Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples
- Making effective comparisons. As the name suggests, comparing and contrasting is about identifying both similarities and differences.
- Comparing and contrasting as a brainstorming tool. Comparing and contrasting can be a useful tool to help organize your thoughts before you begin writing any type of academic text.
- Structuring your comparisons. ...
What are some good things to compare and contrast?
What are some good things to compare and contrast?
- Night time vs daytime.
- Sleeping vs being active.
- Running & walking.
- Summer & winter.
- Comic books and TV shows.
- Buffy, the Vampire Slayer vs Charmed.
- Pokemon & Sailor Moon.
- Pizza or sushi.
How to actually teach compare and contrast?
The compare/contrast essay is easy and rewarding to teach for several reasons:
- It's easy to convince students there is a reason for learning it.
- You can teach it effectively in a few steps.
- You can see students' critical thinking skills improve as they learn to write the essay.
- Once mastered, students feel proud of their ability to systematically compare and contrast two subjects.
Does compare and contrast mean the same thing?
Compare means to see the similarity and contrast means to see the difference. According to various dictionaries, compare means ‘to represent things or objects in respect of similarity’ and contrast means ‘to represent things in respect of differences.’.
What should I compare and contrast?
- The length of sentences and paragraphs
- The progression of ideas and arguments
- The point of view expressed (Informative? Emotional?)
- The use of stylistic elements, such as irony, humor, emotional appeals etc
- The setting, characters, and plot in fiction
- The use of facts and statistics in nonfiction.
What is the purpose for compare and contrast?
A compare-and-contrast essay analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both. The purpose of writing a comparison or contrast essay is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities between two subjects.
What is the main purpose of comparing?
To compare is to bring two or more things together (physically or in contemplation) and to examine them systematically, identifying similarities and differences among them. Comparison has a different meaning within each framework of study.
How can comparing and contrasting help you better understand the text or concept?
Comparing and Contrasting will not only help students with reading but also in everyday life! It helps them: Organize and remember information. Highlight subtle differences between objects or concepts and, in turn, help them make better decisions in life.
Why is it important to know the similarities and differences between two or more things?
Examining similarities and differences assists students in identifying characteristics and understanding relationships between objects, people, places, or ideas. In the classroom, this strategy is recognizable in four forms: comparing, classifying, creating metaphors, and creating analogies.
What Is Comparing and Contrasting?
At their most basic, both comparing and contrasting base their evaluation on two or more subjects that share a connection.
What Is the Purpose of Comparing and Contrasting?
In writing, the purpose of comparing and contrasting is to highlight subtle but important differences or similarities that might not be immediately obvious.
Can You Compare and Contrast Any Two Items?
Comparing and contrasting is only a useful technique when applied to two related concepts.
How Do You Compare and Contrast in Writing?
To write a good compare and contrast essay, it’s best to pick two or more topics that share a meaningful connection.
What Are Some Comparing and Contrasting Techniques?
So, how do you form all of this into a coherent essay? It's a good idea to plan first, then decide what your paragraph layout will look like.
How Do You Compare and Contrast in College Level Writing?
An academic compare and contrast essay looks at two or more subjects, ideas, people, or objects, compares their likeness, and contrasts their differences.
The Four Essentials of Compare and Contrast Essays
Have a basis for comparison. The two things need to have enough in common to justify a discussion about their similarities and disparities.
What is comparing and contrasting?
Comparing and contrasting is a primary tool for many workplace assessments. You have likely compared and contrasted yourself to other colleagues. Employee advancements, pay raises, hiring, and firing are typically conducted using comparison and contrast.
What is a compare and contrast essay?
A compare-and-contrast essay, then, analyzes two subjects by comparing them, contrasting them, or both. The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences ...
What is the structure of a comparison and contrast essay?
The Structure of a Comparison and Contrast Essay. The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both and the reason for doing so. The thesis could lean more toward comparing, contrasting, or both.
What is the purpose of a comparison essay?
The purpose of writing a comparison or contrast essay is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities between two subjects. The thesis should clearly state the subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both, and it should state what is to be learned from doing so.
What are some examples of compare and contrast?
For example, Red Delicious apples are sweet, while Granny Smiths are tart and acidic. Drawing distinctions between elements in a similar category will increase the audience’s understanding of that category, which is the purpose of the compare-and-contrast essay. Similarly, to focus on comparison, choose two subjects that seem at first ...
What is the organizational structure of a compare and contrast essay?
Given that compare-and-contrast essays analyze the relationship between two subjects, it is helpful to have some phrases on hand that will cue the reader to such analysis.
How to write an essay that leans toward contrast?
Brainstorm an essay that leans toward contrast. Choose one of the following three categories. Pick two examples from each. Then come up with one similarity and three differences between the examples.
Why do we use comparison and contrast?
Using comparison/contrast for all kinds of writing projects. Sometimes you may want to use comparison/contrast techniques in your own pre-writing work to get ideas that you can later use for an argument, even if comparison/contrast isn’t an official requirement for the paper you’re writing. For example, if you wanted to argue that Frye’s account ...
What is a comparison essay?
One of the most common is the comparison/contrast essay, in which you focus on the ways in which certain things or ideas—usually two of them—are similar to (this is the comparison) and/or different from (this is the contrast) one another. By assigning such essays, your instructors are encouraging you to make connections between texts or ideas, ...
Why is a thesis important in a comparison?
