How do I organize my essay?

1
How do I organize my essay?

• Comparison papers are typically organized along
  one of two methods point-by-point and block.
• Block In this method the writer discusses one
  item for comparison in its entirety, examining
  all its grounds for comparison before moving on
  to the next.
• Point By Point This method discusses both items
  for comparison at once each paragraph is a
  discussion of one criteria.

2
The Block Method Outline

• Thesis San Francisco is a more exciting city
  than Boston.
• 1. San Francisco
• Cultural opportunities
• Physical beauty
• Recreational opportunities
• 2. Boston
• Cultural opportunities
• Physical beauty
• Recreational opportunities

3
Block Method

• First, we began with our thesis, and decided what
  we were going to compare.
• Next, we discuss all the criteria for comparison
  for San Francisco.
• Then, we discuss all the criteria for comparison
  for Boston.
• In our conclusion, we would decide, based on our
  comparisons, which is the more exciting city.
  Your conclusion has to be thorough and
  analytical, since youve mostly just listed
  information up to this point.

4
Point-by-Point

• Think of it as a see-saw, swinging back and forth
  between the two subjects.
• Instead of making our two items for comparison
  the focus of each paragraph, we are making the
  criteria for comparison our paragraphs.

5
Point-by-Point cont.

• Thesis San Francisco is a more exciting city
  than Boston.

• Cultural Opportunities
• San Francisco
• Boston
• Physical Beauty
• San Francisco
• Boston

6
Point-by-Point cont.

• Again, in the conclusion, we would evaluate how
  much more exciting one city is over the other
  based on our criteria for comparison.
• The major difference with this method over block
  is that, instead of getting to Bostons cultural
  opportunities one or two pages after dealing with
  San Francisco, we address them in the very next
  sentence.

7
Choosing a Pattern

• Block method also works better with fewer
  criteria to compare point-by-point works better
  with more criteria.
• Again, why do you think this is?

8

• Requirements
• Your THESIS and each paragraph need to be clearly
  tied to a PURPOSE. All of your body paragraphs
  need to provide the right information and logic
  to accomplish this purpose.
• 4 Must Dos, 1 Could Do, and 1 Should Do
• A clear introduction and thorough conclusion
• One of the two designated methods of comparison
  (Block or Point-by-Point)