How to make a compare and contrast essay

How to make a compare and contrast essay

How to Start a Compare and Contrast Essay,When should I compare and contrast?

WebWhether your paper focuses primarily on difference or similarity, you need to make the relationship between A and B clear in your thesis. This relationship is at the heart of any WebOct 12,  · Step 1: Organization. Before you start writing the paper, you need to have a plan. Students usually find it impossible to complete a 5-paragraph essay in a day. The WebFeb 2,  · Make sure to restate the main points of comparison between two topics and summarize the main argument of the essay. Additionally, make sure to use an ... read more

Faced with a daunting list of seemingly unrelated similarities and differences, you may feel confused about how to construct a paper that isn't just a mechanical exercise in which you first state all the features that A and B have in common, and then state all the ways in which A and B are different. Predictably, the thesis of such a paper is usually an assertion that A and B are very similar yet not so similar after all. To write a good compare-and-contrast paper, you must take your raw data—the similarities and differences you've observed—and make them cohere into a meaningful argument. Here are the five elements required.

Frame of Reference. This is the context within which you place the two things you plan to compare and contrast; it is the umbrella under which you have grouped them. The frame of reference may consist of an idea, theme, question, problem, or theory; a group of similar things from which you extract two for special attention; biographical or historical information. The best frames of reference are constructed from specific sources rather than your own thoughts or observations. Thus, in a paper comparing how two writers redefine social norms of masculinity, you would be better off quoting a sociologist on the topic of masculinity than spinning out potentially banal-sounding theories of your own.

Most assignments tell you exactly what the frame of reference should be, and most courses supply sources for constructing it. If you encounter an assignment that fails to provide a frame of reference, you must come up with one on your own. A paper without such a context would have no angle on the material, no focus or frame for the writer to propose a meaningful argument. Grounds for Comparison. Let's say you're writing a paper on global food distribution, and you've chosen to compare apples and oranges. Why these particular fruits? Why not pears and bananas? The rationale behind your choice, the grounds for comparison , lets your reader know why your choice is deliberate and meaningful, not random.

For instance, in a paper asking how the "discourse of domesticity" has been used in the abortion debate, the grounds for comparison are obvious; the issue has two conflicting sides, pro-choice and pro-life. In a paper comparing the effects of acid rain on two forest sites, your choice of sites is less obvious. A paper focusing on similarly aged forest stands in Maine and the Catskills will be set up differently from one comparing a new forest stand in the White Mountains with an old forest in the same region. You need to indicate the reasoning behind your choice. The pre-writing stages matter more than most students realize. Before you start writing the paper, you need to have a plan. Students usually find it impossible to complete a 5-paragraph essay in a day.

The research process takes time. Take the instructions your professor gave you. What subjects are you going to compare and contrast? What do you know about them? Write down all ideas before you start the research. Go through authoritative resources you can use. You can rely on Google Scholar to find them. How long should this essay be? When it comes to compare and contrast essays, you can choose between the block method and point by point method. This section will introduce the reader into the two subjects and the thesis statement. Asking a question also works.

Wrap up the introduction with a concise thesis statement. Ideally, the thesis statement should be an overview of the essay. Once you have the introduction, it will be easy to proceed. Talking about the different ways nature is depicted or the different aspects of nature that are emphasized might be more interesting and show a more sophisticated understanding of the poems. Be careful, though—although this thesis is fairly specific and does propose a simple argument that atmosphere and delivery make the two pizza places different , your instructor will often be looking for a bit more analysis. Again, thinking about the context the class provides may help you answer such questions and make a stronger argument.

You may find our handout on constructing thesis statements useful at this stage. The danger of this subject-by-subject organization is that your paper will simply be a list of points: a certain number of points in my example, three about one subject, then a certain number of points about another. This is usually not what college instructors are looking for in a paper—generally they want you to compare or contrast two or more things very directly, rather than just listing the traits the things have and leaving it up to the reader to reflect on how those traits are similar or different and why those similarities or differences matter. Thus, if you use the subject-by-subject form, you will probably want to have a very strong, analytical thesis and at least one body paragraph that ties all of your different points together.

