In-Class Writing: Comparison-Contrast Sentence Outline
Select one of the topics you wrote on last week; be sure to refer to your previous prewriting and my comments. You may need to generate additional ideas and/or prewrite more to establish specific, significant differences between the two programs, versions, or characters you have chosen.
Be sure to select and order your ideas carefully, as not all differences are important or relevant, and compose a persuasive contrast thesis statement asserting a specific significant difference between the two and the major divisions of your essay. Be sure not to state merely that one “is better than” or “superior to” the other; rather, define a specific, significant difference, one that all of your details support. So, example, “A is funnier than B because...” or “A is both simpler and more economical than B because...”
For example:
Thesis statement: Although Batman and Superman are both internationally famous superheroes, Batman is a human being and therefore a far better superhero than Superman; Bruce Wayne's intelligence, his self-developed skills, and his much cooler toys make him more believable and realistic than the alien, Superman.
Topic sentence 1: First, while Superman is undoubtedly stronger than Batman, due to his extraterrestrial origin, Bruce Wayne is far more intelligent than his Metropolis-based competitor.
Topic sentence 2:In addition, since Superman came from Krypton, his powers are merely a seemingly magical result of his extraterrestrial origin, whereas Bruce Wayne has developed his own strength, agility, and crime-fighting abilities through constant training and practice.
Topic sentence 3:Superman is completely dependent on the powers he receives from Earth's yellow sun, and is totally helpless when confronted with Kryptonite, whereas Bruce Wayne as Batman has an almost unlimited supply of wonderful weapons, devices, and means of transportation he has developed.
Note: The “Draft” due in class is not a finished essay; rather, your submission should be a thesis statement and three to five topic sentences, as above. You may include individual details or examples in outline form under each topic sentence, but this is recommended, not required. Once you have done this, select and delete all of this information above (and including) the line below, and submit only the completed document below.
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name]
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Brian T. Murphy
March 16, 2015
In-Class Writing: Comparison-Contrast Sentence Outline
Thesis statement: esis.]
Topic sentence 1: ence.]
Topic sentence 2: ence.]
Topic sentence 3: ence.]
Topic sentence 4: ence.]
and so on, as necessary
Last Revised Friday, 20 February 2015
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