Compare and
Contrast Essay
Notes
1. What is a
compare/contrast
essay?
2. What prewriting technique
should you use
before beginning
to write your
compare/contrast
essay?
Name
Date
Class Period
1. An essay that requires you to analyze the similarities and/or differences
between two things
3. How should
your thesis sound
like?
3. The thesis of your comparison/contrast paper is very important: it can
help you create a focused argument and give your reader a road map so
she/he doesn't get lost in the sea of points you are about to make. As in any
paper, you will want to replace vague reports of your general topic (for
example, "This paper will compare and contrast two pizza places," or
"Pepper's and Amante are similar in some ways and different in others," or
"Pepper's and Amante are similar in many ways, but they have one major
difference") with something more detailed and specific. For example, you
might say, "Pepper's and Amante have similar prices and ingredients, but
their atmospheres and willingness to deliver set them apart." (from
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/comparison_contrast.html)
4. As many as necessary to address the prompt adequately, but you
definitely need an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
4. How many
paragraphs should
your essay be?
5. How should
your essay be
structured?
2. Venn diagram—Two circles that
overlap (one side of a circle overlaps
with one side of another); the outer sides
of the each circle highlight points unique
to one item, where the middle section,
which forms an oval from the
overlapping, highlights similarities
between the two items.
5. There are two main ways to organize a compare/contrast essay: block
and point-by-point.
a. block compare/contrast essays—write about the first item
completely in the first body paragraph; then write about the other item
in the second body paragraph. If you mention a particular point in the
first paragraph, you must mention the same point in the next
paragraph, and in the same order. Don’t forget your introduction and
conclusion paragraphs. Your total number of paragraphs is 4.
b. point-by-point--A second way to organize the essay is to discuss
a particular point about item one and then immediately to discuss the
same point about the second item. Then, in the next paragraph, you
discuss another point about item one and then the same point about
item two. Finally, you discuss a third point about item one in the third
body paragraph and the same point with item two. This is called pointby-point or alternating arrangement. Don’t forget your introduction and
conclusion paragraphs. Your total number of paragraphs is 5.
6. Sample outline
of a block style
compare/contrast
essay
5.
Block Arrangement (four paragraphs)
I.
Introduction in which you state your purpose which is to discuss the
differences between vacationing in the mountains or at the beach
II.
Mountain
A. Climate
B. Types of Activities
C. Location
III. Beach
A. Climate
B. Types of Activities
C. Location
IV. Conclusion
(from http://www.eslbee.com/compcont.htm)
7. Sample outline
of a point-by-point
compare/contrast
essay
7.
Point-by-Point or Alternating Arrangement (five paragraphs)
I.
Introduction in which you state your purpose which is to discuss
differences between vacationing in the mountains or at the beach
II.
First difference between mountains and beaches is climate
A. Mountains
B. Beach
III.
Second difference between mountains and beaches are types of
activities
A. Mountains
B. Beach
IV.
Third difference between mountains and beaches is the location
A. Mountains
B. Beach
V.
Conclusion
(from http://www.eslbee.com/compcont.htm)
8. Okay, so what
are you writing
your
compare/contrast
essay about?
8. Writing Prompt: Answer the question that correlates to the credit
you will receive in the class
a. What may account for the differences in the ways the authors
(Truth and Douglass) describe the stories of their escapes? (Honors)
b. Compare and contrast the stories of escape from slavery Truth and
Douglass tell. (Regular)