Length and Format The essay (first and final draft) must be at least five paragraphs

Length and Format

The essay (first and final draft) must be at least five paragraphs and about 1500 words. Papers under 1200 words will be marked as late until resubmitted to meet the minimum length requirement. Papers under 1500 words might not be sufficiently developed to support your argument.   
Set up the document using MLA format. See p. Q-2 in Appendix A of your text.  
Review Instructions for Submitting Compositions.

Generating Ideas

Pick a topic of interest to you. The only limits on topics are these: 1) they must be appropriate for the classroom, 2) the comparison must yield worthwhile insights (instead of making obvious points), and 3) research material supports your points (rather than just personal intuitions or experiences).
Brainstorm ideas by drawing a Venn diagram (two overlapping circles).

(image credit: https://www.thoughtco.com/creating-a-venn-diagram-1857015)

 You could focus on comparing: highlight similarities of two entities that initially seem different.
example: Nashville is the home of country music, and Memphis is the birthplace of blues and rock, but in both cities, music is central to residents and tourists.
example: Cats and dogs are equally annoying and expensive pets.
You could focus on contrasting: highlight differences of two entitles that initially seem similar.
example: All barbecued meat is not the same; the process and ingredients of dry-rub barbecue produce a taste and dining experience unlike that of wet-rub barbecue.
Your essay could start with similarities and then move to differences, or vice versa.
example: The Patriots and the Falcons made it into the 2017 SuperBowl because they are both strong teams, but the Patriots won because they had a stronger _____ and _____.
You can make a value judgment. 
example: Cats and dogs have some similar benefits and drawbacks, but cats are better pets.
Your last composition, the business letter, might be a springboard; you could compare and/or contrast two businesses or products.

Planning, Draft, and Developing

The introduction paragraph starts with a hook: a few sentences in which you get the readers’ attention. Also include any background that readers might need immediately, such as definitions or explanations of terms. If this material is lengthy and would bog down your first paragraph, save the background for the body of the essay (first body paragraph).
The main idea or thesis is the last sentence (or two) of the introduction paragraph. It communicates the central idea and previews the rest of the essay. A thesis is usually one sentence but can be two. 
example: Cancun is a better vacation destination than Panama City. Although flying to Mexico can be more expensive than traveling to Florida, Cancun offers affordable all-inclusive hotels, prettier beaches, more exciting nightlife, and a more interesting cultural experience than Panama City.
Each body paragraph focuses on the subpoints previewed in the thesis, in the same order you previewed them. A first body paragraph might provide background, such as definitions or explanations.
Organize main points block-by-block (e.g. the first body paragraphs all deal with Cancun, and the next body paragraphs all deal with Panama City) or subject-by-subject (e.g. the first body paragraph discusses transportation, the second body paragraph compares the hotels, etc.)
The concluding paragraph briefly summarize the main points and reinforces the thesis.  
Use transitions between paragraphs and within paragraphs to help the reader follow ideas
Apply all you learned about description. Include sensory images to paint a full picture with words.

Research

Support your points with evidence from at least two sources. Your topic choice must lend itself to outside research.
Use high quality outside sources. Evaluate materials to make sure they are produced by experts. Although some internet sources are credible, recent, and objective, college-level research goes deeper than merely searching a topic and using the first results. Try https://scholar.google.com/ for sources that have undergone some vetting.
Use in-text citation whenever you quote, paraphrase, or mention a source. The last page of your document will be a Works Cited list with all sources you quoted, paraphrased, or mentioned in the essay. See Chapter 36 in your textbook.
In the essay, introduce all sources you quote, paraphrase, or mention. As stated in your text, include “credentials or experience . . . to capitalize on the persuasive value of the author’s ‘expert’ status” (Kennedy, et al. 684).
example: According to David Haugh, reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Tom Brady is the best football quarterback in history (51).
example: A Chicago Tribune sports reporter calls Tom Brady the “the all-time greatest quarterback” (Haugh 51).
If using Haugh’s exact words rather than a paraphrase, that borrowed language must be distinguished from your words with quotation marks.
If the source has numbered pages, the  page number of the quote or paraphrase is in parentheses at the end of the sentence.
If the sentence does not name Haugh, his name must be in the parentheses – with the page number, if there is one.
Avoid plagiarism! Re-read the Academic Dishonesty policy in the Syllabus. Ask the instructor whenever you are unsure about how or when to indicate borrowed language or ideas.