The thesis of your comparison/contrast paper is very important: it can help you create a focused argument and give your reader a road map so she/he doesn’t get lost in the sea of points you are about to make. As in any paper, you will want to replace vague reports of your general topic (for example, “This paper will compare and contrast two pizza places,” or “Pepper’s and Amante are similar in some ways and different in others,” or “Pepper’s and Amante are similar in many ways, but they have one major difference”) with something more detailed and specific. For example, you might say, “Pepper’s and Amante have similar prices and ingredients, but their atmospheres and willingness to deliver set them apart.”
How to do a central area where two things overlap?
In the central area where they overlap, list the traits the two items have in common . Assign each one of the areas that doesn’t overlap; in those areas, you can list the traits that make the things different. Here’s a very simple example, using two pizza places: To make a chart, figure out what criteria you want to focus on in comparing the items. ...
Do you have to include comparison in an essay?
But it’s not always so easy to tell whether an assignment is asking you to include comparison/contrast. And in some cases, comparison/contrast is only part of the essay—you begin by comparing and/or contrasting two or more things ...
Is comparing and contrast only part of an essay?
And in some cases, comparison/contrast is only part of the essay—you begin by comparing and/or contrasting two or more things and then use what you’ve learned to construct an argument or evaluation. Consider these examples, noticing the language that is used to ask for the comparison/contrast and whether the comparison/contrast is only one part ...
Do you need illustrations in a final paper?
However, if you were writing a paper for a class on typesetting or on how illustrations are used to enhance novels, the typeface and presence or absence of illustrations might be absolutely critical to include in your final paper.
What is comparing and contrasting?
Comparing and contrasting is a primary tool for many workplace assessments. You have likely compared and contrasted yourself to other colleagues. Employee advancements, pay raises, hiring, and firing are typically conducted using comparison and contrast.
What is a compare and contrast essay?
A compare-and-contrast essay, then, analyzes two subjects by comparing them, contrasting them, or both. The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences ...
How to write an essay that leans toward contrast?
Brainstorm an essay that leans toward contrast. Choose one of the following three categories. Pick two examples from each. Then come up with one similarity and three differences between the examples.
How to write a comparison essay?
First choose whether you want to compare seemingly disparate subjects, contrast seemingly similar subjects, or compare and contrast subjects. Once you have decided on a topic , introduce it with an engaging opening paragraph. Your thesis should come at the end of the introduction, and it should establish the subjects you will compare, contrast, or both as well as state what can be learned from doing so.
What are some examples of compare and contrast?
For example, Red Delicious apples are sweet, while Granny Smiths are tart and acidic. Drawing distinctions between elements in a similar category will increase the audience’s understanding of that category, which is the purpose of the compare-and-contrast essay. Similarly, to focus on comparison, choose two subjects that seem at first ...
What is the organizational structure of a compare and contrast essay?
Given that compare-and-contrast essays analyze the relationship between two subjects, it is helpful to have some phrases on hand that will cue the reader to such analysis.
Why should I not choose two apples or two oranges in a comparison essay?
For a comparison essay, you likely would not choose two apples or two oranges because they share so many of the same properties already. Rather, you might try to compare how apples and oranges are quite similar. The more divergent the two subjects initially seem, the more interesting a comparison essay will be.
What is the purpose of Comparing and Contrasting?
Published on August 6, 2020 by Jack Caulfield. Revised on October 15, 2020. Comparing and contrasting is an important skill in academic writing. It involves taking two or more subjects and analyzing the differences and similarities between them. You might find yourself comparing all kinds of things in an academic essay: historical figures, ...
Why is it important to compare and contrast?
Comparing and contrasting can be a useful tool to help organize your thoughts before you begin writing any type of academic text. You might use it to compare different theories and approaches you’ve encountered in your preliminary research, for example.
How to structure a comparison and contrast essay?
When comparing and contrasting in an essay, there are two main ways to structure your comparisons: the alternating method and the block method.
What are the advantages of distance learning?
The most commonly cited advantage of distance learning is the flexibility and accessibility it offers. Rather than being required to travel to a specific location every week (and to live near enough to feasibly do so), students can participate from anywhere with an internet connection. This allows not only for a wider geographical spread of students but for the possibility of studying while travelling. However, distance learning presents its own accessibility challenges; not all students have a stable internet connection and a computer or other device with which to participate in online classes, and less technologically literate students and teachers may struggle with the technical aspects of class participation. Furthermore, discomfort and distractions can hinder an individual student’s ability to engage with the class from home, creating divergent learning experiences for different students. Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.
Why is it important to compare and contrast?
If kids don’t learn to compare and contrast in a meaningful way, it will hinder their reading comprehension. Comparing and Contrasting will not only help students with reading but also in everyday life! It helps them: Organize and remember information.
Why do we need to teach comparing and contrasting?
It helps them: Organize and remember information. Highlight subtle differences between objects or concepts and, in turn, help them make better decisions in life. This is why we need to teach comparing and contrasting in an explicit way, giving opportunities for lots of practice, breaking it down into easy steps and gradually becoming more complex.
Can kids compare and contrast?
Most kids can easily compare and contrast the obvious (i.e. the color of a coat), but kids have a harder time noticing more subtle differences, and an even harder time verbalizing similarities and differences.
The Purpose of Comparison and Contrast in Writing
The Structure of A Comparison and Contrast Essay
- The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both and the reason for doing so. The thesis could lean more toward comparing, contrasting, or both. Remember, the point of comparing and contrasting is to provide useful knowledge to the reader. Take the following thesis as an example that leans mor…
Writing A Comparison and Contrast Essay
- First choose whether you want to compare seemingly disparate subjects, contrast seemingly similar subjects, or compare and contrast subjects. Once you have decided on a topic, introduce it with an engaging opening paragraph. Your thesis should come at the end of the introduction, and it should establish the subjects you will compare, contrast, or both as well as state what can be l…