Comparison and Contrast:
Finding Similarities and Differences
Steps for Writing a Comparison
and Contrast Essay
1.
2.
3.
4.
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7.
Determine your purpose and rationale.
Choose two things to compare/contrast. These
are your subjects. They should have
something in common.
Brainstorm the points that you are going to
compare/contrast between the subjects.
Find evidence for each point and analyze it.
Determine your claims about each point of
comparison.
Weight the evidence. From here, develop a
thesis.
Determine your organizational patterns .
Determining your purpose
In general, we compare and contrast to help
us make a decision by analyzing the pros
and cons, benefits and costs, and/or
qualities and drawbacks of one subject
versus another
Determining your purpose
For this next assignment your purpose will be to
make a comparative analysis of two points of
view relevant to your research question to help
you to better understand your topic and form your
thesis for the big paper.
Your rationale for choosing the two sources will
depend on your research objectives.
Choosing Your Subjects
These two points of view can come from
experts cited in books, newspapers, magazines,
trade or scholarly journals, authors of
scholarly articles, and/or organizations or
groups that have a stake in the issue you are
researching.
Choosing Your Subjects
Avoid “comparing apples to oranges.” For
example, you would have a hard time
comparing the points of view from an
academic researcher with a blog by an
anonymous person.
Determining your Rationale
State what these two subjects have in
common, what is different about them, and
what you aim to learn about your topic
by comparing/contrasting the two.
Brainstorming Points for
Comparison
Purpose:
To better understand the controversy surrounding copyright laws
and electronic file sharing.
Subjects:
The RIAA (Recording Industry of America) and the EFF (The
Electronic Frontier Foundation)
Rationale:
To compare and contrast how each group fights different sides
of the same battle surrounding copyrights and technology.
Finding your
Points for Comparison
To determine these you will first need to do some additional
reading. Look for common themes and issues between each
subject. Take notes and analyze them. Then select overlapping
themes and issues that have some depth.
Points of Comparison:
1.
2.
3.
Organizational “Mission Statements”
Positions on File Sharing
Activities
Points of
Comparison
Mission
Statements
Positions on
file sharing
Activities
Subject #1:
Trade group that
represents the U.S.
Recording Industry.
Works to “protect
intellectual property
rights worldwide and
the First Amendment
rights of artists;
conduct consumer,
industry and technical
research; and monitor
and review state and
federal laws,
regulations and
policies. “
Seeks to uphold the
law protecting
copyrights to the full
extent. Views
“pirating” as a term
not strong enough
to convey the
damage done by
music theft.
Uses a “multifaceted approach” to
combat music theft:
Provides education
about the law;
provides legal
downloading
models; deploys
investigators
nationwide; pursues
legal action.
Non-profit public
interest group founded
in 1990. Works to
defend “free speech,
privacy, innovation, and
consumer rights” as
they pertain to digital
media.
Seeks to uphold “fair
use.” Views common
investigative tactics
against file sharing
as an invasion of
privacy and a breach
of civil liberties.
Raises awareness on
rights in cyberspace
and defends
individuals who have
created or used
technological
innovations.
R.I.A.A.
Subject #2:
E.F.F.
Point #1: Mission Statements
Subject #1:
R.I.A.A.
Support: The RIAA is a trade group that
represents the U.S. Recording
Industry. Works to “protect intellectual
property rights worldwide and the First
Amendment rights of artists; conduct
consumer, industry and technical
research; and monitor and review
state and federal laws, regulations and
policies. “ It appears that most of the
RIAA’s board members are executives
of recording companies and its clients
are also often those same private
companies.
Analysis: Therefore, it appears that the
RIAA is designed to serve private
interests.
Subject #2:
E.F.F.
Support: The EFF is a non-profit public
interest group founded in 1990. It
works to defend “free speech, privacy,
innovation, and consumer rights” as
they pertain to digital media.
Analysis: The EFF does not exist for
profit, and most of its clients are
common citizens, artists, or
organizations that have been accused
of violating free speech or copyright
law.
Claim #1: The RIAA is designed to serve
private interests while the EFF defends the
rights of artists and common citizens.
From the results of the T-Chart you can
determine your claims:
Claim #1: The RIAA is designed to serve
private interests while the EFF defends the
rights of artists and common citizens.
Claim #2: The RIAA and the EFF have very
different views on file sharing.
Claim #3: While the RIAA investigates
illegal downloading and the EFF defends
those accused, both organizations are
involved in educating the public and
defending innovators.
Creating a Thesis Statement for
your Compare/Contrast Paper
From your rationale and your claims and
determine your thesis:
In comparing how the RIAA and EFF fight
different sides of the same battle
surrounding copyrights and technology, it
becomes clear that they actually share some
common goals.
Weighting your Claims
However, you may determine that one
point of comparison is more
important than another.
In these cases you will need to weight
your claims.
Revised Thesis
In comparing how the RIAA and EFF
fight different sides of the same battle
surrounding copyrights and technology,
it becomes clear that even though they
they disagree on the dangers of illegal
file sharing, they actually share some
common goals.
Comparison/Contrast
Organizational Patterns


Point by point structure: switch
between each subject to discuss each subpoint
Block structure: discuss all of the subpoints of each subject before switching to
the next subject
Points of
Comparison
Mission
Statements
Positions on
file sharing
Activities
Subject #1:
Trade group that
represents the U.S.
Recording Industry.
Works to “protect
intellectual property
rights worldwide and
the First Amendment
rights of artists;
conduct consumer,
industry and technical
research; and monitor
and review state and
federal laws,
regulations and
policies. “
Seeks to uphold the
law protecting
copyrights to the full
extent. Views
“pirating” as a term
not strong enough
to convey the
damage done by
music theft.
Uses a “multifaceted approach” to
combat music theft:
Provides education
about the law;
provides legal
downloading
models; deploys
investigators
nationwide; pursues
legal action.
Non-profit public
interest group founded
in 1990. Works to
defend “free speech,
privacy, innovation, and
consumer rights” as
they pertain to digital
media.
Seeks to uphold “fair
use.” Views common
investigative tactics
against file sharing
as an invasion of
privacy and a breach
of civil liberties.
Raises awareness on
rights in cyberspace
and defends
individuals who have
created or used
technological
innovations.
R.I.A.A.
Subject #2:
E.F.F.
Unity, Coherence, and
Development



Unity: each support and analysis fits the claim;
the claims support the thesis
Coherence: one idea leads logically to the next;
different subjects and points of comparison are
clearly distinct by use of consistent terms and
transitional words and phrases.
Development: there is enough evidence and
analysis to convince readers that the claim is
true; conclusion sentences define any
assumptions (premises) or implications of the
paragraph
Transition Words
Comparison
 additionally
 again
 as well as
 furthermore
 just as…so
 similarly
in addition
along the same lines
both
in the same way
like, or likewise
More Transition Words
Contrast
 although
 by contrast
 despite the fact
 however
 nevertheless
 on the contrary
 regardless
 while
but
conversely
even though
in contrast
nonetheless
on the other hand
whereas
yet
In-Class Activity
Choose one of the following pair of subjects
and develop your own points of comparison,
claims, and thesis on the small T-Chart:
• Compare/Contrast a book you have read with a
movie-version of that book that you have seen
• Compare/Contrast a friend from college with a
friend from high school
• Compare/Contrast the pros/cons of living oncampus with pros/cons of living off-campus