Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples,Table of contents
WebHow to Write a Comparative Analysis. Throughout your academic career, you'll be asked to write papers in which you compare and contrast two things: two texts, two theories, two WebCompare and contrast essays are a common requirement in high school and college English and writing classes. You must begin with a brainstorming process, then move WebChoose two or more things to compare: The first step in writing a compare and contrast essay is to choose two or more things to compare. These can be anything from two ... read more
By entering your email above you agree to receive our periodical marketing emails. We do not sell or share your personal information. Writing Advice How to Write a 5-Paragraph Compare and Contrast Essay Adela Belin - Content strategist and writer August 30, Table of contents. Two Ways to Structure a 5-paragraph Essay 1. Introduction or Thesis Statement Topic 1 Analysis Transition paragraph Topic 2 Analysis Conclusion 2. Point-by-Point Structure Each similarity or difference for one topic is examined and is subsequently followed by a study of the similarities or differences for the other. Introduction or Thesis Statement Point 1: Analysis of Topic 1 and Topic 2 Point 2: Analysis of Topic 1 and Topic 2 Point 3: Analysis of Topic 1 and Topic 2 Conclusion One of the biggest essay writing mistakes students make is not structuring it well.
How to Write a 5-Paragraph Compare and Contrast Essay: 6 Winning Strategies We know that writing an essay isn't a piece of cake and requires proper research, accurate structure, and a certain methodology. Pick your topic carefully To deliver a well-written compare and contrast essay, one has to research everything there is to know about the topics. Consider these three points while picking your essay topic : Pick two topics that belong to the same broad category but have inherent differences. For example, prose versus poetry - both are forms of writing but are quite contrasting in nature. Pick two subjects that may not have anything in common other than one surprising similarity. For example, bats versus whales - one is small and flies, and one is massive and swims, but both hunt by using sound waves.
Pick two subjects that might appear to be the same but are different in many ways—for example, the Little Women novel versus the Little Women movie. Organize your ideas As you have finished brainstorming topic ideas for comparing and contrasting, organize your points according to the subject and highlight important characteristics from both topics. Develop your thesis statement The thesis statement is the most crucial part of the entire compare and contrast essay as it assists in creating a focused argument that is central to your assignment. Create an outline Once your list has been made, figure out if your topics have more similarities or differences in them, because then a basic outline can be created. Use supporting evidence Always use credible and relevant sources for pulling information to write your essays since you have two topics to research and compare objectively.
Original: Source 6. Write, proofread and edit Once your outline is created and you have supporting evidence for your statements, organizing your points, your structure, and your sources into a cohesive body is the most important step. Conclusion: Ace the 5-Paragraph Compare and Contrast Essay So the next time you are assigned a 5-paragraph compare and contrast essay, remember to do your research, organize your thoughts, and indulge in key takeaways from this article. She writes about motivation, education, personal development, and everything in between.
As a seasoned expert, Belin is a frequent contributor to Lifehack, AllBusiness, and LiveChatINC and runs her blog. Enjoy reading? Write for our blog. About us What does your service do? Do you have free essay samples? How much does it cost? How to order my essay? Share this article. Paper Editing IB ToK Essay Pay to Write My Paper Write My Thesis Buy College Paper Analysis Papers Biology Papers Ph. D Papers. Along the left side of the page, list each of the criteria. Across the top, list the names of the items. As you generate points of comparison, consider the purpose and content of the assignment and the focus of the class. How does it fit with what you have been studying so far and with the other assignments in the course?
Are there any clues about what to focus on in the assignment itself? Here are some general questions about different types of things you might have to compare. You may want to begin by using the questions reporters traditionally ask: Who? By now you have probably generated a huge list of similarities and differences—congratulations! Next you must decide which of them are interesting, important, and relevant enough to be included in your paper. Ask yourself these questions:. Suppose that you are writing a paper comparing two novels. This is basically a Venn diagram but in list form. Perhaps they both painted with acrylics or were drawn to similar subjects.
Once you've covered as many similarities as you can, move on to their differences. Monet started studying at an early age, while Van Gogh started in pastoral studies before developing an interest in art in his 20s. Much like any part of your essay, you can change this, add new similarities and differences, and otherwise make this list useful to you. The introduction and conclusion of your essay will largely be similar to other essays , but the body paragraphs are where compare and contrast essays really set themselves apart. This is maybe the most basic structure for a compare and contrast essay. With this method, you write one body paragraph with all the similarities of your two subjects and one body paragraph covering all the differences. The block method involves grouping all your points about your first subject together into a block of paragraphs and grouping all of your points about your second subject into a block of paragraphs while analyzing similarities and differences.
