Compare/Contrast Essay

1
Compare/Contrast Essay

• Main Objectives
• Discuss the ways that 2 topics are similar.
  (compare them)
• Discuss the ways that two topics are different.
  (contrast them)
• Identify your preference between options.
• Support your point of view using comparisons and
  contrasts.

2
Recognizing Prompts for Compare/Contrast Essays

• May include the words compare and contrast
• Words like advantages and disadvantages
  preference(s)
• Comparative and superlative adjectives, e.g.
  better, less, more, etc.
• Examples
• Would you prefer to work for a higher salary and
  spend less time with family, or earn less money
  and spend more time with family?
• Compare and contrast the benefits of learning
  from school versus learning from experience.
  Which do you think is better?
• Some people prefer to live in a large city, while
  other people prefer small towns. Explain your
  own preference by describing the advantages and
  disadvantages of each.
• Both fiction and non-fiction are important forms
  of literature. Which do you prefer to read and
  Why?

3
Step 1 Brainstorming

• Use the same brainstorming techniques
• Listing
• Clustering
• Freewriting
• In addition, set up a comparison chart and list
  the features of both of the items in the prompt,
  and the similarities and differences between
  them.
• Be sure to cover all the points the prompt
  requires you to discuss.

4
Sample Comparison Chart
Item 1 Item 2
Similarities
Point A
Point B
Point C
Differences
Point D
Point E
Point F
5
Write your Thesis Statement

• If prompt requires you to choose your preference,
  you should express that choice in your ThSt.
• Sample prompt Compare the advantages and
  disadvantages of using a car for transportation
  versus using a bicycle. Which do you think is
  better? Why?
• Sample ThSt In many cases, the bicycle offers a
  healthy, low-cost and environmentally-friendly
  alternative to the car.

6
Writing your Thesis Statement

• However, if the prompt simply asks you to compare
  and contrast two things without stating a
  preference, your ThSt will simply be a map that
  shows three areas of differences.
• Sample prompt Compare and contrast the
  business culture of your own country with that of
  another country.
• Sample ThSt. Even social actions that might at
  first seem simple, such as greeting a new person,
  attending a meeting, or socializing after work
  can be very different.

7
Writing the Thesis Statement

• Either way, the ThSt must be clear statement of
  your point of view.
• The ThSt should include or be followed by a Map
  of your essay.

8
Step 2 Outlining

• There are two patterns of organizations that can
  be used to write a compare/contrast essay
• Block Format each of the two items being
  compared/contrasted gets its own half of the
  essay.
• Point-by-point format each point of comparison
  gets its own paragraph of the essay.

9
Two Formats for Compare/Contrast Essays
Block Format Paragraph 1 Apples a. Color b. Flavor c. Varieties Paragraph 2 Oranges a. Color b. Flavor c. Varieties Point-by-Point Format Paragraph 1 Color of Apples and oranges Paragraph 2 Flavor of apples and oranges Paragraph 3 Varieties of apples and oranges
10
Block Format Outline

• I. Introduction
• II. Topic 1 Apples
• A. Point 1 Color
• B. Point 2 Flavor
• C. Point 3 Varieties
• III. Topic 2 Oranges
• A. Point 1 Color
• B. Point 2 Flavor
• C. Point 3 Varieties
• IV. Conclusion

11
Point-by-Point Format Outline

• I. Introduction
• II. Point 1 Color
• A. Topic 1 Apples
• B. Topic 2 Oranges
• III. Point 2 Flavor
• A. Topic 1 Apples
• B. Topic 2 Oranges
• IV. Point 3 Varieties
• A. Topic 1 Apples
• B. Topic 2 Oranges
• V. Conclusion