We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics List for College Students

essay
The whole doc is available only for registered users

A limited time offer! Get a custom sample essay written according to your requirements urgent 3h delivery guaranteed

Order Now

Arm yourself with patience because we are going to present you the best and effective essay topics. We aim to make the writing process easier and more interesting. Hope you will choose the best theme and surprise everybody with your masterpiece.

What is a Compare and Contrast Essay?

A great number of essays exist in the world. One of the most interesting types is comparing and contrast essay. How to write it if these words seem to be the same? But they have a difference. To “compare” means to see and examine how the things are similar, while word to “contrast” uses to see how the things differ. When we use these two words together, it means that in the essay we need to look at the similarities of several (usually two) objects and their differences. Most of all this type of essay is used at the universities where professors ask their students to compare and contrast two theories, methods, historical periods, two characters from the book. The point of this essay is to show the depth of your knowledge, understanding of the subject; it increases the ability to research and, of course, it shows your potential to analyze information from different perspectives. Moreover, it develops your strengthens memory, improves higher-order thinking skills, increases writing skills and develops habits of mind.

Also, there is a structure of such type of essay. It is divided into two main parts: block and point-by-point. For the former structure, all information about one object that is going to be compared and contrasted is given first while information about the second object is given afterward. For the later structure, every piece of one object’s similarity (difference) is given together with the similarity (difference) of another object. They are going one by one. Of course, both types of structure have their merits and demerits. Usage of block structure is easier to write, usage of the point-by-point structure is clearer for the reader, and more common to comprehend.

How to Choose a Compare and Contrast Essay Topic?

Let’s imagine that for some reason, the professor gave you a chance to choose a topic for yourself, and now you feel uncomfortable because of it. How to pick up a catchy topic? How to come up trumps? Use different types of research. For example newspapers and magazines, they are still a good idea as in printable variant or on the Internet. There you can find an endless source of great ideas because newspapers are related to ongoing world’s events, modern innovations, and opinions of experts, criteria of style and lots more.

A good variant will be a new channel; there you can watch on the latest, up-to-date and relevant news. While turning on your favorite show, think why do you like exactly this show: because of stars or TV presenter? Think about topics they take up and discuss; there you can pick up a good idea for your essay.

And the best and greatest source of all ideas is the Internet. It is the most endless place of information in the entire world.

As you are a smart person, don’t avoid attending seminars, meetings, and conferences. Usually, they can teach you more about things that are going on in the world.

And some advice, before starting the topic, logically organize the thoughts. Develop some chart or graph to have a visual picture of how the final draft should look like. In this type of academic writing, it is important to focus on the comparable qualities and characteristics of the subjects, events or people to impress the target audience.

A List of Compare and Contrast Essay Topic for College Students

These ideas will help you find a perfect topic and focus on the writing part:

  1. Are Nazism and Fascism similar to each other or do they have total differentials?
  2. Online vs. traditional commerce.
  3. Learn Greek vs. Roman mythology to find their similarities and differences.
  4. How can two great characters of famous author Othello vs. Hamlet be compared?
  5. The eternal question of the world: Tesla and Edison. Show your point of view.
  6. Lord of the Rings trilogy vs. Harry Potter: similarities and differences.
  7. What are the similarities and differences between studying in public and private schools?
  8. Who were nations of the Aztecs and Mayans and what are the similarities and differences in their ways of life?
  9. Immigration and emigration: how they differ?
  10. Differences between inventions and discoveries.
  11. Similarities and differences between WWI and WWII.
  12. Do you feel the difference between veganism vs. vegetarianism: compare and contrast these two directions.

A List of Sports Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

  1. The NASCAR vs. the Formula One – who has the fastest and the best cars in the world?
  2. Venus Williamsand Serena Williams –who is the best?
  3. Cricket vs. Soccer – what is different between these two types of ball sports?
  4. Baseball vs. Rugby – what is safer and more interesting?

A List of People and Personalities Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

  1. Adolf Hitlerand Joseph Stalin – what similar sides had world’s greatest despots and killers? Did they have any differences?
  2. Abraham Lincolnand Thomas Jefferson – who made the biggest impact on the development of the country?
  3. William Shakespeare vs. Christopher Marlowe: compare.
  4. Paris Hilton vs. Lindsay Lohan – what similarities do these two stars have?
  5. Karl Marx vs. Max Weber and their influence to the world.
  6. Ellen DeGeneresand Oprah Winfrey as two powerful women.

A List of Health and Fitness Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

  1. Bulimia Nervosaand Anorexia Nervosa: compare.
  2. Yoga vs. Aerobic Exercises – what has a bigger impact on the body and mental feeling?
  3. Allopathyand Homeopathy – what is a better way to cure the disease?
  4. Condoms vs. Birth Control Pills – do they have the same influence and percentage of protection?
  5. High Fiber Diet vs. High Protein Diet – which is more common, and helpful Compare and contrast.
  6. Dyslexia vs. Learning Disabilities.
  7. Cosmetic Surgeryand

A List of Wars and Evolution Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

  1. Current Russia vs. the Former USSR – has something changed in modern country or Russians still seems to be blind?
  2. Communismand Democracy: contrast.
  3. Nazismand Fascism: contrast.
  4. Republican Ideals vs. Democratic Ideals: compare and contrast.
  5. The World War I and the World War II: what was the same and what was different?

