Formal Writing Assignment #2
For this second formal writing assignment, I would like you to write a comparison / contrast essay in which you compare your life to the life of someone at least ten (10) years older than you are now. You will be asking this person questions about specific aspects of his or her life when he or she was your age, and you will compare and contrast those aspects.
The first step will be to choose a person. This person should be at least ten (10) years older than you are right now. The larger the age difference, the more interesting your results will be. For this reason, you might consider a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, co-worker, or friend’s parent.
Before you actually sit down to have a conversation with this person, please consider the points you want to investigate. These should be very specific points – for example, you might consider discussing education, relationships, children, hobbies, challenges, interests, etc. Choose at least two and not more than four specific points to discuss with this person. You will be discovering what these aspects of this person’s life were like when this person was your age.
For example: Let us say you have decided to talk to your grandmother about relationships, education, and life challenges. If you are currently twenty (20) years old, you will ask your grandmother about her relationships, education, and challenges when she was also twenty (20) years old. Then, you will write a comparison / contrast essay about your life and this other person’s life at your age in which you compare (look for similarities), contrast (look for differences), or both.
You may write this essay in point-by-point format or subject-by-subject format but remember that each format has its own advantages and disadvantages. Stay as organized as possible and address the points in the same order for each subject.
Point-by-point Point A, Subject 1 Subject-by-subject Subject 1, Point A
Point A, Subject 2 Subject 1, Point B
Point B, Subject 1 Subject 1, Point C
Point B, Subject 2 Subject 2, Point A
Point C, Subject 1 Subject 2, Point B
Point C, Subject 2 Subject 2, Point C
As always, this will be a formal essay, and it should be in standard essay format. You should include proper paper format, a creative title, an introduction, a thesis statement, at least two (2) body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Pay careful attention to topic sentences!
Specific Requirements:
Standard English, mid-level formality (avoid slang, colloquialisms, etc.)
No contractions
No second person pronouns (“you”)
Specific, clear, and vivid word choice
Length: 750 – 1000 words (approximately 3 – 4 full pages)
Format:
Typewritten
White paper
Double-spaced
1” Margins
12-point font – Times New Roman or Arial ONLY
Heading in the upper left-hand corner of page 1
Your Name
Kathy Daily
English 0933–Section
Date (always the DUE date)
Title centered and clearly stated
Last name and page number in the upper right-hand corner of each page
