Compare and Contrast Guidelines

“Compare and Contrast” Essay Guidelines * As the name suggests, a compare-and-contrast essay is an academic writing that highlights the differences and similarities between two topics, events, ideas or writings. * Your comparison between the two chosen entities of the topic requires a purpose. Even before you begin researching, you need to know what it is that you are going to attempt unraveling through the essay in order to provide a direction to your research and writing. * A well-performed research is particularly vital for success in a compare-and-contrast essay. Read and note down as much as you can about the two entities you plan to compare through the essay. By knowing the true nature of things, you are in a better position to compare and see the contrast between them. * After you have adequate information about both, you can begin to scrutinize the similarities and differences between the two. Brainstorm a list of the similar points which you perceive. Note them down, one after the other. Consequently, you can identify things which are strikingly different. Don’t stop brainstorming until you can reach a conclusion. Only after you reach a conclusion after research, can actual writing begin. * Now it’s time to decide on your essay’s architecture. After introducing the reader to the motivation behind the comparison, you can either separate the similarities and differences into two blocks (Block method) or you can opt for an alternating structure in which you will be juxtaposing related points together. (Point-by-point method) * Set out clear points of comparison that emerge from your research and begin expanding each point at length using your research material. * Write and read what you wrote. Read the whole thing again after you are done with as little bias as possible and decide whether you have been convincing enough. Keep improving until you feel you couldn’t have done it even better. * If you enjoy the writing process,