(reflect my expectations and evaluation criteria)

 

Your essay should be focused on the text(s) you select. The following will apply both to comparative and non-comparative papers. A strong essay will display:

 

 

strong (comparative) thesis statement about the chosen reading(s) [the main point of the essay should be clear to the reader from the introductory paragraph]

development of the thesis statement with several supporting points

close reading of the chosen text(s) to develop your (comparative) points

strong supporting evidence of each point from your reading of the text(s)

care with the logic of transitions

recognition and if possible explanation of any potential contradictions or exceptions to the point you are making which can be found in the text

conclusion which summarizes your thesis and evaluates the strength of the case made by (each) author for that perspective

good organization, clarity, originality

care with technical aspects of writing such as sentence fragments, paragraphing, word choice, punctuation, spelling, etc.

Also: if you quote or paraphrase ideas from the texts, be sure to cite the source and page numbers.