Student Writing Handbook Fifth+Edition

Comparison and Contrast / 81

STEP 6: Writing—Developing the First Draft

Following the organization plan selected in Steps 4 and 5, develop the first draft of
your comparison-and-contrast paper. Be sure to use techniques of good writing:

-^ If you are developing a paragraph, begin with the topic sentence. [See Writing a
Paragraph in Chapter 2.]
-^ If you are developing a theme, begin with a suitable introductory paragraph
that concludes with the thesis sentence. [See Writing a Multi-Paragraph Paper
in Chapter 2.]
-^ Follow the organizational plan. If your plan does not work, go back to Steps 4
and 5, alter the plan, and begin again.
-^ Add sufficient details to clarify the differences and/or similarities.
-^ End with a concluding statement or concluding paragraph that restates or
summarizes your topic.

STEP 7: Revising—Checking the Content

As you reread your comparison-and-contrast paper, ask yourself the following ques-
tions to pinpoint possible needed revisions:

-^ Does my topic or thesis sentence clearly state my subject and the organization
of my paper?

• Do^ I^ follow^ the^ organization^ established^ in^ my^ topic^ or^ thesis^ statement?


• Is^ the^ organizational^ pattern^ the^ most^ effective^ for^ my^ subject^ and^ purpose?^
  [See Checking Organization in Chapter 3, Revising.]


• Does^ the^ order^ of^ my^ paper^ best^ emphasize^ the^ most^ important^ points?^
  [See Sample Revision for Emphasis in Chapter 3, Revising.]


• Does^ the^ paragraph^ structure^ follow^ my^ organizational^ plan?^ [See Checking
  Structure in Chapter 3, Revising.]


• Have^ I^ provided^ sufficient^ details^ to^ support^ the^ topics?^ [See Sample Revision
  for Specific Detail in Chapter 3, Revising.]


• Have^ I^ maintained^ unity^ by^ omitting^ unrelated^ details^ from^ the^ paper?^ [See
  Sample Revision for Unity in Chapter 3, Revising.]
  -^ Are my transitions precise and adequate to clarify and emphasize the
  comparisons or contrasts to readers? [See Sample Revision for Transition
  in Chapter 3, Revising.]


• Are^ my^ words^ and^ sentences^ appropriate^ to^ the^ subject^ and^ the^ audience?


• Have^ I^ used^ strong^ nouns^ and^ verbs^ and^ avoided^ flowery^ modifiers?^ [See
  Sample Revision for Wordiness in Chapter 3, Revising.]


• Is^ the^ sentence^ structure^ of^ my^ paper^ varied?^ [See Sample Revision for
  Sentence Variety in Chapter 3, Revising.]