Revising Assignment #2 on the Master Schedule

Finding Another Essay to Compare and Contrast

Task:

1.This is to revise Assignment #2 on the master schedule which is on page 17 of the Syllabus. The due dates are March 2nd  for peer review and March 4th for grade submission. This essay will be an explanatory or argumentative synthesis essay, comparing and contrasting Paul Bloom's essay, "The Baby in the Well: The Case Against Empathy," with another essay of your own choosing. (I handed out Bloom's essay during class today and I've also attached it to this email. It can be also be found on page 33 of your texts (WRAC #13)). 

2.After you read Bloom's essay, find another essay to compare and contrast it to by going to the SJCC Library and consulting with a resource person, or by using Google Scholar, which has subjects like “the politics of empathy,” or the psychology of empathy and similar titles. Related terms such as “compassion” or “sympathy” may also be helpful in your search.

3.The MLA format will be used, and can be found at

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Make sure that your name and page number are in the header of each page

4. These instructions are provided only as suggestions to assist student writing. If  you have a better or preferred way to introduce, discuss, and structure the subject, please feel free to do that. The only restriction is that the student essay needs to focus on summarizing, comparing and contrasting the two essays, and writing the essay in university-level academic English.
 
5. You need to read and re-read both sources and come to your own conclusion about them. That conclusion will be the controlling idea for the explanatory or argument synthesis essay.

6.You must compose his or her own title; this is an opportunity to show some
creativity and individuality.

7.You may introduce the works of the two writers and discuss their situations and contexts in broad terms.  Both works should be summarized, with the two writers’ theses and the student’s thesis positioned at the end of this introductory discussion. The thesis may be explanatory or argumentative. 

8.In the body paragraphs, you should discuss the differences and similarities between the two essays, with supporting ideas and details from each essay. This may involve writing one or two paragraphs describing generally how  the two approaches may be alike, and then write further paragraphs on how they may be different.

9.You should then reach a conclusion, a discussion of the ramifications or implications of both the writers’ and your theses.
   
10.Three pages (plus a Works Cited page) is a sufficient length for this exercise. If it takes
more than three, please feel free to extend the length of the paper.

11.Whenever you summarize, paraphrase or quote, use parenthetical citation.

12.As you write, try to avoid use of phrases like “I feel,” “I think,” “in my opinion” “I will discuss…” or “in conclusion.” Get to your point with strength and avoid these announcements and self-deprecating qualifications.

13.The peer review for this essay will be conducted on Monday, March 2, with submission on Wednesday March 4.

14.Works cited information follows this instruction. You can use it for your paper.

15.Please let me know if there are any questions about these instructions. I have to limit my instructions to you because, at this university-level assignment, students need to demonstrate their own understanding, creativity and writing skill; too many teacher instructions will limit this opportunity.