...com/grammar/writerworkshops/GFW8_WM_compare.pdf WHAT THIS HANDOUT IS ABOUT This handout will help you first to determine whether a particular assignment is asking for comparison/contrast and then to generate a list of similarities and differences, decide which similarities and differences to focus on, and organize your paper so that it will be clear and effective. It will also explain how you can (and why you should) develop a thesis that goes beyond “Thing A and Thing B are similar in many ways but different in others.” INTRODUCTION In your career as a student, you’ll encounter many different kinds of writing assignments, each with its own requirements. One of the most common is the comparison/contrast essay, in which you focus on the ways in which certain things or ideas—usually two of them—are similar to (this is the comparison) and/or different from (this is the contrast) one another. By assigning such essays, your instructors are encouraging you to make connections between texts or ideas, engage in critical thinking, and go beyond mere description or summary to generate interesting analysis: when you reflect on similarities and differences, you gain a deeper understanding of the items you are comparing, their relationship to each other, and what is most important about them. RECOGNIZING COMPARISON/CONTRAST IN ASSIGNMENTS Some assignments use words—like compare, contrast, similarities, and differences—that make it easy for you to see that they are asking you to compare...
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...you generate points of comparison, consider the purpose and content of the assignment and the focus of the class. What do you think the professor wants you to learn by doing this comparison/contrast? How does it fit with what you have been studying so far and with the other assignments in the course? Are there any clues about what to focus on in the assignment itself? Here are some general questions about different types of things you might have to compare. These are by no means complete or definitive lists; they’re just here to give you some ideas—you can generate your own questions for these and other types of comparison. You may want to begin by using the questions reporters traditionally ask: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? If you’re talking about objects, you might also consider general properties like size, shape, color, sound, weight, taste, texture, smell, number, duration, and location. Two historical periods or events When did they occur—do you know the date(s) and duration? What happened or changed during each? Why are they significant? What kinds of work did people do? What kinds of relationships did they have? What did they value? What kinds of governments were there? Who were important people involved? What caused events in these periods, and what consequences did they have later on? Two ideas or theories What are they about? Did they originate at some particular time? Who created them? Who uses or defends them? What is the central focus, claim, or goal of each...
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...Comparison Matrix Paper Nyenye Matthews Grand Canyon University: RES-811 June 8, 2016 Comparison Matrix Paper At first thought, the journey of completing a doctoral program can be scary, nerve wrecking and/or cause you to have anxiety especially when faced with having to decide on a topic for your dissertation before you even start class. All of these feelings eventually subside once the newly doctoral learner starts their first course. The purpose of this paper is to compare three empirical articles on the topic of doctoral identity. Weidman & Stein (2003) wanted “to examine the relationship among an academic department’s informal structures and the socialization of doctoral students to the scholar role as reflected in their level of participation in scholarly activities”. Baker & Lattuca (2010), sought “to develop an interdisciplinary approach to the study of doctoral education as a path to the professoriate”. Visser, Visser & Schlosser (2003), investigated “critical thinking as a disciplined manner of thought which a person uses to assess the validity of something”. These articles address three different ways of how a doctoral learner can find their doctoral identity. Comparison of Research Questions Even though each study asked different research questions, it seems as though each group of authors developed research questions based on the same idea in mind; to determine if “Socialization of doctoral students to academic norms, developmental networks...
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...today. It is possible to study many individual religions and never fully understand one religion completely. In this paper only three religions will be discussed. The three religions discussed are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The primary focus religion that will be discussed is Christianity, the second religion will be Judaism, and the third religion will be Islam. In this paper the historical connections between these three religions will be explored. Questions will be answered such as; what makes these three religions similar? How are they connected? The theological similarities and differences between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam will also be thoughtfully brought up. The contemporary struggles within Christianity today will be explored. It will also be discussed what contemporary struggles Christianity has with Judaism and the contemporary struggles between Christianity and Islam. In this paper it is the expressed hope that the reader will be able to learn about these three religions and gain knowledge. The paper is to help the reader learn something new about Christianity, Judaism, and Islam and with curiosity want to explore these individual religions further. With this hope in mind this paper will start with the historical connections between these religions. When you take a look at the different religions being discussed in this paper you first have to look at how each one is defined. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary Christianity is defined...
