Compare and Contrast Essay

Learn more about the Compare and Contrast Essay in the presentation below.

Planning and Developing Your Compare/Contrast Essay:

Begin by creating a brainstorm. To help you line up all the information you have and what you want to include in your essay, it helps to divide a piece of paper intro three columns. At the top of the first column, put "A", or the name of the first subject of your paper. At the top of the last column, put "B" or the name of the second subject. In the middle column, put "A and B". In the first column, list all the ways in which "A" is unique. In the last column, list all the ways in which "B" is unique, and in the center column list all the characteristics "A" and "B" share. Now you are all lined up to write a comparison and contrast essay.
Decide why each point of comparison or contrast is important.
Decide what points of comparison or contrast are the most important or the most revealing and which ones will be included in the essay.
Decide which of the two patterns of comparison and contrast best fits your purpose: divided format or alternating format.
Remember to make clear to your reader when you are switching from one subject to another or from one point of comparison or contrast to another through the use of clear transitions. Transitions are important in comparison/contrast writing, especially with the point-by-point organization, to avoid confusion. Without transitions, the points you are comparing/contrasting may blur into one another. Also, a variety of transitions prevent monotony.
Proofread and edit your rough drafts thoroughly to transform it into a quality final copy. One of the most thorough ways to evaluate the effectiveness of a comparison/contrast essay is to ask the following: Is the essay balanced? The most common error in a comparison/contrast essay is spending too much time on one subject and too little on the other. Make sure the essay equally and thoroughly covers both subjects.

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