This method of comparing and contrasting works better on shorter papers or more focused topics. With more in-depth analyses, things can easily get confusing. With this method, each body paragraph covers a specific point about both subjects, including the similarities and differences. This method keeps things close together, so you know exactly what is being compared between your two subjects. Finding some credible sources to backup your essay points serves two important purposes. First, the evidence you find can inform new similarities and differences. Maybe it turns out that the two artists grew up in similar environments.
Maybe new discoveries about Grandpa show that he has the same inner warmth as a baked potato. These are all things you might have overlooked without the right research.
By assigning such essays, your instructors are encouraging you to make connections between texts or ideas, engage in critical thinking, and go beyond mere description or summary to generate interesting analysis: when you reflect on similarities and differences, you gain a deeper understanding of the items you are comparing, their relationship to each other, and what is most important about them. Here are a few hypothetical examples:. You may want to check out our handout on understanding assignments for additional tips. Making a Venn diagram or a chart can help you quickly and efficiently compare and contrast two or more things or ideas. In the central area where they overlap, list the traits the two items have in common. To make a chart, figure out what criteria you want to focus on in comparing the items.
Along the left side of the page, list each of the criteria. Across the top, list the names of the items. As you generate points of comparison, consider the purpose and content of the assignment and the focus of the class. How does it fit with what you have been studying so far and with the other assignments in the course? Are there any clues about what to focus on in the assignment itself? Here are some general questions about different types of things you might have to compare. You may want to begin by using the questions reporters traditionally ask: Who? By now you have probably generated a huge list of similarities and differences—congratulations!
Next you must decide which of them are interesting, important, and relevant enough to be included in your paper. Ask yourself these questions:. Suppose that you are writing a paper comparing two novels. However, if you were writing a paper for a class on typesetting or on how illustrations are used to enhance novels, the typeface and presence or absence of illustrations might be absolutely critical to include in your final paper. Sometimes a particular point of comparison or contrast might be relevant but not terribly revealing or interesting. Talking about the different ways nature is depicted or the different aspects of nature that are emphasized might be more interesting and show a more sophisticated understanding of the poems.
Be careful, though—although this thesis is fairly specific and does propose a simple argument that atmosphere and delivery make the two pizza places different , your instructor will often be looking for a bit more analysis. Again, thinking about the context the class provides may help you answer such questions and make a stronger argument. You may find our handout on constructing thesis statements useful at this stage. The danger of this subject-by-subject organization is that your paper will simply be a list of points: a certain number of points in my example, three about one subject, then a certain number of points about another. This is usually not what college instructors are looking for in a paper—generally they want you to compare or contrast two or more things very directly, rather than just listing the traits the things have and leaving it up to the reader to reflect on how those traits are similar or different and why those similarities or differences matter.
Thus, if you use the subject-by-subject form, you will probably want to have a very strong, analytical thesis and at least one body paragraph that ties all of your different points together. Rather than addressing things one subject at a time, you may wish to talk about one point of comparison at a time. There are two main ways this might play out, depending on how much you have to say about each of the things you are comparing. Be aware, too, of the placement of your different points. Our handout on organization can help you write good topic sentences and transitions and make sure that you have a good overall structure in place for your paper. The following words may be helpful to you in signaling your intentions:.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4. You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Make a Gift. Skip to main content.
How to Write a 5-Paragraph Compare and Contrast Essay,What is Compare and Contrast Essay?
WebCompare and contrast essays are a common requirement in high school and college English and writing classes. You must begin with a brainstorming process, then move WebChoose two or more things to compare: The first step in writing a compare and contrast essay is to choose two or more things to compare. These can be anything from two WebHow to Write a Comparative Analysis. Throughout your academic career, you'll be asked to write papers in which you compare and contrast two things: two texts, two theories, two ... read more
Writing Advice How to Write a 5-Paragraph Compare and Contrast Essay Adela Belin - Content strategist and writer August 30, Be aware, however, that the point-by- point scheme can come off as a ping-pong game. Original: Source 6. You may also find that walking away from your brainstormed thoughts enables you to come back with a clearer head that allows you to better make connections between your ideas. If there are multiple and more interesting differences, you should choose to contrast the ideas in your essay. Whether your paper focuses primarily on difference or similarity, you need to make the relationship between A and B clear in your thesis.
Caulfield, J, how to write a comparing and contrasting essay. Compare and contrast essays focus on bringing forward information that is not so obvious, arguing a point with hard facts, or clearing up a dark area between different viewpoints. compare and contrast venn diagram. You may also find that walking away from your brainstormed thoughts enables you to come back with a clearer head that allows you to better make connections between your ideas. You can organize a classic compare-and-contrast paper either text-by-text or point-by-point. So the next time you are assigned a 5-paragraph compare and contrast essay, remember to do your research, organize your thoughts, and indulge in key takeaways from this article.
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