Comparison/Contrast
Comparing/contrasting
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/comparison_contrast.html
The Writing Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb Comparing/Contrasting
What this handout is about...
This handout will help you first to determine whether a particular assignment is asking for comparison/contrast and then to generate a list of similarities and differences, decide which similarities and differences to focus on, and organize your paper so that it will be clear and effective. It will also explain how you can (and why you should) develop a thesis that goes beyond "Thing A and Thing B are similar in many ways but different in others."
Introduction
In your career as a student, you'll encounter many …show more content…
Discovering similarities and differences
Making a Venn diagram or a chart can help you quickly and efficiently compare and contrast two or more things or ideas. To make a Venn diagram, simply draw some overlapping circles, one circle for each item you're considering. In the central area where they overlap, list the traits the two items have in common. Assign each one of the areas that doesn't overlap; in those areas, you can list the traits that make the things different. Here's a very simple example, using two pizza places:
To make a chart, figure out what criteria you want to focus on in comparing the items. Along the left side of the page, list each of the criteria. Across the top, list the names of the items. You should then have a box per item for each criterion; you can fill the boxes in and then survey what you've discovered.
Here's an example, this time using three pizza …show more content…
Your thesis
The thesis of your comparison/contrast paper is very important: it can help you create a focused argument and give your reader a road map so she/he doesn't get lost in the sea of points you are about to make. As in any paper, you will want to replace vague reports of your general topic (for example, "This paper will compare and contrast two pizza places," or "Pepper's and Amante are similar in some ways and different in others," or "Pepper's and Amante are similar in many ways, but they have one major difference") with something more detailed and specific. For example, you might say, "Pepper's and
Amante have similar prices and ingredients, but their atmospheres and willingness to deliver set them apart." Be careful, though—although this thesis is fairly specific and does propose a simple argument (that atmosphere and delivery make the two pizza places different), your instructor will often be looking for a bit more analysis. In this case, the obvious question is "So what? Why should anyone care that
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/comparison_contrast.html
The Writing Center
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb Comparing/Contrasting
What this handout is about...
This handout will help you first to determine whether a particular assignment is asking for comparison/contrast and then to generate a list of similarities and differences, decide which similarities and differences to focus on, and organize your paper so that it will be clear and effective. It will also explain how you can (and why you should) develop a thesis that goes beyond "Thing A and Thing B are similar in many ways but different in others."
Introduction
In your career as a student, you'll encounter many …show more content…
Discovering similarities and differences
Making a Venn diagram or a chart can help you quickly and efficiently compare and contrast two or more things or ideas. To make a Venn diagram, simply draw some overlapping circles, one circle for each item you're considering. In the central area where they overlap, list the traits the two items have in common. Assign each one of the areas that doesn't overlap; in those areas, you can list the traits that make the things different. Here's a very simple example, using two pizza places:
To make a chart, figure out what criteria you want to focus on in comparing the items. Along the left side of the page, list each of the criteria. Across the top, list the names of the items. You should then have a box per item for each criterion; you can fill the boxes in and then survey what you've discovered.
Here's an example, this time using three pizza …show more content…
Your thesis
The thesis of your comparison/contrast paper is very important: it can help you create a focused argument and give your reader a road map so she/he doesn't get lost in the sea of points you are about to make. As in any paper, you will want to replace vague reports of your general topic (for example, "This paper will compare and contrast two pizza places," or "Pepper's and Amante are similar in some ways and different in others," or "Pepper's and Amante are similar in many ways, but they have one major difference") with something more detailed and specific. For example, you might say, "Pepper's and
Amante have similar prices and ingredients, but their atmospheres and willingness to deliver set them apart." Be careful, though—although this thesis is fairly specific and does propose a simple argument (that atmosphere and delivery make the two pizza places different), your instructor will often be looking for a bit more analysis. In this case, the obvious question is "So what? Why should anyone care that