COMPARISON/CONTRAST

THREE PARTS OF ESSAYINTRODUCTIONBODYCONCLUSION

WRITING PROCESSPREWRITING

- Freewriting- Questioning- Making a list- Diagramming

INTRODUCTIONServe three main purposes:

1. Catch the reader’s attention2. Explain the topic of the essay3. Writer’s position on the topic and the

subtopics

THESIS STATEMENTThe thesis statement tells the reader

what the essay will be about and the point of the

essay.

Thesis statement will have two parts:1. Topic2. Point of the essay/ the main ideas that

will be discussed.

Examples of topics: You and your friend constantly surf through the Internet in

search of the information, but use different search engines. You had a bet about what search engine proves to be better: Google or Yahoo. Compare and contrast these two search engines and show your friend the objective picture of how the things are.

You are going to study in Germany. You don't know anything about the educational system in this country. You decide to approach to this question seriously, as your future depends directly on your choice. You try to get to know more about the educational system in Germany. You haven't decided yet whether you are ready to leave your native country. Compare and contrast educational systems in America and Germany.

Compare the Science courses and Art courses.

Make the comparison and contrast of the glamour rock of the early seventieth and the contemporary rock.

Compare and contrast the main characters of Moby Dick and the Rime of the Ancient Mariner.

Instruction:For several hundred years the Mongols ruled over both Russia and China.  After casting off Mongol domination, both areas began a process of political and cultural recovery. Compare and contrast these processes in Russia and China.

Thesis Statement: When Russia and China recovered from Mongol domination

they had similar political goals but different cultural goals.

DEFINITIONCompare

How things are alike or similarHow things are different

ContrastHow things are different

TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONBLOCK ORGANIZATION

1. Introduction 2. Topic 1 (a)3. Topic 1 (b)4. Topic 2 (a)5. Topic 2 (b)6. Conclusion

POINT BY POINT1. Introduction2. First Similarity (Topic 1 and Topic 2)3. Second Similarity (Topic 1 and Topic

2)4. First Difference (Topic 1 and Topic 2)5. Second Difference (Topic 1 and Topic

2)6. Conclusion

TRANSITION SIGNALSTo show contrast/difference/ apparent contradiction:

in contrast neverthelesshowever still yet despite on the other hand in spite of on the contrary instead although while otherwise even though conversely whereas as opposed to rather unlike

To show similarity:

alsolikelikewisesimilar tosimilarlyby the same tokenjust as . . . so toothe same is true of . . .indeedin comparisonin additionfurthermoremoreovernot only . . . but also

Compare/Contrast TopicsInfatuation versus LoveCompare and Contrast Two People Whom

You admireThe Happiest Day and The Saddest Day of

Your Life