Unit 2

Developing Your Compare

and Contrast Essay
Brainstorming
We finished the last presentation by noting the importance of selecting a purpose for your essay.
Once you have that purpose, you can begin the process of comparing and contrasting. One way to
do this is to create a Venn diagram, which uses two overlapping circles. We’ll explore other ways to
organize ideas in Unit 3.

If you were going to

Object 2 Differences compare and contrast
Object 1 Differences dogs versus cats, then
Similarities what might you put in
this Venn diagram?
Brainstorming
Did you come up with some of these ideas? You can probably think of many more. In an essay,
you’ll want to limit your ideas to 2-4 comparisons to ensure that your paper does not become
unmanageable. Think about which of these comparisons would be the most important for an
essay about whether dogs or cats make better pets. Next, we'll look at essay structure.

Dogs Cats
Similarities
● Loyal ● Do not require daily
● Need exercise -Require care and walks
● Need to be taken feeding ● Can use an indoor litter
- Companionship
outside for -Furry box
bathroom ● Tend to hide from
people
Two Structures For A Compare/Contrast
Essay
Subject Structure Point-by-Point Structure

All comparisons are made for subject 1 Both subjects are explored for each
before you move on to subject 2. comparison point.

Introduction Introduction

Subject 1 Comparison 1
-Comparison 1 -Subject 1
-Comparison 2 -Subject 2
-Comparison 3
Comparison 2
Subject 2 -Subject 1
-Comparison 1 -Subject 2
-Comparison 2
-Comparison 3 Conclusion

Conclusion
Let’s Take A Look At An Example
New York and Hong Kong are similar in population and size, but their differing cultures and
political climates make them individually unique.
Subject Structure Point-by-Point Structure

Introduction Introduction

New York Population and Size

-Population and size -New York
-Culture -Hong Kong
-Politics
Culture
Hong Kong -New York
-Population and size -Hong Kong
-Culture
-Politics Politics
-New York
Conclusion -Hong Kong

Conclusion
Criteria for Comparisons and Contrasts
It’s important that your reader knows what criteria you are using to compare and
contrast. Criteria are the points you are using to make your comparison. If they are
not clear, your reader may not understand your argument.

Take a look at the example below. Can you determine what is wrong with the comparison
criteria?

Ebooks are easy to purchase. However, paper books take up a lot of

space.
Criteria for Comparisons and Contrasts
Ebooks are easy to purchase. However, paper books take up a lot of space.

In this example, the comparison criteria do not match. The first sentence focuses on how easy
ebooks are to buy, but the next sentence highlights the amount of space paper books need, which
has nothing to do with purchasing ability.

Let’s rewrite this example to make the criteria match:

Ereaders can hold hundreds of books in one small device, so they don’t take up much space. In
contrast, paper books require a lot of shelves and wall space for storage.

Now the criteria for both subjects match. It is clear that the writer is contrasting the amount of
space taken up by ebooks versus paper books.
Compare/Contrast Words
In the presentation called The Paragraph, we learned that we use transition words to
move smoothly between ideas in a paragraph. In the same way, you’ll use compare and
contrast words to transition to new points in your essay.

Compare Words Contrast Words

● Similarly ● In contrast
● Also ● While
● Likewise ● But
● Just like (+ noun) ● Although
● Not only ● On the other hand
● Equally ● However
● Both ● Yet
● In the same way ● Differ
Let’s Look At An Example:
The countryside is a more peaceful place to live in than the city because it has more space, less pollution,
and a quieter environment. A city and a country county can have the same amount of people, but the city
usually has less space to fit those people. The cramped buildings of a city make the limited space feel
crowded, which can generate stress. In contrast, the country has fewer buildings and more open space.
Both city power plants and country farms can generate pollution, but the additional space in the country
means more room for that pollution to dissipate. Some people enjoy honking cars, yelling pedestrians, and
other city noises. On the other hand, fewer buildings and cars in the country mean that you can always
hear yourself think in peace and quiet. For these reasons, the countryside provides a more tranquil
atmosphere than the city.

● Can you tell what structure this writer used?

● What is the purpose of their paragraph?
● What compare/contrast words do you notice?
Let’s Look At An Example:
The countryside is a more peaceful place to live in than the city because it has more space, less pollution,
and a quieter environment. A city and a country county can have the same amount of people, but the city
usually has less space to fit those people. The cramped buildings of a city make the limited space feel
crowded, which can generate stress. In contrast, the country has fewer buildings and more open space.
Both city power plants and country farms can generate pollution, but the additional space in the country
means more room for that pollution to dissipate. Some people enjoy honking cars, yelling pedestrians, and
other city noises. On the other hand, fewer buildings and cars in the country mean that you can always
hear yourself think in peace and quiet. For these reasons, the countryside provides a more tranquil
atmosphere than the city.

In this paragraph, the writer uses the point-by-point structure to look at space, pollution, and noise.
Their purpose is to prove that the countryside is better than the city. They use words like “both,” “and,”
“On the other hand,” and “But” to move between their ideas.
What Did You Learn In This
Presentation?
● A Venn diagram is a useful brainstorming tool when writing a
compare/contrast essay.

● Compare/Contrast essays can be structured by subject or point by

point.

● It’s important to make sure comparison criteria are clear and match
for each subject.

● Compare/Contrast words provide smooth transitions between ideas.