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...Personal Reflection Paper BSHS/345 November 10, 2014 Personal Reflection Paper Invidious comparison and vicarious traumatization are two very real concepts in life. However, when working in the human service field, both concepts must be controlled to avoid negative outcomes. This paper will describe two concepts and how each has played a part in my life. The first concept of discussion is invidious comparison. The second topic of discussion will focus on vicarious traumatization. Aside from how both concepts have affected me personally, I will examine strategies that can help me avoid vicarious traumatization as a human service worker. The first concept of discussion is invidious comparison. According to Merriam-Webster (2014), invidious comparison is defined as “tending to cause discontent, animosity or envy”. In other words, invidious comparison is when a person compares themselves to others by class, religion, sex, and race. While this concept occurs to everyone, and seems to be a normal part of human nature, negative ramifications such as poor self-esteem, depression, and stress may result if not directed in the correct manner. The concept of invidious comparison is one I can relate to well. For many years, I used to compare myself to those who had more money that I did. While I am ashamed to admit how shallow I was, this comparison brought me into a state of depression. It was during my depressed mode that I realized that I needed to take control of...
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...Comparison Paper Latarshaw Wright NUR/443 July 15, 2013 Instructor: Linda Hansen-Kyle Abstract Research studies are a key element to the implementation of evidence-based practice in nursing, but one must first have a thorough understanding of the study process in order to benefit properly from the findings. The most important concept is to understand if the study is Quantitative or Qualitative in design. The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the differences in these two designs by using examples of each to describe. By evaluating each paper and including topics such as the strength of the research question, the strength of the methodology, correct or incorrect sample type and size, appropriate data analysis, complete discussion of findings, and implication for nursing practice and practability of implementation a pattern will appear revealing the likes and differences of the two types of studies. The findings indicate both quantitative and qualitative studies are crucial in the development of scientific research. By incorporating these in the scientific field of research, nursing will continue to grow and evolve. . Comparison Paper The advancement of nursing research has led to evidence-based practice in nursing which in turn leads to positive patient care outcome. Nursing research plays an integral role in nursing education. The 21st century has revolutionized nursing in theoretical and practical aspects of nursing. New innovative ideas...
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...Moraine Park technical college | Philosophy of Quality - | [Quality Philosophy Paper] | ------------------------------------------------- Jessica Gallo Managing for Quality (196-192) ------------------------------------------------- Moraine Park Technical College February 1, 2013 ------------------------------------------------- Jessica Gallo Managing for Quality (196-192) ------------------------------------------------- Moraine Park Technical College February 1, 2013 | Philosophy of Quality Introduction Organizations and people are in competition with one another, therefore having quality is vital to its success. Quality can be defined by me and others as a business that makes reliable products that are made to last or a business that makes a product at reasonable price to its consumer. Quality can also be defined by receiving...
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...Caswell Family Centered Health Promotion March 3rd, 2013 Health Promotion Health promotion has a variety of definitions. One being as simple as, a science and art that assists people to change lifestyle toward a state of optimal health (O’Donnell, 1997), to more complex as a process of advocating health to increase the chance that personal, private , and public support of positive health practices will become a societal norm” (Kreuter & Devore, 1980, p. 26). Despite the variances in definition health promotion is geared towards persuading public the benefits of a living a lifestyle free of negative health behaviors. The purpose of health promotion in nursing practice is to switch gears from protection of certain diseases to focus on improving the general health of the people they serve. Health promotion has changed the roles and responsibilities of nurses. Increasing demands are placed on nurses as healthcare has shifted from an acute, hospital-based care to preventive, community-based care. The home is now the primary place healthcare takes place. Reimbursement for hospital care is less resulting in shorter stays. Nurses must take on additional roles and play a bigger part of disease prevention and health promotion. A greater emphasis is being placed on nurses being more independent in their practice. Nurses are expected to be increasingly accountable morally and legally for their behavior. Nursing has evolved into many roles as advocates, care managers, consultants...
