How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

The Best Formats for Comparison in the Short and Long Paper

Mar 24, 2009

The best compare and contrast essays uses either a Subject by Subject or a Point by Point format. Choose the type that suits your topic and main thesis.

A Compare and Contrast essay is a useful tool to have in your toolbox of organizing strategies. Helpful anytime you want to look at two or more subjects side by side and draw conclusions, the compare contrast essay is turned to often in college papers.

Often used in college writing classes, this is the foundation from which most argument and persuasive essays are written. In order to keep the points being addressed clear and orderly it is important to choose your best organizing strategy and stick with it. Here are the two main strategies:

With subject by subject strategy each subject is taken up and examined individually. So if one is comparing football teams, for example, after writing an introductory paragraph which includes an overall point of view of both teams, normally referred to as the thesis, the next paragraph speaks to everything about Iowa football team. Everything about this subject is organized into one or two paragraphs and exhausted before moving on to the next subject. Following this, the other subject is taken up, say the Michigan football team. Now everything about the Michigan team is examined in one or two paragraphs.

To keep a balance between the two topics, use the same number of paragraphs in each. Also, it works best to keep the points in the same order. Subject by subject is a good organizing structure for the shorter essays where two to three paragraphs per subject is generally adequate.

Looks Like This: Structural Outline of Subject by Subject

Notice how this keeps the points in the same order. This makes the essay more clear giving the reader a better chance at keeping track of the points being made.

Point by Point Organization; Best for Longer Essays

The other organizing strategy is a point by point comparison. This works well for the longer and more in-depth essays. The benefit of this type of organization is that the reader can keep better track of all the points being raised. Staying with the topic of two football teams, say you want to discuss particular plays of each team. You decide to focus on.tackles, yard lines, players and goal shots. After writing the introductory paragraph and your thesis statement, each subject is presented and taken up point by point. The first paragraph deals with tackles, say, and first it is addressed with Iowa team and then it is addressed with the Michigan team.

The next paragraph deals with yard lines and likewise first the Iowa team and then in regards to the Michigan team. And so on. As the paper progresses, each point is raised, discussed and then the next. The overall scheme looks like this and is best used for longer, more in depth analysis of several points.

Looks Like This: Structural Outline of Point by Point

The copyright of the article How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay in Essay Writing is owned by Megge Hill Fitz-Randolph. Permission to republish How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Oct 20, 2009 8:50 AM

Guest :

Thanx alot that really helped me :)