Men’s Vs. women’s Conversational Style

Formal Essay #4 – Compare or contrast essay, synthesizing at least one reading and and one interview to help support your thesis.

 FOUR full double-spaced typed pages MINIMUM(NOT 3-1/2 or 3-3/4). The fourth page must be a full page. Short papers will be downgraded.

Learning objectives:

• How to write a compare/contrast essay
• How to organize a compare/contrast essay
• How to synthesize multiple sources to support a thesis
• How to integrate concrete, supporting details
• How to credit other writers when using quotes and paraphrases by using signal phrasesand in-text citations
• How to use MLA style in-text citations and a Works Cited list

 Assignment

Compare and contrast two different educational experiences. You must use at least one interview and one of the following essays in Patterns for College Writers to help support your thesis:

• “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”
• “Sex, Lies, and Conversation”

You may also include personal experiences to support your thesis, but I will not accept any paper that does not include at least one interview and one of the essays above. Your interview may be with a friend, fellow student, relative, instructor, or anyone who can inform you about his or her experiences.

You may use an additional source, BUT YOU MUST GET MY APPROVAL IN ADVANCE.

Your thesis should arrive at a specific conclusion. For example, you may prove that Amy Chua’s observations are mostly accurate, or mostly inaccurate.

Your essay needs to focus on mostly similarities or mostly differences, and should be written for a large audience of Woodbury students and faculty, not just our class. Aim to enlighten and inform this community with an engaging thesis, good support for your thesis, and interesting details.

Here are some examples of experiences you can compare or contrast:

1. Compare or contrast “Chinese mothers,” as Chua describes them, with real Chinese mothers (or perhaps, mothers and fathers).
   1. Or, with “American” mothers (and/or fathers), or mothers (and/or fathers) from some other culture.
   2. Or, with your friend’s or friends’ parents.
2. Contrast men’s conversational style with that of women’s, using Deborah Tannen to back up your ideas.
3. Compare or contrast Deborah Tannen’s views on men’s and women’s conversational style with your own observations.
4. Compare or contrast older men’s and women’s conversational style with that of your own generation, using Deborah Tannen to support your views.

Think about what you might prove by comparing or contrasting these different experiences. Your thesis statement should indicate whether you are emphasizing similarities or differences and also make a specific point. Do not assume that your audience has any prior knowledge of either Amy Chua’s or Deborah Tannen’s essays.

Requirements

• Include at least TWO paraphrases and TWO quotes from at least ONE or more of the essays listed on this assignment sheet. Remember to use in-text citations for all paraphrases and quotes.
• Include information from an interview. You may choose to interview a fellow student from Woodbury, a friend from another school, or even an instructor. Remember to use in-text citations for all paraphrases and quotes.
• You may include your own experiences, but you do not necessarily need to.
• Use the compare or contrast patterns we discussed in class.

Use APA style for in-text citation

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