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...evaluate the financial health of a company. Write a 750- to 1,000-word paper in APA format and create a PowerPoint® presentation that summarizes your evaluation. Prior to writing the paper, you will need to research your chosen company and conduct an industry comparison to determine how your company’s financial performance compares with others in its industry. To begin your research, you can refer to the work you completed in the Week One CheckPoint and the Ch. 1 PowerPoint®. As you conduct your research, consider the following factors as a guideline for determining the financial health of your company: Financial data from the company’s annual report or 10-K report Current and future financial performance of the company Success of the company’s operations Policies and strategies of management Performance of the economy How the company is doing in comparison with its competitors in the same industry You can also refer to the information and examples in Ch. 6 to complete your evaluation: pp. 194-196 outline various sources you can use in addition to financial statements, pp. 195-196 focus specifically on library resources for help with comparative research, and Figure 6.2 on p. 212 lists the steps of a financial statement analysis. The following information must be included in your paper: A summary of your company’s current financial performance The importance of industry comparisons and trend analysis An assessment of your company’s financial performance...
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...be asked to write papers in which you compare and contrast two things: two texts, two theories, two historical figures, two scientific processes, and so on. "Classic" compare-and-contrast papers, in which you weight A and B equally, may be about two similar things that have crucial differences (two pesticides with different effects on the environment) or two similar things that have crucial differences, yet turn out to have surprising commonalities (two politicians with vastly different world views who voice unexpectedly similar perspectives on sexual harassment). In the "lens" (or "keyhole") comparison, in which you weight A less heavily than B, you use A as a lens through which to view B. Just as looking through a pair of glasses changes the way you see an object, using A as a framework for understanding B changes the way you see B. Lens comparisons are useful for illuminating, critiquing, or challenging the stability of a thing that, before the analysis, seemed perfectly understood. Often, lens comparisons take time into account: earlier texts, events, or historical figures may illuminate later ones, and vice versa. Faced with a daunting list of seemingly unrelated similarities and differences, you may feel confused about how to construct a paper that isn't just a mechanical exercise in which you first state all the features that A and B have in common, and then state all the ways in which A and B are different. Predictably, the thesis of such a paper is usually an assertion...
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...Thinking, Reading and Writing Critically In order to get the highest possible grades in a subject assessed in writing you need to be able to demonstrate an ability to think critically about the sources of information (text-books, academic papers, academic websites and the like) that you use in the construction your answer. You must, in other words, do more than simply take information from other sources and use it construct an answer. It is not enough to select some apposite quotations and demonstrate in that way that you have read around a subject widely and found some pertinent sources of supporting information. To get the highest grades you must be able to replicate a professional academic’s ability to critically assess the academic work of other, published authors. Many professional academics are capable of doing this because over the course of a career they have read an enormous number of text-books and papers in a subject area and, as a result, possess and have mastered a large body of knowledge that they can use to critically assess any new work they encounter. Indeed, for such academics the process of reading critically may have become almost entirely subconscious. As they read a new paper in their subject area they cannot stop their brains from critically comparing the new information with the knowledge they already possess. Clearly, as students, you do not yet possess such an extensive body of knowledge, nor can you hope to acquire one quickly enough to apply...
