Writing a Compare and Contrast Pragraph

Comparing and contrasting ideas is an essential part of critical thinking. In our everyday life we compare and contrast between things most of the time. Just think about when you go to the supermarket or a store and you need to choose between different products, or even when you are planning to go out with your friends and you need to choose between different places or activities.

Based on this situation, and considering that most of the time ideas become clearer when they are written and analyzed based on how they relate to one another, through this Webquest we are going to learn how to write a compare and contrast paragraph.

 You are going to create a compare and contrast paragraph based on the Venn Diagram you elaborated at the previous class.

For writing your compare and contrast paragraph you must follow the Process described at this webquest.

After following the process and writing your compare and contrast paragraph, you must deliver your corrected Venn Diagram and the final and printed version of your compare and contrast paragraph on June 10th.

Remember that these products worth 16 points of your 1st quiz grade!

 

1.     Go to the next link http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/compcontrast/

 

2.    Navigate the following sections by selecting each one of them and clicking through the arrows at the top right corner under the tabs.

‘ -Overview

‘-Graphic organizers

‘-Transitions

‘-Definitions

-Examples

-Organizing a paper

-Checklist

 

3.Now, watch the next video regarding how to write a compare and contrast paragraph. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWpmZEh0Ks0

 

4.  Based on what you have read and listen complete the following chart

Overview	What is comparison and contrast?
Purpose	What are the two main reasons why people use comparison/contrast? 1. 2.
Choosing items	What do you look for when you compare?   What do you look for when you contrast?
Organization Strategies	What is the “Whole to Whole” or “Block” strategy?       What is the “Similarities to Differences” strategy?       What is the “Similarities to Differences” strategy?
Transitions to use with comparisons
Transitions to use with contrasts

 

5. Go to the next link

http://www.sinclair.edu/centers/tlc/pub/handouts_worksheets/english/075_comparison_contrast.pdf

 

Think about the following questions:

 

a)     What is the topic sentence of each paragraph?

b)    What is it being compared in each case?

c)     How are the differences and similarities introduced or showed in each case?

 

6. Now, look at the Venn Diagram you created at class and write a TOPIC SENTENCE signaling what you will compare and contrast. Remember that your topic sentence must tell the reader the focus of your paragraph.

 

In order to know more about how to write a good topic sentence you can access the following links:

 

http://www.slideshare.net/ziyadjawabra/topic-sentence-patterns-compare-and-contrast-paragraph

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcxR3TiXBYs

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2nOzN6DllY

 

7.  Write sentences about the similarities and/or differences you identified at your Venn Diagram.

 

8. Decide which kind of organization strategy you would like to use, and think about the way in which you can organize the information you wrote in the previous sentences.

 

9.Write the first draft of your paragraph by organizing the information according to the strategy you selected. Remember to introduce the information by using the different transition words you learned.

 

10. Once you have written your first draft it is time of the editing stage. Click the next link in order to know how to check for mistakes.  http://www2.actden.com/writ_den/tips/paragrap/edit.htm

 

11. Try to correct those things and/or mistakes you identify.

 

12. Then, ask a partner to work with you. Interchange your graphic organizers and paragraphs and check them.

 

You can use the following editing symbols and/or abbreviations for marking your partner´s paragraph:

http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/writing/symbols.htm

 

You can use the following checklist for giving feedback to your partner:

 

Organization
The graphic organizer fits with the compare and contrast paragraph	Yes	No
There is a topic sentence	Yes	No
There is a clincher sentence	Yes	No
Word Choice
Compare and contrast signal words were used	Yes	No
______ different compare and contrast signal words were used
Ideas and Content
The topic sentence tells the reader what will be compared and contrasted	Yes	No
The topic sentence catches the readers’ attention	Yes	No
The same criteria was used to compare and contrast	Yes	No
My clincher sentence ties the ideas of my paragraph together	Yes	No
The supporting sentences in the paragraph give details about what is being compared and contrasted	Yes	No
Comments: The strengths in the compare and contrast paragraph include:     The areas that need improvement in the compare and contrast paragraph include:     My suggested goal for this writer is:

 

13. Reflect on the corrections and comments made by your partner and change anything you consider necessary in order to make your paragraph better and clearer.

 

14. Once you have corrected and/or modified your paragraph, use the next checklist in order to assure your paragraph covers the final required characteristics.

Organization
My graphic organizer fits with my compare and contrast paragraph	Yes	No
I have a topic sentence	Yes	No
I have a clincher sentence	Yes	No
Word Choice
I used compare and contrast signal words	Yes	No
I used ______ different compare and contrast signal words
Ideas and Content
My topic sentence tells the reader what will be compared and contrasted	Yes	No
My topic sentence catches the readers’ attention	Yes	No
I compared and contrasted using the same criteria	Yes	No
My clincher sentence ties the ideas of my paragraph together	Yes	No
The supporting sentences in my paragraph give details about what is being compared and contrasted	Yes	No
The strengths of my compare and contrast paragraph include:     The areas that need improvement in my compare and contrast paragraph include:       My goal for future writing:

 15.  Write and print the final version of your graphic organizer and your compare and contrast paragraph and give it to the teacher on the specified date and time.

Assessment Rubric for the Final Product