Analyse, Compare and Contrast Essay

Quick Conceptual Guide to Comparison/Contrast Essays

V.E. Lasnik, Ph.D. © 2015

Fig. 1. This is the general conceptual structure (blueprint) for writing an Comparison/Contrast Essay. Views A and B represent two perspectives of the

same core subject/issue/problem/ideas that will be compared/contrasted across the same/parallel Attributes (1, 2, 3, & 4) or points/dimensions. Note that while

at least two views/subjects (A & B) and one attribute/point is required at the minimum, this model (arbitrarily) uses four possible common attributes. You

could also use any variation, such as comparing and contrasting three (or more) views across five or six attributes/dimensions. There is no perfect high-level

model for every situation, but the ones shown here are fine to adapt.

The following two examples conceptually illustrate how to take the same two

views/subjects, compare and contrast them across the same four attributes—but using two very different approaches: the subject-by-subject (also called the

block-by-block) method and the point-by-point (or attribute-by-attribute design = the same thing!) method. These two models are described as follows.

Two Conceptual Guides for the C/C Essay

There are two major methods of constructing (using the conceptual blueprints

that follow) an effective Comparison/Contrast essay. I will describe each of these methods using the same content (views/perspectives and attributes/points) but

following their respective “conceptual organization”.

Fig. 2. Point by Point (or Attribute by Attribute) approach. Use the first

paragraph to introduce both views: provide a brief overview, a hook to interest the reader, and clearly specify how you plan to approach your

comparison/contrast, using the Point method and contrasting across which points/attributes. Then in para. 2, describe the position/perspective of View A on

Attribute 1; then contrast by describing the position/perspective of View B on Attribute 1. Proceed to para. 3, describe the position/perspective of View A on

Attribute 2; then contrast by describing the position/perspective of View B on

Attribute 2. Continue the point-by-point paragraph approach until all attributes have been examined across both views. Add a final paragraph by writing a brief

summary of each preceding comparison/contrast and some form of conclusion.

EXAMPLE: Core Issue: Energy; View A = alternatives (solar, wind, nuclear); View B = conventional fossil fuels (coal/oil). Compare each/both across the

following attributes (points): Attribute 1 = electricity generation potential (watts); Attribute 2 = production (start-up) costs; Attribute 3 = negative

environmental impacts (externalities); Attribute 4 = renewability/sustainability potential. Include introduction/overview and summary/conclusion paragraphs.

A

A

A

A

B

B

B

B

Paragraph 2

Paragraph 3

Paragraph 4

Paragraph 5

Paragraph 1

Introduction

Fig. 3. Subject by Subject (also known as “Block by Block: in these models, each “View” represents a subject, so you can consider this a “View by View”

approach). Just like the point-by-point essay, use the first paragraph to introduce both views: provide a brief overview, a hook to interest the reader, and

clearly specify how you plan to approach your comparison/contrast, using the Block method and contrasting across which points/attributes. In paragraphs 2-3

(you could do it all in a single or multiple paragraph breaks as long as you are focusing exclusively on View A), describe the position/perspective of View A

across Attributes 1, 2, 3, and 4. Then in paragraphs 4-5 (you could do it all in a single or multiple paragraph breaks as long as you are focusing exclusively on

View B this time), describe the position/perspective of View B across Attributes 1, 2, 3, and 4. Add a final paragraph by writing a brief summary of each preceding

comparison/contrast “block” and some form of conclusion.

EXAMPLE: Core Issue: Energy; View A = alternatives (solar, wind, nuclear); View B = conventional fossil fuels (coal/oil). Describe View A on the following

attributes: Attribute 1 = electricity generation potential (watts); Attribute 2 =

production (start-up) costs; Attribute 3 = negative environmental impacts (externalities); Attribute 4 = renewability/sustainability potential. THEN describe

View B on the same Attributes 1, 2, 3, and 4, and in that same order. Include introduction/overview and summary/conclusion paragraphs. A Final Thought:

While each “pure method” ostensibly has its advantages and disadvantages, some writers prefer to mix/match both approaches by integrating them within

their narrative/descriptive comparison and contrast prose. I would recommend the Point by Point (attribute) method (See Fig. 2) generally as it is often easier

for the reader to follow and is also a cleaner way of writing a typical C/C essay!

Paragraphs 2-3

Paragraph 1

Introduction