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...Example of Outline for Quantitative Research Paper (must be APA formatted) Abstract: (this is done after the whole paper is finished – 250 word max) 1. Problem statement / Limitations of literature 2. Purpose of study 3. Methods 4. Overall results 5. Conclusion Introduction: (500-750 words) 1. General phenomenon 2. Problem statements 3. Limitations of existing literature 4. Statement of Purpose Review of Literature (2000-3000 words) 1. Description of theory/model a. includes definitions b. Strengths of theory/model c. Weaknesses of theory/model 2. Comparison to other theories/models (strengths and weaknesses) 3. Hypotheses (outcomes contained within hypotheses) or model proposition (figures) 4. Assumptions (if any) Methodology: (500-1000 words) 1. Sample and Procedure a. Sampling method b. Procedure of how data was collected i. Time and location c. Instructions to sample d. Human subjects sentence (if applicable) e. Description of sample i. Size, demographics, 2. Instruments a. Description of questionnaire (if applicable) i. Rationale for scale (if applicable ii. Modifications (if any) b. Number of items c. Example of wording of items d. Item format e. Previous reliability values f. Previous validity values 3. Data analysis a. Technique b. Formulae (if necessary) c. Rationale (if necessary)  Results (500-1000 words) 1. Measurement model (if applicable) a. Reliability b. Validity 2. Measures of magnitude and dispersion (Means, percentages...
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...Concept Comparison and Analysis across Theories Paper NUR 513 August 6, 2012 Comparison and Analysis Theories Paper The heart of nursing has always been caring. Since the start of professional nursing with Florence Nightingale, theorists have been writing about caring. This paper highlights three caring theories Madeleine Leininger, Jean Watson, and the combine theory of Patricia Benner and Judith Wrubel these theorists each has developed a theory of caring. This paper will examine each by comparing and contrasting on how each looks at caring. Leininger Madeline Leininger developed her first theories in the mid-1950s. Her main theory is transcultural nursing and caring theory. This theory was formed by an inadequate knowledge of cultural factors that represented a missing link to providing quality nursing care. Leininger believed that caring is universally present in all cultures (Nelson, 2006). Leininger’s definition of caring for nursing is “the central and unifying domain for the body of knowledge and practices in nursing’ It is critical to human growth, development and survival and has helped human beings through cultural evolution” (Cohen, 1991). Leininger’s transcultural theory of nursing her assumption human caring is a universal expression. However, patterns vary among different cultures. Caring has multiple dimensions of biophysical, psychological, cultural...
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...Thinking, Reading and Writing Critically In order to get the highest possible grades in a subject assessed in writing you need to be able to demonstrate an ability to think critically about the sources of information (text-books, academic papers, academic websites and the like) that you use in the construction your answer. You must, in other words, do more than simply take information from other sources and use it construct an answer. It is not enough to select some apposite quotations and demonstrate in that way that you have read around a subject widely and found some pertinent sources of supporting information. To get the highest grades you must be able to replicate a professional academic’s ability to critically assess the academic work of other, published authors. Many professional academics are capable of doing this because over the course of a career they have read an enormous number of text-books and papers in a subject area and, as a result, possess and have mastered a large body of knowledge that they can use to critically assess any new work they encounter. Indeed, for such academics the process of reading critically may have become almost entirely subconscious. As they read a new paper in their subject area they cannot stop their brains from critically comparing the new information with the knowledge they already possess. Clearly, as students, you do not yet possess such an extensive body of knowledge, nor can you hope to acquire one quickly enough to apply...
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...Abstract In this paper I will discuss a comparison of positive psychology and master resiliency training (MRT). They compare in that one’s life, to be successful whether in the civilian world or military it is essential that the mindset maintains a positive outlook, additionally they are different in content rather than context. Positive Psychology and Resilience Factor In a tactical shift from contemporary definition of psychology, positive psychology refers to the study of happiness. For a long time, psychology sought to define dysfunction among people with more focus on individuals who suffered mental illness and/ or psychological related problems. Psychologists always have the intention to help their patients, positive psychology regards it as one sided because it does not consider the positives of a psychologically tormented patient (Shatte & Reivich 2002). Therefore, this new field of psychology looks at how people can attain more happiness and life fulfillment. In this field, psychology researchers look at issues such as pleasure, strengths, and talents among others. The ability to carry on even when things are not going your way best defines resilience. When this happens, an individual is able to adapt to changes in situations. Resilience is a much needed ingredient to happiness and a happy life (2002). In this paper, analyses of positive psychology are discussed; furthermore, it will compare advocating a positive outcome, the development of self-esteem, and...
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