comparison and contrast essay
miladkasnona
Compareandcontrast.pptComparison and Contrast
Moving on…
- What does it mean to compare two things?
- (I will discuss their similarities)
- What does it mean to contrast two things?
- (I will discuss their differences)
- May I do both?
- (Yes!)
- Let’s discuss the similarities and differences between:
- Friends Acquaintances
Think about what the similarities would be.
Then determine the differences
Write these down.
- So, do you have more similarities or more differences?
- Which are more important and why?
- What will you focus on based on your brain-storming?
- Should you write in point by point or whole by whole? Why?
- Therefore, once you determine a topic, you will brainstorm similarities and differences.
- From this, you will determine whether you will focus on similarities, differences or both.
- You then have another decision to make: Whole by Whole or Point by Point.
- What is the difference?
Point by Point or Whole by Whole?
- If I planned to write about my friends and my acquaintances in point by point, what would I do?
- I would write, for instance, that my friends are there for me when there is a crisis but my acquaintances are not.
- I would then say that my friends know me and my personality while my acquaintances do not.
- I may note that my friends spend a lot of time with me while my acquaintances do not.
- I would do this, side by side.
- If, however, I wanted to use the same topic as Whole by Whole, what would I do?
- I would first note that my acquaintances are not there for me when I need them. I would go on to say that they don’t know me very well. I would also state that they don’t spend much time with me.
- Then, I would discuss how my friends are there for me when I need them, know me very well, and spend a lot of time with me.
No turning back
- The reader doesn’t have to go back and review and make the comparisons/contrasts. They are made for the reader clearly because they are side-by-side.
- The writer doesn’t get lost and “unbalance” his/her essay with information not given about each topic. Since it’s side-by-side, it is very clear.
What a Comparison/Contrast entails
- 1. Select a topic
- 2. Brainstorm
- 3. From this determine whether it will be a comparison/contrast or both
- 4. Determine whether you will write point by point or whole by whole.
- 5. What is the point of the essay? What is the thesis (topic/stand/why)?
- 6. Which point of view will you write in (again—it’s easiest to write in first, but you may now write in third).
Four Basics of Good Comparison and Contrast Essays:
- 1. It uses subjects that can be compared because they have enough in common to make sense.
- 2. There is a clear thesis/purpose to the comparison or contrast.
- 3. There are many examples of the differences or similarities between the two things.
- 4. It is clearly organized either point by point or whole by whole.
Possible Topics
- a. Two places you have lived. Focus on the
- differences.
- b. Two jobs you have had. Focus on the
- differences.
- c. Two of your friends or you and a sibling.