Rather than addressing things one subject at a time, you may wish to talk about one point of comparison at a time. There are two main ways this might play out, depending on how much you have to say about each of the things you are comparing. Be aware, too, of the placement of your different points. Our handout on organization can help you write good topic sentences and transitions and make sure that you have a good overall structure in place for your paper.

Published on August 6, by Jack Caulfield. Revised on November 11, 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, literary works , policies, research methods , etc. Doing so is an important part of constructing arguments. Table of contents When should I compare and contrast? Making effective comparisons Comparing and contrasting as a brainstorming tool Structuring your comparisons Frequently asked questions about comparing and contrasting.

Some other prompts may not directly ask you to compare and contrast, but present you with a topic where comparing and contrasting could be a good approach. One way to approach this essay might be to contrast the situation before the Great Depression with the situation during it, to highlight how large a difference it made. For example, a literature review involves comparing and contrasting different studies on your topic, and an argumentative essay may involve weighing up the pros and cons of different arguments. As the name suggests, comparing and contrasting is about identifying both similarities and differences. You might focus on contrasting quite different subjects or comparing subjects with a lot in common—but there must be some grounds for comparison in the first place.

However, if you contrasted pre-revolutionary France with Han-dynasty China, your reader might wonder why you chose to compare these two societies. Every element of an essay should serve your central argument in some way. Comparing and contrasting can be a useful tool to help organize your thoughts before you begin writing any type of academic text. You might make a table to summarize the key differences between them. You might visualize the key similarities and differences in a Venn diagram. The point of comparing and contrasting at this stage is to help you organize and shape your ideas to aid you in structuring your arguments.

When comparing and contrasting in an essay, there are two main ways to structure your comparisons: the alternating method and the block method. You cover both your subjects side by side in terms of a specific point of comparison. Your text is structured like this:. One challenge teachers face is identifying and assisting students who are struggling without disrupting the rest of the class. In a traditional classroom environment, the teacher can easily identify when a student is struggling based on their demeanor in class or simply by regularly checking on students during exercises.

They can then offer assistance quietly during the exercise or discuss it further after class. 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.

Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others. Comparing and contrasting is also a useful approach in all kinds of academic writing : You might compare different studies in a literature review , weigh up different arguments in an argumentative essay , or consider different theoretical approaches in a theoretical framework. Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:. Caulfield, J. Have a language expert improve your writing. Proofreading Services. Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes. Plagiarism Checker. Generate accurate citations for free. Citation Generator. Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check. Try for free. When do I need to compare and contrast? How do I choose subjects to compare and contrast?

How do I compare and contrast in a structured way? Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways: The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time. The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety. Is this article helpful? Jack Caulfield Jack is a Brit based in Amsterdam, with an MA in comparative literature. He writes for Scribbr about his specialist topics: grammar, linguistics, citations, and plagiarism. In his spare time, he reads a lot of books.

Other students also liked. How to write an expository essay An expository essay provides an explanation of a topic. It is the most common essay type at university. Follow these 6 steps for a strong paragraph structure. What is your plagiarism score? Scribbr Plagiarism Checker.

Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples,Focus More on Framing, Less on “Like Subjects”

WebFeb 2,  · Make sure to restate the main points of comparison between two topics and summarize the main argument of the essay. Additionally, make sure to use an WebWhether your paper focuses primarily on difference or similarity, you need to make the relationship between A and B clear in your thesis. This relationship is at the heart of any WebOct 12,  · Step 1: Organization. Before you start writing the paper, you need to have a plan. Students usually find it impossible to complete a 5-paragraph essay in a day. The ... read more

This is maybe the most basic structure for a compare and contrast essay. Asking a question also works. Do they extend, corroborate, complicate, contradict, correct, or debate one another? With an Introduction! This allows not only for a wider geographical spread of students but for the possibility of studying while travelling.

Making effective comparisons Comparing and contrasting as a brainstorming tool Structuring your comparisons Frequently asked questions about comparing and contrasting. By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Second, once you're comfortable with your topic and the direction of your essay, use evidence to support your points. You may want to check out our handout on understanding assignments for additional tips. You can avoid this effect by grouping more than one point together, thereby cutting down on the number of times you alternate from A to B. The frame of reference may consist of an idea, theme, question, how to make a compare and contrast essay, or theory; a group of similar things from which you extract two for special attention; biographical or historical information.