Selecting a Topic to Write About

|What two objects, people, subjects, or concepts are you going |Colorectal Cancer and Mesothelioma | |to compare and contrast? | | |What are the similarities between the two objects, people, |Cancer, lower abdominal pain, bowel function changes, fatigue, loss| |subjects, or concepts? List as many similarities that you can |of appetite, weight loss, anemia, can be tested with CT scan, | |think of. |treated with Chemotherapy, Radiation, and sometimes surgery | |What are the differences between the two objects, people, |Mesothelioma – chest wall pain, fluid around lungs, coughing up | |subjects, or concepts? List as many differences that you can |blood, blood clots, low blood sugar, ascites, and jaundice.

Colorectal Cancer- pelvic pain, persistent constipation or | | |diarrhea, rectal cramping or bleeding | |Are you going to focus on similarities, differences, or both? |Similarities. It is always easy to find differences in things but | |Explain your rationale.. |finding similarities and being able to identify the cancer type | | |regardless of the similarities will shed light on the subject. | |What do you want your readers to learn and understand after |There is a lot of common ground with these two types of cancer and | |reading your essay? What is the purpose of your essay? |being able to distinguish between the two will give better | | |understanding of each. The purpose of the essay is to give more | | |knowledge on the subjects at hand and still be able to identify | | |each with ease. | |What three parallel points of comparison or contrast will you |Each cancer’s affect on the bowels. Address in your essay? | | | |Each cancer’s treatment and control methods. | |For example, if you were going to compare and contrast two | | |teachers, your three parallel points might be these: |Each cancer’s survival rate. | | | | |

Each teacher’s homework policy | | |Each teacher’s classroom conduct policy | | |Each teacher’s demeanor | | |Explain why this is an appropriate and workable topic |This is an appropriate and workable topic selection because it | |selection for the final assignment. |offers knowledge on subjects often times overlooked or ignored and | | |gives students a chance to better understand the common ground of | | |the two while gaining insight on how to write about such a subject.|