define a “culture.” You can use a broad unit like “American culture” or “Mexican culture,” or a narrower geographical, ethnic, generational cultures like the cultures of “American college students,” “Asian-American culture in California” etc.
“Culture” is an extremely broad term. You must focus on ONE aspect of culture to compare, such as religion, custom, language, art form, literature, food. These are still too broad. You must focus on an even narrower subject with specific examples: Religious spaces such as temples, shrines, churches and mosques? A certain belief or philosophy about family? Religious meaning of death? Funeral or wedding customs? A certain kinds of words, or grammatical structure? How people communicate? Sense of aesthetic that appears in arts, literature, or food? Specific forms of art, such as poetry, literature, paintings, music?
This is your paper – you choose your topic. The purpose of this assignment is to have students explore their own interests.
PLEASE READ LINKS BELOW: They describe very well what a “comparative analysis” paper should do, and how to develop a good thesis.
How to write a “Comparative Analysis” paper:
The Comparative Essay (Links to an external site.)
How to Write a Comparative Analysis (Links to an external site.) (Optional)
You must have a thesis – main argument that can be derived from comparison. Read the links below on how to develop a good thesis statement:
Using Thesis Statements (Links to an external site.)
Developing A Thesis (Links to an external site.) (Optional)
1) You must come up with your own “basis for comparison” or “frame of reference.” This means that you cannot simply provide a list of compare-and-contrast. It must provide a certain angle, something specific to compare.
2) As for structure, you may choose to write either point-by-point, or subject-by-subject (text-by-text).
3) Style: Use the MLA style for in-text citations and bibliography. See below link for details:
MLA Formatting and Style Guide (Links to an external site.)
This paper is only 8 pages long, so you do not have enough space to discuss everything. Instead of providing a general overview and trying to discuss everything, you must focus on a specific aspect and use specific examples.
Grading Rubric for Writing Assignment
A
B
C
D/F
Focus: Purpose
Purpose is clear
Shows awareness of purpose
Shows limited awareness of purpose
No awareness
Thesis
Clearly presents a thesis and supports it throughout the paper.
The thesis is generally supported throughout most of the paper.
Vague sense of a thesis, weakly supported throughout the paper.
No thesis
Organization: Overall
Well-planned and well-thought out. Includes title, introduction, thesis statement, transitions, and conclusion.
Good overall organization, includes the main organizational tools.
There is a sense of organization, although some of the organizational tools are used weakly or missing
No sense of organization
Organization: Paragraphs
All paragraphs have clear ideas, are supported with examples and have smooth transitions.
Most paragraphs have clear ideas, are supported with some examples and have transitions.
Some paragraphs have clear ideas, support from examples may be missing and transitions are weak.
Para. lack clear ideas
Content
Exceptionally well-presented and argued; ideas are detailed, well-developed, supported with specific evidence & facts, as well as examples and specific details.
Well-presented and argued; ideas are detailed, developed and supported with evidence and details, mostly specific.
Content is sound and solid; ideas are present but not particularly developed or supported; some evidence, but usually of a generalized nature.
Content is not sound
Research
Sources are exceptionally well-integrated and they support claims argued in the paper very effectively. Quotations and citations conform precisely to a consistent style.
Sources are well integrated and support the paper’s claims. There may be occasional errors, but the sources and citations conform to a consistent style.
Sources support some claims made in the paper, but might not be integrated well within the paper’s argument. There may be a few errors in style.
The paper does not use adequate research or if it does, the sources are not integrated well. They are not cited correctly or consistently.
Style: Sentence structure
Sentences are clear and varied in pattern, from simple to complex, with excellent and precise use of punctuation.
Sentences are clear but may lack variation; a few may be awkward and there may be a few punctuation errors.
Sentences are generally clear but may have awkward structure or unclear content; there may be patterns of punctuation errors.
Sentences aren’t clear
Style: Word choice, Tone
There is clear use of a personal and unique style of writing, suited to audience and purpose; the paper holds the reader’s interest with ease, providing fresh insight and information.
There is an attempt at a personal style but style of writing may be awkward or unsuited to audience and purpose; the reader may lose interest in some sections of the paper.
There is little attempt at style; reads as flat and perhaps uninteresting in content, which is usually generalized and clichéd.
No attempt at style / plagiarized content.
Style: Details and Examples
Large amounts of specific examples and detailed descriptions.
Some use of specific examples and detailed descriptions. May have extended examples that go on for too long.
Little use of specific examples and details; mostly generalized examples and little description.
No use of examples or the examples used are plagiarized.
Grammar & Mechanics
Excellent grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation.
A few errors in grammar, spelling, syntax and punctuation, but not many.
Shows a pattern of errors in spelling, grammar, syntax and/or punctuation. Could also be a sign of lack of proof-reading.
Continuous errors
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