Compare and Contrast

This type of writing assignment is common. On a standardized test, you may be asked to analyze literature, evaluate ideas, or make a judgment and explain your reasons. In responding to these types of prompts, you often will compare and contrast characters, concepts, or choices. You will be asked to identify similarities and differences, which are the key to compare-and-contrast essays. There are ways to organize your thoughts about compare-and-contrast topics, which will help you write thoughtful and balanced essays. Compare-and-Contrast Essays

First, you will learn how to write a compare-and-contrast essay When you compare, you show how two or more things are alike. On the other hand, when you contrast, you show how two or more things are different. Click the buttons to see the difference between comparing two things and contrasting two things. An essay exploring the similarities and differences between two or more subjects is a compare-and-contrast essay, which also is called a comparison-and-contrast essay. Not only will a compare-and-contrast essay focus on two or more subjects, it also will include details that support the comparisons. An effective compare-and-contrast essay will contain transitions to make connections between the subjects of the essay clear. You may have written a compare-and-contrast essay for a school assignment. Topics vary widely and might be based on: significant events from history;

works of art, literature, or music;
lives and achievements of historical figures; or
effects of different laws or policies.
Characteristics of Compare-and-Contrast Essays
Two or more subjects are compared and contrasted.

Details reveal the similarities and differences between the subjects.
Transitions make relationships between the subjects clear.

Effective structure—such as point-by-point or subject-by-subject—makes the essay easy to follow. Choosing Your Topic
To begin your compare-and-contrast essay, you will need to have two or more subjects to write about. The subjects typically are related in some way. If you are not sure what to write about, or if you have not been given a specific topic, there are a couple of ways to generate topic ideas: freewriting and listing. Freewrite for a few minutes. When freewriting, you should write without stopping to think or edit—just write about whatever comes to mind. You can also do a more directed freewrite by starting with a topic to explore and then writing whatever comes to mind about that topic. After a few minutes of freewriting, stop to review what you have written. For example, a freewriting session about a recent shopping trip might look like the sample passage.

What ideas or decisions in this passage can be compared? In the passage, the writer is freewriting about shopping for a new bed. The writer compares two beds in terms of cost and what she likes about each. Another way to generate topic ideas is to make a list. Begin by choosing a broad subject, like music, history, sports, or novel characters, then list the items that come to mind when you think of that subject. Next, look for connections among the ideas in your list. In this sample list, the related ideas are the beds. You could write a compare-and-contrast essay about the beds you are considering. In many cases, your compare-and-contrast topic at school will be based on literature. Listing also can be used to generate ideas for those topics.

For example, think about the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Your list about the novel might include the characters’ names and some of the events. What comparisons could be made between two or more of these characters? You might choose to compare Huck to Tom—both are young boys who like to find trouble. Or, you might compare the “mother” figures in the books: Aunt Polly, Widow Douglas, and Miss Watson. What other comparisons could you make from this list?

Types of Comparisons
Besides literature, you also might be asked to write about historical or current events, or both. You might compare World War I to World War II, or the American Civil War to the English Civil War. You might be asked to write an essay that compares and contrasts two competing products or services. In this type of comparison, you would focus on the advantages and disadvantages of each product or service and conclude with a recommendation about which is
the better product or service. Review the table for examples of the types of comparisons you might be asked to make in a writing assignment. Evaluate the Topic

Whatever your topic, you should make sure the subjects can be compared fairly. You should not compare subjects that are not alike in some way, such as the work of a painter with that of a singer, unless you have a convincing reason to do so. You can use a Venn diagram to evaluate whether your subjects have enough points for comparison and contrast. For example, the similarities and differences between e-mail and regular mail are listed in this diagram. The similarities are shown in the overlapping middle section. Gathering Details

The next step in preparing your compare-and-contrast essay is to gather details, descriptions, and examples to provide a clear understanding of the subjects being compared. There are several ways to gather details. One way is to use your personal experiences. If you are writing about a subject with which you have direct experience, your knowledge of that subject can be used as evidence for the essay. For example, if you were writing a compare-and-contrast essay about tornadoes and hurricanes, your personal experience might include the time you had to hide in a storm shelter during a tornado. Another way to gather details is to use primary sources.

You may recall that primary sources are original documents and eyewitness accounts. A primary source for the topic of major storms might include interviews with people who survived a hurricane. You also can use secondary sources, which are secondhand accounts based on primary sources, to gather details. A secondary source for the hurricanes and tornadoes topic might include newspaper reports or encyclopedia entries. Compare-and-Contrast Organization

A successful compare-and-contrast essay usually is organized in one of two ways: subject-by-subject or point-by-point. Subject-by-subject organization means the essay subjects are discussed one at a time. The first subject is described and discussed, followed by the second subject. Read the following thesis statement for a compare-and-contrast essay: Although high school and college students aspire to the same goals—acquiring an education and graduating—the demands, expectations, and social atmosphere are different between high school and college. In point-by-point organization, each point of the comparison is discussed in turn. Here is the sample thesis again.

Although high school and college students aspire to the same goals—acquiring an education and graduating—the demands, expectations, and social atmosphere are different between high school and college. In a point-by-point organization, the paragraphs for this thesis would be about each of the individual items listed in the thesis:

demands
expectations
social atmosphere

Providing Elaboration
Once you have an organizational strategy for your essay, you can elaborate on your points in a number of ways. One way to provide elaboration is to give quotations and provide statistical information. For example, read the first paragraph in this passage from an essay about dwindling oil supplies. Notice the use of material from another source to support the writer’s point. Another way to elaborate on your subjects is to give specific examples. In the second paragraph of the oil supply passage, the writer provides an example to support the paragraph. A third way to elaborate is to provide facts, which give the reader a more objective understanding of each subject. The third paragraph of the oil supply passage provides facts and details about alternative energy sources. Essay Conclusion

Once you have finished comparing and contrasting your subjects, you should provide a conclusion for the reader. In some compare-and-contrast essays, your conclusion will be about which product or service is the best, or which one you recommend to the reader. If your essay compares two colleges, for example, the conclusion would state which college you have chosen, after discussing the pros and cons of both in the body of the essay. In compare-and-contrast essays that compare historical or literary subjects, the conclusion is the place to summarize why the subjects are relevant and important.