ENG 102: COMPOSITION II
INSTRUCTOR: Y. BAILEY-KIRBY

COMPARISON-AND-CONTRAST SYNTHESIS ESSAY GUIDELINES

Directions: For the first essay, you selected a political or social issue that was important to you, such as “Animal Testing” as one example, and then located three ads online that supported the stance that you hold on this issue. Now, for this second essay, you will write a comparison-and-contrast synthesis, by adding/synthesizing new material to your original analysis essay and building your second essay from it. For instance, in the analysis essay, you examined at least THREE ads and how their visual images and rhetoric/language applied the strategies/appeals discussed in Jib Fowles’s essay, “Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals.”

Similarly, with the comparison-and-contrast essay, you will inspect THREE additional ads(synthesizing new material) that take the opposition’s stance on the political/social issue that you chose for your analysis essay in a similar context as you apply the point-by-point format (known as Organizing-by-Criteria which your instructor will review with you) to structure your compare-and-contrast synthesis. Once again, you will consider what images argue and how they do so through their use of advertising’s basic appeals. Examine the assumptions the ads make about their audience as well as the ideas and associations the ads play on in order to sell the product. Ask yourself: How does the language of each ad work in relation to the image?
Nonetheless, you will also be addressing how they use logical fallacies (review our logical fallacies exercise) as the ads make an emotional appeal, or if any of them use more of a rational appeal, identify which is more effective a rational or emotional appeal one and why?If not, what was missing, what was lacking, or how was it bias in its use of the logical fallacy? (See below for the specific criteria for this essay assignment.)

Assignment Criteria:
  • You will write an a comparison-and-contrast essay, approximately 1000-1500 words/4-6 typed pages, and it should be double-spaced with one inch margins and use a legible font (size 11-12) like Ariel, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Always use the MLA format for the “Works Cited” page as well as parenthetical citations whenever you quote, paraphrase, and/or summarize material from the ads that you will analyze/compare as well as “Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals” by Jib Fowles. You may need to quote and/or paraphrase from Jib Fowlesagain if you include new appeals in addition to the ones that you discussed in the analysis essay.(See our MLA notes/exercises or the next page for a quick review.)
  • Please include a header in the MLA format and have an original title for your essay, such as “The Contrasting Approaches to Media’s Advertising Appeals on Animal Testing” or “The Similar Approaches to Media’s Advertising Appeals on the Question ofLegalizing Prostitution”. (Aim to stay focused on your subject and within this total word count of 1000-1500 words, or there will be a penalty if you write less than 1000 words or if you exceed 1,500 words by several hundred with emotional tangents and extraneous material irrelevant to supporting your thesis).
  • These essays examine advertising on a social or political issue in a formal voice (third person: “some people consider….” or “one might consider…”), so do not use first person “I” or “we” or second person “you” when analyzing at least THREEadditional ads in the comparison-and-contrast to the original analysis essay’s THREE ads with their visual images and rhetoric/language by applying the strategies discussed in Jib Fowles’s essay, “Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals.” (Do not use random pictures online of people/selfies but actually ads with a company/ logo/ brand/organization, such as “PETA” [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] if you were to write an analysis essay on a social/political issue like “banning animal testing”.)
  • Along with the requirement listed above, you must take your essay to the Writing Center or use Smarthinking.com before submitting a final revised draft to your instructor. You can submit the stamp/dated copy of the rough draft from the writing center during class for ground classes or scan it and submit it in the electronic drop box with your final revised draft of the analysis essay. However, students in my online classes will submit everything in Canvas. (Note: If you do not go to the writing center or use Smarthinking.com, you will be penalized one letter grade: 10 points.)
  • You should also provide an outline that demonstrates how you have organized your ideas with a clear goal in mind and how you provide support/evidence in each body paragraph, or in other words, you fill out the outline provided with these guidelines by typing out your thoughts in a structured outline that you will include with your advertising analysis essay when you submit it.

