Comparison & Contrast

Comparison Similarities

Contrast Differences

Comparison: How things are both alike and different (English class)

( Sometimes only similarities.)

Contrast: How things are different

If you are not sure about an instructor's definition, ask.

The aim of the comparison/contrast essay: fresh insight.

"in a compare-and-contrast, the thesis [or topic sentence] depends on how the two things you [have] chosen to compare actually relate to one another. Do they extend, corroborate, complicate, contradict, correct, or debate one another? In the most common compare-and-contrast paper—one focusing on differences—you can indicate the precise relationship between A and B by using the word "whereas" in your thesis" ("How to Write a Comparative Analysis.")

extend

to enlarge the scope, influence or meaning, or make more comprehensive,

corroborate

to make more certain, confirm

complicate

to make intricate, complex, involved

contradict

to assert the contrary

correct

to make a correction

debate

a discussion involving opposing viewpoints

Significant bases yields significant revelation and insight.

See

Walk, Kerry. “How to Write a Comparative Analysis.” Writing Center. 1998. Harvard University. Web. 10 Aug. 2011. Link: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/documents/CompAnalysis.html

for a discussion of "Grounds for Comparison."

• Identify the bases for comparison (bases, plural of basis, "anything upon whichsomething is based; fundamental principle; groundwork")

• Limit to major bases, major points of similarity and contrast to provide unity and structure

Comparison-contrast must discuss

the same bases

in the same order

for both subjects.

Source: McCuen-Metherell, Jo Ray and Anthony C. Winkler. "Comparison/Contrast" From Idea to Essay: A Rhetoric, Reader, and Handbook, 12th ed. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 2009: 269-302.

Organizational Patterns

There are two basic patterns for organizing comparison and contrast: the alternating pattern and the block pattern.

•With the alternating pattern, the writer moves back and forth between the two things. The two things are compared and contrasted point by point or characteristic by characteristic.

•With the block pattern, the writer gives all the significant characteristics or points of one thing in a block. Then, in a matching block, the characteristics or points of the second thing are compared and contrasted with the first.

The following chart shows how to create outlines for both the block and alternating patterns. In each case, A and B are the things being compared and contrasted.

Source: "Compare and Contrast: Organization." CUNY WriteSite. City U of NY. 2000. Web. 15 Apr. 2016. http://writesite.cuny.edu/projects/keywords/compwork/organize1.html

Additional Resources:

"Compare/Contrast Papers." Political Science/JSIS/LSJ Writing Center. Web. 20 Aug. 2010. Provides organizational strategies for comparing two texts.

"Comparing and Contrasting." Handouts and Links: The Writing Center/University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 2007. Web. 20 Aug. 2010. http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/comparison_contrast.html.

The site illustrates methods of organizing ideas for comparison/contrast essay. Additionally, the site link for the thesis http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/thesis.html not only provides examples of thesis statements for comparison/contrast essays, but evaluations of those thesis statements.

Walk, Kerry. "How to Write a Comparative Analysis." The Writing Center at Harvard. 1998. Web. 20 Aug. 2010. http://www.fas.harvard.edu/%7Ewricntr/documents/CompAnalysis.html.