How to compare and contrast essay

How to compare and contrast essay

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay Step by Step. Step 1: Select Your Subjects. The first step is to choose two topics worth a spotlight of similarities and differences. Remember, they can be Step 2: Explore Similarities and Differences. Step 3: Hone Your Argument List. Step 4: Gather A compare and contrast essay examines two or more topics (objects, people, or ideas, for example), comparing their similarities and contrasting their differences. You may choose to focus exclusively on comparing, exclusively on contrasting, or on both-or your instructor may direct you to do one or both A compare and contrast essay does two things: It discusses the similarities and differences of at least two different things. First, you must find a basis of comparison to be sure that the two things have enough in common. After that, you identify their differences. You may structure the compare and contrast essay using either the alternating method (stating one aspect of one thing and immediately

Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples

A compare-and-contrast essay is a style of essay that points out the similarities and differences between two or more subjects. By seeing the differences and similarities, the reader better understands each of the subjects by using the other subject as a frame of reference. Give your essays extra polish Grammarly helps you write with confidence Write with Grammarly. In this guide, we explain how to write a compare-and-contrast essay, including some advanced tips and examples. If two topics relate to each other or define each other, you can better explain them both by showcasing their similarities and differences.

Unlike argumentative essays or persuasive essayscompare-and-contrast essays deal with multiple topics instead of focusing on one. When writing a compare-and-contrast essay, it helps to figure out two things: what your thesis is the subject matter and how you plan to structure it. For inspiration, here are some compare-and-contrast essay example topics:. It helps to first list all the similarities and differences between your subjects.

When you see them all written down, you can start formulating connections and decide what structure to use for your compare-and-contrast essay. This is a visual aid that helps you understand which characteristics your subjects share, how to compare and contrast essay, and which ones are exclusive. Looking at your lists, you can then decide on the thesis. To do so, ask yourself a few questions: What are you trying to show in your compare-and-contrast essay?

What do you want your reader to take away? For example, do you want to emphasize that Elon Musk is a modern-day Thomas Edison, or that they are tey two very distinct individuals? Compare-and-contrast essays follow our own recommended essay structure. While the linked guide goes into more detail, how to compare and contrast essay a nutshell, your compare-and-contrast essay should follow a simple format of beginning, middle, and end:.

The introduction, usually one or two paragraphs, should include a thesis statement to show the reader what to expect for the rest of your essay. You can write your introduction following the same guidelines as other essay types, though be sure to mention all your subjects.

Likewise, you can write an essay conclusion with the standard rules and best practices. Do you write about both subjects at the same time, or switch back and forth? The hardest part of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay is knowing when to talk about which subject. Essentially, you have three options:. No matter which how to compare and contrast essay you choose, you have to pay particular attention to topic sentences.

The block method is usually divided into paragraphs: a paragraph about one subject and then a new how to compare and contrast essay about another subject. Take the compare-and-contrast essay example When Nothing Lies Beyond the Mask: Comparing Moby Dick and The Raven. In the first paragraph after the introduction, the author talks only about Ahab from Moby Dickbut in the next paragraph talks only about the narrator from The Raven, how to compare and contrast essay.

Each subject gets its own paragraph. Using the block method, you can go back and forth like this for pages, covering as many topics as you need. This approach is best for giving each subject its own attention but tends to slightly weaken the connection between the two.

As another option, you can break paragraphs up by a specific topic and issue, and in each paragraph discuss both or all subjects.

Here, both subjects are discussed in the same paragraph, one right after another. This approach works best when you want to emphasize the connection between your subjects, or lack thereof. In our example above, the author wishes to highlight just how different the aliens of Arthur Clarke are from those of other authors, particularly H. To emphasize this, how to compare and contrast essay, the essay author juxtaposes the two points right next to each other in the same paragraph.

The third option is quite similar to the alternating approach, with each subject being discussed side by side in the same paragraph. The first paragraph after the introduction discusses what the governments in the two books have in common, but the next paragraph explains how they differ. This method works best if you want to focus on a particular similarity or difference between your subjects, or if you want to build up to a powerful conclusion or reveal at the end.

Want to know how to write a compare-and-contrast essay step how to compare and contrast essay step? The writing process is the same as all essay writing, although adapted specifically for drawing comparisons:. With the first draft finished, you can more easily identify any areas that need to be fixed, revised, or rewritten from scratch.

With a writing assistant like Grammarly, this how to compare and contrast essay is a breeze. If you want to learn more about this process, read our comprehensive guide on essay writingwhich better explains the details. Beyond knowing the full process for crafting a compare-and-contrast essay, it helps to learn a few tips to ensure it shines.

In other words, choose topics that have plenty in common, otherwise, your essay will be all contrasting and no comparing. Typically, subjects in compare-and-contrast essays share a strong connection, such as two people in the same profession or two products in the same category. Solve these problems before they start by smartly choosing your subjects at the beginning. Essays with only one subject can be confusing enough—imagine how complicated it gets with two or more subjects.

One of the biggest obstacles with compare-and-contrast essays is communicating clearly so your reader knows which points relate to which subject, and what conclusion the entire essay is building toward, how to compare and contrast essay. Luckily, Grammarly offers suggestions to rewrite entire sentences in order to improve the clarity of your writing, how to compare and contrast essay.

Just one click and your writing gets the professional editor treatment. Try Grammarly now and see how your writing improves.

Real-time suggestions, wherever you write, how to compare and contrast essay. How to Write a Compare-and-Contrast Essay Matt Ellis. Give your essays extra polish. Students The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Thesis Statement Students How to Write a Stellar Literature Review Students Use These Sentence Starter Tips to Strengthen Your Writing Students How Grammarly Helps You Learn to Write for Post-Grad Life Students The 7 Types of Essays Every Student Needs to Know Students How to Write College Essays That Get You into Every School on Your List.

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Point by Point Method - Comparison Contrast Essay - English Writing Skills

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Compare & Contrast Essay - Excelsior College OWL

A compare and contrast essay examines two or more topics (objects, people, or ideas, for example), comparing their similarities and contrasting their differences. You may choose to focus exclusively on comparing, exclusively on contrasting, or on both-or your instructor may direct you to do one or both Begin by saying everything you have to say about the first subject you are discussing, then move on and make all the points you want to make about the second subject (and after that, the third, and so on, if you’re comparing/contrasting more than two things) A compare and contrast essay does two things: It discusses the similarities and differences of at least two different things. First, you must find a basis of comparison to be sure that the two things have enough in common. After that, you identify their differences. You may structure the compare and contrast essay using either the alternating method (stating one aspect of one thing and immediately