Checklist:
1._____Do you have at least THREENEW advertisements to analyze/compare in your comparison-and-contrast paper and did you provide parenthetical citations after each one that you summarized/paraphrased from in your discussion? (i.e. At least one ad per body paragraph as evidence)?
2.______Did you quote/paraphrase as well as provide parenthetical citations at least THREE times from Jib Fowlesin the analysis essay and any additional times in the comparison-and-contrast essay if your new ads applied another type of appeal that was different from the ones that you covered in the first essay?
3.______Did you go to the Writing Center or Smarthinking.com with your rough draft and have them review it as well as stamp/date it, so you can revise and improve your essay before submitting it for a grade?
4.______Did you provide a “Works Cited” page with a separate citation for Jib Fowlesas well as a separate citation for each advertisement that you included in your essay’s discussion?
5.______Did you have approximately 1000 words (1000-1500 words), use the third person point of view, and include a typed outline with the final draft of the comparison-and-contrast synthesis paper as well as a rough draft (stamped/dated by the writing center)?
“Works Cited” Example for Fowles and an Ad:
Fowles, Jib. “Advertising’s Fifteen Basic Appeals.” Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Ed Laurence Behrens and
Leonard J. Rosen. New York: Longman, 2008. 627-644. Print.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Advertisement. Google. N.p. n.d. Web. 5 Feb 2015.
Parenthetical Citation Examples for Fowles and an Ad:
If you quote (short or block), paraphrase, and/or summarize from Jib Fowles or the advertisements, always provide a parenthetical
citation in the MLA format and do review the exception for “BLOCK” quotes from our MLA notes:
  • Paraphrasing: According to Jib Fowles, the appeal for prominence is a need to be admired and respected (637).
  • Quoting: “The need to achieve is the drive that energizes people, causing them to strive in their lives and careers” (Fowles 636).
  • Summarizing an ad: A homeless shelter ad displays a sad-looking teen who is wearing torn up jeans and a soaked flannel shirt after he has escaped the thunderstorm outside as the window displays a cold, grey world, and the first shelter volunteer pats him on the back as he hands him a towel to dry off and a new shirt with the warm smile of a friend while the second shelter volunteer offers the teen a warm bowl of chicken soup with the slogan above their heads: “Make a difference in your community today” (The Las Vegas Rescue Mission).

Example Outline:
  1. Introduction: Provide an overview/background and aim for 5-9 sentences.
  1. Identify the political/social issue that your essay will consider, how advertising’s appeals are used to appeal to an audience, and both views on it (your stance and the opposition’s on this issue).
  2. State your thesis.
  1. First Body Paragraph (Same as first body paragraph in the analysis paper): Identify the first advertising appeal from your thesis and your social/political issue.
  1. Quote or paraphrase Jib Fowles’s definition of this appeal.
  1. Explain the meaning of this appeal.
  2. How it’s used/why it may appeal to our needs.
  1. Identify the first ad that demonstrates this appeal.
  1. Summarize what the image shows and paraphrase or quote the language/slogan used in it.
  2. What does it imply, how is it applying this appeal, and why or why not is this ad persuasive.
  1. Second Body Paragraph: Compare or contrast a new ad that opposes your stance from the analysis paper.
  1. Identify the new ad that demonstrates this appeal.
  1. Summarize what the image shows and paraphrase or quote the language/slogan used in it.
  2. What does it imply, how is it applying this appeal, and why or why not is this ad persuasive.
  1. Address if either ads use logical fallacies, and explain how/why their emotional appeal from Jib Fowles’s list is applied.
  1. Explain how/why it’s effective/persuasive or what is lacking that it’s quite bias in its emotional appeal?
  2. Then, consider how one or both of these ads could have used a more rational appeal (what types of facts/credibility could have been used instead?).
  1. Third Body Paragraph (Same as second body paragraph in the analysis paper): Identify the second advertising appeal from your thesis and your social/political issue.
  1. Quote or paraphrase Jib Fowles’s definition of this appeal.
  1. Explain the meaning of this appeal.
  2. How it’s used/why it may appeal to our needs.
  1. Identify the second ad that demonstrates this appeal.
  1. Summarize what the image shows and paraphrase or quote the language/slogan used in it.
  2. What does it imply, how is it applying this appeal, and why or why not is this ad persuasive.
  1. Fourth Body Paragraph:Compare or contrast a new ad that opposes your stance from the analysis paper.
  1. Identify the new ad that demonstrates this appeal.
  1. Summarize what the image shows and paraphrase or quote the language/slogan used in it.
  2. What does it imply, how is it applying this appeal, and why or why not is this ad persuasive.
  1. Address if either ads use logical fallacies, and explain how/why their emotional appeal from Jib Fowles’s list is applied.
  1. Explain how/why it’s effective/persuasive or what is lacking that it’s quite bias in its emotional appeal?
  2. Then, consider how one or both of these ads could have used a more rational appeal (what types of facts/credibility could have been used instead?).
  1. Fifth Body Paragraph (Same as third body paragraph in the analysis paper): Identify the third advertising appeal from your thesis and your social/political issue.
  1. Quote or paraphrase Jib Fowles’s definition of this appeal.
  1. Explain the meaning of this appeal.
  2. How it’s used/why it may appeal to our needs.
  1. Identify the third ad that demonstrates this appeal.
  1. Summarize what the image shows and paraphrase or quote the language or slogan used in it.
  2. What does it imply, how is it applying this appeal, and why or why not is this ad persuasive.
  1. Sixth Body Paragraph:Compare or contrast a new ad that opposes your stance from the analysis paper.
  1. Identify the new ad that demonstrates this appeal.
  1. Summarize what the image shows and paraphrase or quote the language/slogan used in it.
  2. What does it imply, how is it applying this appeal, and why or why not is this ad persuasive.
  1. Address if either ads use logical fallacies, and explain how/why their emotional appeal from Jib Fowles’s list is applied.
  1. Explain how/why it’s effective/persuasive or what is lacking that it’s quite bias in its emotional appeal?
  2. Then, consider how one or both of these ads could have used a more rational appeal (what types of facts/credibility could have been used instead?).
  1. Conclusion: Recap the main points of your essay and aim and aim for 5-7 sentences.

