Compare and Contrast Essay

Structure
Compare and Contrast Essay
• An essay in which you compare and
contrast two or more items.
▫ You should emphasize the similarities AND
emphasize the differences.
Introduction
• Get your reader’s attention (AG/hook) and
state your purpose (thesis).
▫ The thesis of your comparison/contrast paper
is very important:
 It helps you create a focused argument.
 It gives your reader a road map so she/he
doesn’t get lost in the sea of points you are
about to make.
Thesis
• Replace vague reports of your general topic with
something more detailed and specific
• Bad:
▫ “This paper will compare and contrast two pizza
places.”
▫ “Giuseppe's and Aldo’s are similar in some ways
and different in others.”
▫ “Giuseppe’s and Aldo’s are similar in many ways,
but they have one major difference.”
Thesis
• Better:
▫ “Giuseppe’s and Aldo’s have similar prices and
ingredients, but their atmospheres and willingness to
deliver set them apart.”
• Best:
▫ “Giuseppe’s and Aldo’s both offer a greater variety of
ingredients than other local pizza places (and than any
of the national chains), but the eclectic, lively
atmosphere at Giuseppe’s makes it a better place to
give visiting friends and family a taste of local culture.”
Body Paragraphs
• There are a few different ways to structure your
body paragraphs.
• Two options we will focus on are:
▫ Subject-by-subject
▫ Point-by-point
Subject-by-subject
• Begins by saying everything you have to say
about the first subject you are discussing, then
moves on and makes all the points you want to
make about the second subject (and after that,
the third, and so on, if you’re
comparing/contrasting more than two things)
• DANGER of this subject-by-subject organization
is that your paper will simply be a list of points
Subject-by-Subject
• Compare (how the two restaurants are similar)
▫ Price, location, delivery, menu options, etc.

• Contrast (how the two restaurants are different)

▫ Atmosphere, parking availability, speed of
delivery, coupons, etc.
Point-by-point
• Rather than addressing things one subject at a
time, you may wish to talk about one point of
comparison at a time.
▫ In a single paragraph, discuss how a certain point
of comparison/contrast relates to all the items you
are discussing.
Point-by-point
• The prices at both Giuseppe's and Aldo’s:
• How they are alike/different.

• The ingredients available at both:

• How they are alike/different

• The atmospheres of the two restaurants:

• How they are alike/different
Subject-by-subject vs. Point-by-point

Subject by Subject
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Transition Words
 Venn Diagram

• Overlapping area

Prewrite ideas demonstrates

similarities while
individual sections
should highlight
differences

Giuseppe’s
Aldo’s
Traditional, rustic Better
atmosphere Usual pizza shop setting
option than
chain
restaurants
Long wait times for delivery Quick delivery times

Gluten-free options Limited menu offerings