How to write a compare and contrast essay for college

How to write a compare and contrast essay for college

 · Like any good essay, a compare and contrast paper must contain a clear organizational structure that gives your most important points their own body paragraphs. 1. Begin by Brainstorming With a Venn Diagram. The best compare and contrast essays demonstrate a high level of blogger.comted Reading Time: 4 mins To write a good compare and contrast essay, choose two (or more) subjects that have a meaningful connection. The purpose of this kind of essay is to present unexpected similarities and unobvious differences. It gives a better understanding to the reader if the compare and contrast are drawn among the subjects of the same category. 2  · Longing to know how to write a compare and contrast essay? Then read on without hesitation! Choose the Subject. Unless the tutor’s guidelines stipulate and drive a subject, this stage is of crucial importance. Indeed, a great choice may lead to an amazing paper – or a complete disaster! Want to know the ins and outs of how to write a good compare and contrast essay? Some points are to

Compare & Contrast Essay - Excelsior College OWL

A compare and contrast essay examines two or more topics objects, people, or ideas, for examplecomparing their similarities and contrasting their differences. You may choose to focus exclusively on comparing, exclusively on how to write a compare and contrast essay for college, or on both-or your instructor may direct you to do one or both.

First, pick useable subjects and list their characteristics. In fact, their individual characteristics determine whether the subjects are useable. After that, choose a parallel pattern of organization and effective transitions to set your paper above the merely average.

Picking a subject Focus on things that can obviously be compared or contrasted. For instance, if you are examining an idea political or philosophical examine the opposite of that idea. Or, if you are examining a person, like a president, pick another president for comparison or contrast.

Don't try to compare a president and a cab driver, or existentialism and a legislative bill on car tax refunds. Listing characteristics Divide a piece of paper into two sides.

One side is for the first subject, the other for the second subject. Then, begin to list the similarities and differences that immediately come to mind. Concentrate on characteristics that either are shared or are opposing between the two subjects. Alternately, how to write a compare and contrast essay for college, you may construct a Venn diagram of intersecting circles, listing the subjects' differences to either side and their similarities where the circles intersect.

Keep in mind that for a balanced paper, you want to make point-by-point, parallel comparisons or contrasts. Similarities between my math and English instructors: Both are welcoming and available to students.

Both are organized and keep a neat office. Both are knowledgeable and professional. Differences between my math and English instructors Math teacher listens to classic rock.

English teacher listens to jazz. Math teacher drinks Earl Grey tea. English teacher drinks strong black coffee. Math teacher likes to chat about movies. English teacher sticks to business.

As you create your list, is it clear why you are comparing and contrasting these two subjects? Do you have a preference for one or the other? If so, make sure you are evaluating each side fairly.

A point-by-point list helps you maintain balance. Once you have a list, decide whether there are more similarities or differences between the topics.

If there are more similarities, concentrate your paper on comparing. If there are more differences or if, as in the how to write a compare and contrast essay for college above, the differences are simply more interestingconcentrate on contrasting. If there is a balance of similarities and differences, you might concentrate on discussing this balance. Imagine you are examining Robert E.

Lee and Ulysses S. Grant, both Civil War generals. In your list you have uncovered important points of dissimilarity between them. Those points are their background, personalities, and underlying aspirations. Call these three points A, B, and C. You have decided to contrast the two subjects. Here is one way to organize the body of this paper, addressing points A, B, and C for each subject. This paper will follow parallel order—A, B, and then C—for each subject:.

Lee's background B. Lee's personality C. Lee's underlying aspirations. Grant's background B. Grant's personality C. Grant's underlying aspirations. Lee's underlying aspiration C. Grant's underlying aspiration. For a shorter paper, the above might represent three paragraphs; if you are writing a long paper and have a great deal of information, you may choose to write about each point, A, B, and C, in separate paragraphs for a total of six.

However you decide to organize, make sure it is clear why you are examining this subject. You might be able to compare apples and oranges, for example, but why would you? Include any insights or opinions you have gathered. And yes, in general, three is the magic number. While there is no hard-and-fast rule that precludes creating a paper based on two points, or four, or five, a three-point discussion is manageable, especially for complex or abstract subjects.

At the same time, a three-point structure helps you avoid oversimplifying, especially when addressing controversial topics in which discussions tend to become polarized—right or wrong, black or white, for or against. Three-point treatments encourage discussion of the middle ground. Signaling transitions Learn to use expressions that precisely convey contrast or comparison. These expressions, or transitions, signal contrast:.

Signal words such as these help the reader understand the relationships between your sentences, paragraphs, and ideas.

In particular, if you are both comparing and contrasting, signal words help sort out what's what. Home Calendars Library Bookstore Directory Apply Now Search for Classes Register Online Classes MyBC Portal. Butte College Butte Campus Drive, Oroville CA General Information Shortcut Navigation: Page Content Sidebar Content Main Navigation Quick links Search Footer. This paper will follow parallel order—A, B, and then C—for each subject: A. Lee's underlying aspirations A. Grant's underlying aspirations However, how to write a compare and contrast essay for college, here is another way to organize the same paper: A.

Lee's background A. Lee's personality B. Grant's underlying aspiration For a shorter paper, the above might represent three paragraphs; if you are writing a long paper and have a great deal of information, you may choose to write about each point, A, B, and C, in separate paragraphs for a total of six.

These expressions, or transitions, signal contrast: on the contrary on the other hand however otherwise whereas still yet These expressions signal comparison: as well as both like in common with likewise also Signal words such as these help the reader understand the relationships between your sentences, paragraphs, and ideas.

Compare and Contrast Essay Example: ENG111

, time: 13:44

Compare and Contrast Essay: Structure, Outline&Examples | blogger.com

 · Like any good essay, a compare and contrast paper must contain a clear organizational structure that gives your most important points their own body paragraphs. 1. Begin by Brainstorming With a Venn Diagram. The best compare and contrast essays demonstrate a high level of blogger.comted Reading Time: 4 mins You may structure the compare and contrast essay using either the alternating method (stating one aspect of one thing and immediately discussing the same aspect of the other item and how they are similar or different) or the block method (discussing all of the aspects of one thing and then discussing all of the aspects of another).Estimated Reading Time: 1 min To write a good compare and contrast essay, choose two (or more) subjects that have a meaningful connection. The purpose of this kind of essay is to present unexpected similarities and unobvious differences. It gives a better understanding to the reader if the compare and contrast are drawn among the subjects of the same category. 2