COMPARATIVE ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS

Selection of Topic

Choose 1 of the following topics for your Comparative Essay:

1. Original creation of the earth (nebular hypothesis vs. six-day creation),
2. Geologic time (billions of years vs. thousands of years),
3. Dating the rocks of the grand canyon (old earth vs. young earth),
4. Geologic paradigms (uniformitarianism vs. catastrophism), or
5. Radiocarbon dating (old-earth vs. young-earth methods/assumptions).

Content and Outline

Use the following outline when writing your paper. Each point on the below outline must be a separate section (with the section heading, as indicated) within your paper.

I. Introduction
• Indicate which topic you chose from the list above.
• Indicate the purpose of your paper (i.e., to compare old-earth and young-earth viewpoints on your chosen topic).

II. Old-Earth Secular View
• What is the old-earth secular viewpoint on your chosen topic?
o Do not discuss the old-earth creationist viewpoint on your chosen topic. For a description of old-earth creationism, go to http://www.icr.org/article/4535/.

III. Young-Earth View
• What is the young-earth viewpoint on your chosen topic?

IV. Comparison of the Viewpoints
• Comparison is articulating similarities between the 2 viewpoints.
• Be sure to provide at least 2 similarities (comparisons) between the viewpoints.

V. Contrast of the Viewpoints
• Contrast is articulating differences between the 2 viewpoints.
• Be sure to provide at least 2 differences (contrasts) between the viewpoints.

VI. Conclusion
• Provide a summary statement for your paper.
• Be sure to restate your purpose.
• Do not introduce new material in your conclusion.