Comparison and Contrast:Finding Similarities and Differences

Steps for Writing a Comparison and Contrast Essay

1. Determine your purpose and rationale. 2. Choose two things to compare/contrast.

These are your subjects. They should have something in common.

3. Brainstorm the points that you are going to compare/contrast between the subjects.

4. Find evidence for each point and analyze it.

5. Determine your claims about each point of comparison.

6. Weight the evidence. From here, develop a thesis.

7. Determine your organizational patterns .

Determining your purpose

In general, we compare and contrast to help

us make a decision by analyzing the pros

and cons, benefits and costs, and/orqualities and drawbacks of one subjectversus another

Determining your purpose

For this next assignment your purpose will be to

make a comparative analysis of two points of

view relevant to your research question to help

you to better understand your topic and form your

thesis for the big paper.

Your rationale for choosing the two sources will

depend on your research objectives.

Choosing Your Subjects

These two points of view can come fromexperts cited in books, newspapers,

magazines,trade or scholarly journals, authors ofscholarly articles, and/or organizations orgroups that have a stake in the issue you

are researching.

Choosing Your Subjects

Avoid “comparing apples to oranges.” For

example, you would have a hard timecomparing the points of view from anacademic researcher with a blog by ananonymous person.

Determining your Rationale

State what these two subjects have incommon, what is different about them,

andwhat you aim to learn about your topicby comparing/contrasting the two.

Brainstorming Points for Comparison

Purpose:To better understand the controversy surrounding

copyright lawsand electronic file sharing.

Subjects:The RIAA (Recording Industry of America) and the EFF

(TheElectronic Frontier Foundation)

Rationale:To compare and contrast how each group fights different

sidesof the same battle surrounding copyrights and

technology.

Finding your Points for Comparison

To determine these you will first need to do some additional

reading. Look for common themes and issues between each

subject. Take notes and analyze them. Then select overlapping

themes and issues that have some depth.

Points of Comparison:

1. Organizational “Mission Statements” 2. Positions on File Sharing3. Activities

Points of Comparison

Mission Statements

Positions on file sharing

Activities

Subject #1:

R.I.A.A.

Trade group that represents the U.S. Recording Industry. Works to “protect intellectual property rights worldwide and the First Amendment rights of artists; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. “

Seeks to uphold the law protecting copyrights to the full extent. Views “pirating” as a term not strong enough to convey the damage done by music theft.

Uses a “multi-faceted approach” to combat music theft: Provides education about the law; provides legal downloading models; deploys investigators nationwide; pursues legal action.

Subject #2:

E.F.F.

Non-profit public interest group founded in 1990. Works to defend “free speech, privacy, innovation, and consumer rights” as they pertain to digital media.

Seeks to uphold “fair use.” Views common investigative tactics against file sharing as an invasion of privacy and a breach of civil liberties.

Raises awareness on rights in cyberspace and defends individuals who have created or used technological innovations.

Point #1: Mission StatementsSubject #1:R.I.A.A.Support: The RIAA is a trade group

that represents the U.S. Recording Industry. Works to “protect intellectual property rights worldwide and the First Amendment rights of artists; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. “ It appears that most of the RIAA’s board members are executives of recording companies and its clients are also often those same private companies.

Analysis: Therefore, it appears that the RIAA is designed to serve private interests.

Subject #2:E.F.F.Support: The EFF is a non-profit

public interest group founded in 1990. It works to defend “free speech, privacy, innovation, and consumer rights” as they pertain to digital media.

Analysis: The EFF does not exist for profit, and most of its clients are common citizens, artists, or organizations that have been accused of violating free speech or copyright law.

Claim #1: The RIAA is designed to serve

private interests while the EFF defends the

rights of artists and common citizens.

From the results of the T-Chart you candetermine your claims:

Claim #1: The RIAA is designed to serve

private interests while the EFF defends the

rights of artists and common citizens. Claim #2: The RIAA and the EFF have

verydifferent views on file sharing.Claim #3: While the RIAA investigatesillegal downloading and the EFF

defendsthose accused, both organizations areinvolved in educating the public anddefending innovators.

Creating a Thesis Statement for your Compare/Contrast Paper

From your rationale and your claims and

determine your thesis:

In comparing how the RIAA and EFF fight

different sides of the same battlesurrounding copyrights and

technology, itbecomes clear that they actually share

somecommon goals.

Weighting your Claims

However, you may determine that one

point of comparison is moreimportant than another.In these cases you will need to

weightyour claims.

Revised Thesis

In comparing how the RIAA and EFF

fight different sides of the same battle

surrounding copyrights and technology,

it becomes clear that even though they

they disagree on the dangers of illegal

file sharing, they actually share some

common goals.

Comparison/Contrast Organizational Patterns

Point by point structure: switch between each subject to discuss each sub-point

Block structure: discuss all of the sub-points of each subject before switching to the next subject

Points of Comparison

Mission Statements

Positions on file sharing

Activities

Subject #1:

R.I.A.A.

Trade group that represents the U.S. Recording Industry. Works to “protect intellectual property rights worldwide and the First Amendment rights of artists; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. “

Seeks to uphold the law protecting copyrights to the full extent. Views “pirating” as a term not strong enough to convey the damage done by music theft.

Uses a “multi-faceted approach” to combat music theft: Provides education about the law; provides legal downloading models; deploys investigators nationwide; pursues legal action.

Subject #2:

E.F.F.

Non-profit public interest group founded in 1990. Works to defend “free speech, privacy, innovation, and consumer rights” as they pertain to digital media.

Seeks to uphold “fair use.” Views common investigative tactics against file sharing as an invasion of privacy and a breach of civil liberties.

Raises awareness on rights in cyberspace and defends individuals who have created or used technological innovations.

Unity, Coherence, and Development

Unity: each support and analysis fits the claim; the claims support the thesis

Coherence: one idea leads logically to the next; different subjects and points of comparison are clearly distinct by use of consistent terms and transitional words and phrases.

Development: there is enough evidence and analysis to convince readers that the claim is true; conclusion sentences define any assumptions (premises) or implications of the paragraph

Transition Words

Comparison additionally in addition again along the same

lines as well as both furthermore in the same way just as…so like, or likewise similarly

More Transition Words

Contrast although but by contrast conversely despite the fact even though however in contrast nevertheless nonetheless on the contrary on the other hand regardless whereas while yet

In-Class Activity

Choose one of the following pair of subjects

and develop your own points of comparison,

claims, and thesis on the small T-Chart:• Compare/Contrast a book you have read

with a movie-version of that book that you have seen

• Compare/Contrast a friend from college with a friend from high school

• Compare/Contrast the pros/cons of living on-campus with pros/cons of living off-campus