A List of Science and Technology Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

  1. Windows vs. Linux: which operating system is the best?
  2. Hurricanes and Blizzards: contrast.
  3. Inventionsand Discoveries: what are the differences between these two quite similar words?
  4. Facebook vs. Twitter: what do they have in common?
  5. Snowfall and Rainfall.
  6. Nuclear Fusion and Nuclear Fission: compare and contrast.

A List of Flora and Fauna Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

  1. Pet Dogsand Pet Cats – who are better animals at home?
  2. African Elephant and the Asiatic Elephant – contrast.
  3. African Lions and the Asian Tigers – compare and contrast.
  4. The Australian Flora and Fauna vs. the African Flora and Fauna – what is different and similar in these two different parts of the world?
  5. Fruits vs. Vegetables – what is more useful?

A List of Geography and Topography Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

  1. Volcanoesand
  2. The African Continent vs. the American Continent: compare and contrast
  3. The Mediterranean Weather vs. the Sub Tropical Climate – where will be better placed to live?
  4. Pollution in the United States vs. Pollution in China – which place is still cleaner?
  5. Compare two strong countries – Germany vs. America
  6. Europeand Asia – is there anything different?

A List of Religion and Faith Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

  1. Hinduismand Islam Religion.
  2. Christianity vs. Judaism: compare and contrast
  3. Paganismand the Wiccan Faith: contrast
  4. Buddha and Jesus Christ: compare and contrast
  5. Islam vs. Christianity: contrast

A List of Human Interests Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

  1. Fox Newsand CNN – which are more informative and relevant?
  2. Country Living vs. City Living – which place will you choose and why?
  3. Physical Beauty vs. Inner Beauty – is it still important to be beautiful inside?
  4. eBooksand Real Books – what is more common in today’s youth?
  5. R.I.E.N.D.S vs. Charmed – two best serials in the world, but which one seems to be better?
  6. Cinderella and Snow White – two beautiful girls who wanted to find their love. Or is there something more?
  7. Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer as two yoots and best friends.
  8. Sherlock Holmes vs. Hercule Poirot – British or Belgian variant is more exciting?
  9. Albus Dumbledoreand Gandalf as two great mentors of fantasy world.

A List of Simple Topics Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

  1. Similarities and differences between Star Wars and Star Trek
  2. New England Colonies and Southern Colonies
  3. Communism and Capitalism:
  4. 1984 vs. Fahrenheit 451 – what is in common between two great books?
  5. Roman Empire and British Empire: contrast
  6. Real Madrid vs. Barcelona – which club is more influential?
  7. Fiction and Nonfiction: contrast
  8. Books vs. movies – why any film adaptation will never match to books?
  9. How has rap music changed compared to the way it was two decades ago?
  10. Tea and coffee – what’s better for your health?

Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

Now you’re going to see an example of easy outline, which will help you to make perfect paper. The beginning of any work is always hard to process, and an essay isn’t an exception. Where to start? Before you begin with the text, outline your essay, it will help you to follow the scenery and not to get lost in your thoughts. The outline helps you not only to move in the right way, but it can help you generate ideas while writing. How could it be? While we are performing something, our brain is working very fast. Working on one thing, our brain can come up with the idea in other parts too. That’s why seeing the outline will help your brain with generating ideas. Below, you can see the outline for this type of paper:

  • Introduction– the introductory paragraph is like a short intro to the topic. Here hook is always in usage as you need to catch the reader, to get him involved from the very beginning. This hook sentence can include a fun fact, general information, statistics, and quotes. Then, you make a logical chain to a specific topic or ideas you will compare that’s how the reader will comprehend the matter that will be discussed. The introduction always ends with a thesis statement that announces the main idea or points you will compare and contrast
  • Body paragraphs– it’s the main thing. In another word it’s a central part of the essay, as it was mentioned before, it can be organized in two ways:
    • Point-by-point pattern– which is usually used to compare subjects or items that are similar.
    • Block pattern(organization by item) – is usually used to compare situations or items that are entirely different at first glance.
  • Conclusion – it is the ending of all your thoughts. Here you sum up main points; also you mention here a very short description of the whole text and demonstrate the value of all your paper.
Related Topics

We can write a custom essay

According to Your Specific Requirements

Order an essay
icon
300+
Materials Daily
icon
100,000+ Subjects
2000+ Topics
icon
Free Plagiarism
Checker
icon
All Materials
are Cataloged Well

Sorry, but copying text is forbidden on this website. If you need this or any other sample, we can send it to you via email.

By clicking "SEND", you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. We'll occasionally send you account related and promo emails.
Sorry, but only registered users have full access

How about getting this access
immediately?

Your Answer Is Very Helpful For Us
Thank You A Lot!

logo

Emma Taylor

online

Hi there!
Would you like to get such a paper?
How about getting a customized one?

Can't find What you were Looking for?

Get access to our huge, continuously updated knowledge base

The next update will be in:
14 : 59 : 59