Back to the Future - Let's Compare - Discussion Board Instructions - Janis Joplin and Taylor Swift

Estimados Estudiantes,

Today I ask you to prepare for your next portion of your Back to the Future Sixties Research Essay - I'm calling it the "Compare and Contrast" Support Paragraph.

* Compare and Contrast is a great way to show off your critical thinking skills.

* You can COMPARE. Or, you can CONTRAST. By identifying subtle similarities or differences in your subjects, you readers will develop a better familiarity and/or understanding for your writing.

For example, I recently compared Janis Joplin and Taylor Swift. Janis was a famous rock star. Taylor is a famous pop star. But did you know? - They both ran away from home in their teen-age years. They were both BULLIED in high school!

* This type of comparison sheds light on their journeys to the top of their professions.

Here is what I suggest you do:

1. Select a person, idea, event that compares with your Sixties topic.

* You can compare your sixties subject with something from today.

* You can compare your sixties subject with something from the past.

Let me give you a few examples of comparing the past and the present:

* Compare the sixties Women's Liberation Movement with todays Me Too Movement. (It will work great! This is what people are talking about, like RIGHT NOW!)

* Compare Marilyn Monroe with Lindsay Lohan (Lindsay is a famous beautiful Hollywood starlet who threw her life away on drugs.)

* Compare Vietnam with The War in Syria ( Compare the anti-war movments? Do you see people in the streets today? Why is it so different?)

Here are some examples of comparisons/contrasts that stay to the same time period:

* Compare/contrast Arthur Ashe and Jimmy Connors (OK, they played in the seventies, but its close. One was black. One was white. They didn't like each other, on or off the court!)

*Compare The Beatles with The Rolling Stones (Everyone else does!)

* Compare Lee Harvey Oswald with Jack Ruby. (Lee Harvey Oswald is accused of killing Kennedy. We all saw Jack Ruby kill Lee Harvey Oswald - it was on live television!)

2. This is what you do next: Search for a Research Article that describes your compare/contrast subject.

* For example: If you are writing about the death of Marilyn Monroe, look up the drug abuse of Lindsay Lohan.

* Go to Proquest

* Go to Advanced Search

* Type in Two Subjects - One in Each Box - Like this:

* Don't Forget to check the "full text" box.

* Narrow your focus to websites, blogs, newspapers and magazines. Like this:

3. You Know What to Do Next: Print Your New Article

* Arrange it - put it in your binder in the Research Section

* Annotate it - make 4-5 notes. Main Idea. Two Points. A Vivid example....

* Quote it - draw a square around an interesting quote - you may need it for later! What does it mean? Write your explanation in the margin.

4. This is your assignment for Tuesday:

* Freewrite It - 300 words

* Go to Canvas Discussions - Sixties Compare and Contrast Freewrite

* Write about the article - 100 words.

* Write about the picture - 100 words.

* Write about the quote - 50 words.

* Write about the connection you see - 50 words - What's all this mean to YOU? What do you know about it?

5. Jay's Reminder for the Discussion Board:

* Insert an image at the top of your submission.

* Reply to two of your classmates

* Please provide your classmates with meaningful feedback. Jay’s Tip: Choose something specific from their writing that you can respond to – this shows you’ve read their submission and you care.

This is going to be great. You will see.

Paz,