big Mac quote sandwich” paragraphs. *These should be about 1.25 pages each
8. Conclusion
Works Cited
WRITING TASKS: As you outline and draft your essay, keep the following in mind:
• The thesis should be a complete sentence that establishes your topic in clear, unambiguous language that includes “as a means to” between the X and Y parts.
• As you’ll discover, summarizing is hard work- you are condensing many pages of text to a few paragraphs. Take a look at WIT 7-8.
• A key part of the assignment is supporting your analysis; you must not articulate a personal position, opinion, judgment, belief/value, etc. Rather, you will present your analysis of the novel by supporting your discussion with specific evidence pulled from the text, and a detailed analysis of relevant portions of the text.
• Utilize literary present tense.
• Your conclusion should expand on your evaluation and explain the significance of your topic.
• The essay should use proper Modern Language Association (MLA) formatting – this means one-inch margins on all sides and twelve point Times New Roman font. If you are unsure of format, consult the many online MLA sources available.
• While mistakes are inevitable, I expect all drafts to be thoroughly proofread.
ASSESSMENT: Grades will be on the following rubric. Each of the domains is described in terms of specific indicator of achievement level. Additionally, proper quoting, paraphrasing, summary, proper MLA format, heading, in-text citations and work cited page are required and will also be considered as part of the grade.
