Compare and contrast essay
Question Description
Write a complete thesis and essay telling us about two of your friends. Focus on either
similarities or differences.
Comparison and Contrast
Moving on…
•What does it mean to compare two things?
•(I will discuss their similarities)
•What does it mean to contrast two things?
•(I will discuss their differences)
•May I do both?
•(Yes!)
•What does it mean to compare two things?
•(I will discuss their similarities)
•What does it mean to contrast two things?
•(I will discuss their differences)
•May I do both?
•(Yes!)
•Let’s discuss the similarities and differences
between:
•Friends Acquaintances
Think about what the similarities would be.
Then determine the differences
Write these down.
•So, do you have more similarities or more
differences?
•Which are more important and why?
•What will you focus on based on your brain-
storming?
•Should you write in point by point or whole by
whole? Why?
•Therefore, once you determine a topic, you
will brainstorm similarities and differences.
•From this, you will determine whether you will
focus on similarities, differences or both.
•You then have another decision to make:
Whole by Whole or Point by Point.
•What is the difference?
Point by Point or Whole by Whole?
•If I planned to write about my friends and my
acquaintances in point by point, what would I do?
•I would write, for instance, that my friends are there
for me when there is a crisis but my acquaintances are
not.
•I would then say that my friends know me and my
personality while my acquaintances do not.
•I may note that my friends spend a lot of time with me
while my acquaintances do not.
•I would do this, side by side.
•If, however, I wanted to use the same topic as
Whole by Whole, what would I do?
•I would first note that my acquaintances are not
there for me when I need them. I would go on to
say that they don’t know me very well. I would
also state that they don’t spend much time with
me.
•Then, I would discuss how my friends are there
for me when I need them, know me very well,
and spend a lot of time with me.
No turning back
•The reader doesn’t have to go back and
review and make the comparisons/contrasts.
They are made for the reader clearly because
they are side-by-side.
•The writer doesn’t get lost and “unbalance”
his/her essay with information not given
about each topic. Since it’s side-by-side, it is
very clear.
What a Comparison/Contrast entails
•1. Select a topic
•2. Brainstorm
•3. From this determine whether it will be a
comparison/contrast or both
•4. Determine whether you will write point by
point or whole by whole.
•5. What is the point of the essay? What is the
thesis (topic/stand/why)?
6. Which point of view will you write in (again
—it’s easiest to write in first, but you may
now write in third).
Four Basics of Good Comparison and
Contrast Essays:
•1. It uses subjects that can be compared
because they have enough in common to
make sense.
•2. There is a clear thesis/purpose to the
comparison or contrast.
•3. There are many examples of the differences
or similarities between the two things.
•4. It is clearly organized either point by point
or whole by whole.
Possible Topics
•a. Two places you have lived. Focus on the
•differences.
•b. Two jobs you have had. Focus on the
•differences.
•c. Two of your friends or you and a sibling.
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