Take your list down to the interesting bits and create your arguments from there. But, with a comparison and contrast essay in particular, it's helpful to start with a good old fashioned list. Distance learning, then, writing compare and contrast essays, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others. Making effective comparisons Comparing and writing compare and contrast essays as a brainstorming tool Structuring your comparisons Frequently asked questions about comparing and contrasting. Rather than being required to travel to a specific location every week and to live near enough to feasibly do sostudents can participate from anywhere with an internet connection.
Step 2: Explore Similarities and Differences
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 Writing compare and contrast essays. 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, and which ones are exclusive, writing compare and contrast essays.
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, in 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, writing compare and contrast essays, 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 option 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 paragraph about another subject.
Take the compare-and-contrast essay example When Nothing Lies Beyond the Mask: Comparing Moby Dick and The Raven, writing compare and contrast essays. 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. Each subject gets its own paragraph. Using the block method, you can go back and forth like this for pages, writing compare and contrast essays, 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, 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 writing compare and contrast essays or reveal at the end. Want to know how to write a compare-and-contrast essay step by 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 phase 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 writing compare and contrast essays no comparing, writing compare and contrast essays. 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.
Luckily, Grammarly offers suggestions to rewrite entire sentences in order to improve the clarity of your writing. 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 Write a Compare-and-Contrast Essay Matt Ellis. Give your essays extra polish. Students 6 Successful Persuasive Writing Strategies Students How to Paraphrase Without Plagiarizing a Thing Students Your College Application Essay Survival Guide Students How to Write an Essay Outline in 4 Steps Students Expository Essays: A Complete Guide Students How to Write a Research Proposal.
Writing, grammar, and communication tips for writing compare and contrast essays inbox.
list of persuasive essay topics
This includes facts, stats, and evidence. You'll also want to explore testimonials, expert opinion, or even a personal encounter if it's relatable. If you can, gather personal statements about the subject. In the case of the two painters, see what type of commentary you can gather from them to support their similarities and differences. You may even learn about other similarities and differences you may have overlooked! Cite statistics about the neighborhoods they grew up in if you're going to focus on their upbringing and background. This way, it's not just your personal perceptions but factual evidence. Depending on length requirements, most basic school essays have an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
However, compare and contrast essays tend to be meatier. Your introductory paragraph is going to introduce the two subjects to the readers. Offer a short tidbit about each subject, noting why you've chosen to compare and contrast the two. Then, close this opening paragraph with your thesis statement. That's a sentence or two summarizing what's to come in the essay. For example:. Although Henri Matisse and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec both produced their work during Paris' famed Belle Époque period, their finished products stood in stark contrast to one another. This gives the reader an idea that you're going to be discussing two painters who lived and painted during the same period, but had unique approaches to their artform. Next, you'll move on to the body of the essay.
This will be approximately three or more paragraphs focusing on key similarities and key differences, allowing for one paragraph for each point made. You can discuss the similarities and then lead to the differences, or vice versa. Or, you can focus on one of the subjects first, and then focus on the second subject. See what starts to come together more naturally for you. It's typically easier to discuss similarities and then differences, instead of going subject by subject, but see takes shape for you. Finally, it's time to bring it all home in the conclusion paragraph. Briefly summarize the similarities and differences by reiterating your thesis statement in different terms. A nice way to close out any kind of essay is to propose a rhetorical question or cite some sort of call to action.
Ask the readers what the art world would look like without the influence of these two painters or invite them to study the painters' work in finer detail. You have everything you need to start writing your essay. Remember to use strong transitional words to flow from one area to another. Remember to get a fresh set of eyes to look at and to use spell and grammar tools. Compare and contrast essays are wonderful fodder for the fire of debate. You might conclude that music is more personal than poetry but your best friend, a literature major, might disagree wholeheartedly. In which case, prepare to write your finest argumentative essay!
There's no right and wrong in writing a comparison and contrast essay, in this way. All that's required is solid evidence to support your claim. So, cite those stats and quote those expert opinions. 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:. Have a language expert improve your writing. Check your paper for plagiarism in 10 minutes. Do the check. Generate your APA citations for free! APA Citation Generator.
Receive feedback on language, structure and formatting Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on: Academic style Vague sentences Grammar Style consistency See an example. 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? 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 option 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 paragraph 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 Dick , but in the next paragraph talks only about the narrator from The Raven. 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, 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.
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