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.