FORMULATING A THESIS AND ORGANIZING YOUR OUTLINE:

STEP ONE:Take the thesis that you used in your first essay (analysis paper), and you will build upon it to demonstrate the new material that you will cover in the comparison-and-contrast paper. You may want to review the Misinterpretation, Gap, and Modification thesis models from our textbook/exercise, and formulate a thesis for the instructor’s approval (similar to the one below but on your issue/stance).

  • Thesis Examples from Analysis Paper:
  • Example thesis (Pro): Animal testing is necessary to develop new medicines, advance scientific knowledge, and save lives according to advertising appeals on the need for dominance, prominence, and autonomy.
  • Example thesis (Con): Animal testing should be banned because it harms the animals, there more humane alternatives, andthese tests do not show the same side effects for animals as for humans according to advertising appeals on the need for nurture, affiliation, and achievement.
  • New Thesis Example for Comparison-and-Contrast Paper: Although one may agree with banning animal testing because it harms the animals, there are far more humane alternatives, andthese tests do not show the same side effects for animals as for humans according to advertising appeals on the needs for nurture, affiliation, and achievement, it is important to extend this argument by addressing the discrepancies and logical fallacies of the opposing side in the emotional appeals used in their ads.
  • Your New Comparison-and-Contrast Thesis: ______Although one may agree with_____(Insert your analysis essay’s thesis here and
    revise the wording to fit within the context of this sentence.)_____,it is important to extend this argument by addressing the
    discrepancies and logical fallacies of the opposing side in the emotional appeals used in their ads.

STEP TWO: Create your own outline on a separate sheet of paper by providing key points and quoted passages from Jib Fowles as well as descriptions of your advertisements. You will obviously need more space than the one line examples provided below to help you organize your ideas about analyzing advertising. Hence, you will be typing it on a separate sheet and will need to consult the previous page to organize your thoughts in a manner that supports your thesis.

  1. Introduction:______
  1. ______
  2. State Thesis: ______

______

  1. (First Appeal with Ad for your Stance – First Body Paragraph from Analysis Paper):______
  1. ______

1. ______

2. ______

  1. ______

1. ______

2. ______

  1. (Comparison to First Appeal with an Ad for Opposition’s Stance):______
  2. ______
  3. ______
  4. ______
  5. ______

1. ______

2. ______

  1. (Second Appeal with Ad for your Stance – Second Body Paragraph from Analysis Paper):______
    ______
  2. ______

1. ______
2. ______

  1. ______

1. ______

2. ______

  1. (Comparison to Second Appeal with an Ad for Opposition’s Stance):______
  1. ______

1. ______

2. ______

  1. ______

1. ______

2. ______

  1. (Third Appeal with Ad for your Stance – Third Body Paragraph from Analysis Paper):______
  1. ______

1. ______

2. ______

  1. ______

1. ______

2. ______

  1. (Comparison to Third Appeal with an Ad for Opposition’s Stance):______
  2. ______

1. ______

2. ______

  1. ______

1. ______

2. ______

  1. Conclusion:______