You may also consider your particular approach to the subjects as well as the nature of the subjects themselves some subjects might better lend themselves to one structure or the other. The organizing strategy that you choose will depend on, as always, your audience and your purpose. The body of the essay can be organized in one of two ways: by subject or by individual points. Your thesis should come at the end of the introduction, and it should establish the subjects you will compare, contrast, or both as well as state what can be learned from doing so. Once you have decided on a topic, introduce it with an engaging opening paragraph. Phrases of Comparison and Contrast Comparisonįirst choose whether you want to compare seemingly disparate subjects, contrast seemingly similar subjects, or compare and contrast subjects. Given that compare-and-contrast essays analyze the relationship between two subjects, it is helpful to have some phrases on hand that will cue the reader to such analysis. The organizational structure you choose depends on the nature of the topic, your purpose, and your audience. According to individual points, discussing each subject in relation to each point.According to the subjects themselves, discussing one then the other.

You may organize compare-and-contrast essays in one of the following two ways: Here the thesis sets up the two subjects to be compared and contrasted (organic versus conventional vegetables), and it makes a claim about the results that might prove useful to the reader. Thesis Statement: Organic vegetables may cost more than those that are conventionally grown, but when put to the test, they are definitely worth every extra penny. Take the following thesis as an example that leans more toward contrasting: Remember, the point of comparing and contrasting is to provide useful knowledge to the reader. The thesis could lean more toward comparing, contrasting, or both. The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both and the reason for doing so. The Structure of a Compare/Contrast Essay The more divergent the two subjects initially seem, the more interesting a comparison essay will be. Rather, you might try to compare how apples and oranges are quite similar. For a comparison essay, you likely would not choose two apples or two oranges because they share so many of the same properties already. Similarly, to focus on comparison, choose two subjects that seem at first to be unrelated. Drawing distinctions between elements in a similar category will increase the audience’s understanding of that category, which is the purpose of the compare-and-contrast essay. For example, Red Delicious apples are sweet, while Granny Smiths are tart and acidic. For example, if you wanted to focus on contrasting two subjects you would not pick apples and oranges rather, you might choose to compare and contrast two types of oranges or two types of apples to highlight subtle differences. The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities.

The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way.

A compare-and-contrast essay, then, analyzes two subjects by comparing them, contrasting them, or both. The Purpose of Compare/Contrast in WritingĬomparison in writing discusses elements that are similar, while contrast in writing discusses elements that are different. This section will help you determine the purpose and structure of comparison/contrast in writing.

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