Assignment 2 Project Paper: Comparative Essay Due Wee 699789

Assignment 2 Project Papercomparative Essaydue Week 8 And Worth 200

This “Assignment 2†writing assignment is a comparative essay focused on topics encountered in our HUM 111 class. The project will be based on research but will reflect your views and interpretation of the topic. This project is designed to help you stretch your mind and your abilities as an organized, innovative, and critical thinker. If approached properly, it should also be fun! Choose one (1) of the topics from the list of topic choices below.

Read the topic carefully. Write a three to four (3-4) page paper (750-1,000 words) that follows instructions and covers each part of the topic. (The title page and References list do not get included in this word count). Note: Your instructor may require you to submit your topic choice for approval before the end of Week 5. For the topic you choose: Establish a clear thesis about your topic as part of the introductory paragraph (often the thesis is the last thing one determines after doing the basic research and outline; however it will be placed in the first paragraph of your paper). This is a comparative essay.

Comparison approached properly will require some critical thinking on your part. Use a point-by-point approach for the essay. That means, if comparing subject A with subject B, don't do the first half of the essay on subject A and then the second half on subject B--that will seem like two (2) separate essays and comparisons will tend to get lost. Instead, you should be mentioning both subjects in most of your paragraphs as you compare them throughout the essay. Comparisons will identify similarities as well as contrasts.

Do not try to do everything on your two (2) subjects. You should end up narrowing your focus to a few insights and issues about the subjects being compared. And, from those fairly specific points of comparison, you will develop a thesis and glean some lessons. Follow closely the instructions below for your specific topic. Include a concluding paragraph at the end.

This paragraph will, in some way, refer back to the thesis established in your first paragraph, since now you have demonstrated and supported it. It may be here that you also include your observations relating your study to the modern workplace or society (see your topic). Try to finish with flair! Use at least three (3) good quality academic sources, with one (1) source being the class text. Note: Wikipedia and other similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

You are highly encouraged to use the Resource Center tab at the top of your Blackboard page. Topic Choices – Choose just one (1) of the topics below:

Choose one of the following topics for your comparative essay:

• Qualities of the Hero: Comparing Gilgamesh and Odysseus. Write an essay comparing these two (2) heroic figures from ancient epics of different cultures, especially focusing your analysis on their encounters with monsters: Gilgamesh with Humbaba and Odysseus with Polyphemus. Analyze their heroic qualities, noting similarities and differences, using specific examples from the epics. Summarize what this indicates about the differences between ancient Mesopotamian and Greek cultural ideals. From this comparison, suggest how modern cultural ideals shape contemporary notions of heroes and role models.
• Confucius and Aristotle on Virtue. Write an essay comparing these two (2) ancient thinkers on virtue or good ethical character, focusing on their teachings in the Analects and Nicomachean Ethics. Compare their ideas on what constitutes virtue, noting similarities and differences, and consider what this reveals about Chinese and Greek cultural differences. From this, propose how their ideas can inform modern ethics, such as in diverse workplaces.
• Comparing Sculptures of Ancient India and Greece. Write an essay comparing depictions of gods and humans in sculpture from these cultures, identifying cultural values reflected by these artworks. Use specific examples, compare representations, and discuss societal ideals. Then, suggest how contemporary art reflects or challenges current cultural values.
• Comparing Ancient Skeptics. Write an essay contrasting Lucretius and Wang Chong, focusing on their skepticism of religion and superstitions, based on their writings. Compare their approaches, note similarities and differences in beliefs, and discuss how modern materialist skeptics confront spiritual beliefs in the context of cultural respect and free expression.
• Comparing Ancient Male Rulers. Choose two rulers from different cultures—such as Ramses II, Shihuangdi, Constantine, Ashoka, Pericles, or Charlemagne—and compare their methods and ideals of rulership, specific actions, and cultural implications. Draw lessons about leadership in modern contexts.
• Comparing Ancient Female Rulers. Compare Wu Zetian and either Cleopatra or Hatshepsut in terms of rise to power, methods of rule, achievements, and cultural implications. Discuss how their leadership reflects their societies and suggest insights into effective female leadership today.
• Other approved topics using a comparative approach. Ensure your paper addresses the outlined criteria, including a clear thesis, relevant examples, and reflections on modern implications.

The project will be graded on adherence to instructions, clarity of thesis, quality of research and analysis, proper use of at least three academic sources (including the class text), and proper APA citations and references. The paper must be formatted in Times New Roman, size 12, double-spaced, with one-inch margins. Include a cover page (not counted in page length), but no abstract required. Proper grammar and mechanics are essential.