in defense of traditional pedagogy (?)

I’m aware that many forward-thinking educators, particularly those of the WAC-oriented ilk, take a critical, if not perhaps disdainful, view of the standard compare-contrast essay. I’m actually not sure what the specific criticisms are, and am hoping this post will spark more discussion about this genre’s merits and problems.

I strongly feel that the compare-contrast essay is, or can be, an excellent way for students to practice, hone, and demonstrate analytic skills. This essay requires them to show mastery and comprehension of material, a grasp of the larger, more abstract concepts, an understanding of the relationship between these concepts, and a recognition of the significance of these similarities and differences.

photo credit: TheBusyBrain

That said, I am often very disappointed in the work that students submit in response to this type of assignment. The majority lack a clear thesis statement, suffer from weak overall organization, show a difficulty identifying the authors’ thesis, struggle with concise yet relevant summaries, and most significantly, seem to break down when it comes to articulating the relationship between concepts. I work hard to help my students make connections between readings, to see multiple perspectives, to understand that every thesis has a counter-thesis, and I’m not sure to what extent I see these efforts pay off in their written work.

Having said that, I ask, am I barking up the wrong tree, clinging to this type of assignment? Is there a better way to help students develop stronger reading, writing, and thinking skills? Perhaps there are ways of framing the traditional assignment that better facilitate the type of end product I am expecting?

(I did use an involved in-class writing assignment today, that was then used for small group work, and which lead to an involved class discussion about relationships between four readings. I think this was successful; however, I’m not sure how that work will be reflected in their formal written assignments.)
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