I'm writing a compare & contrast essay on prejudices (other than racism). Just need ideas to start it and how to format given I have never written...

A good compare and contrast essay examines two, or more,
somewhat similar ideas or objects. The ideas or objects need to be similar enough for
the writer to make concrete similarities understandable for the reader. For example, one
cannot compare and contrast an apple and their favorite singer. While the essayist may
like both, they are not similar enough to construct a solid paper around
them.

That being said, good compare and contrast ideas
are:

1. Prejudices of the lower class and upper
class.

2. Prejudices of gender
stereotypes.

3. Prejudices of men and women in the
workplace.

4. Prejudices of differing cultures (does not
have to be racial- you can examine Southern cultures with Northern
cultures).

As for the formatting, I am assuming that you
will be using MLA or Chicago Manual of Style. The best site that I have ever found, I
always point my own students in this direction, is the Writing Lab at Purdue University.
You can find the link below.

Compare and contrast essays
can be written in either Block Format or Point-By Point
format.

The Block format looks at one "object" first in
completion and then the other. Here is an outline of Block
Format:

I. Introduction

II.
The East Coast

A. The
Climate

B. The Activities

C.
The Culture

III. The West
Coast

A. The Climate

B. The
Activities

C. The Culture

IV.
Conclusion

The Point-By-Point alternates each. Here is an
example of this format:

I.
Introduction

II. West and East Coast
Climate

III. West and East Coast
Activities

IV. West and East Coast
Culture

V. Conclusion