Comparison and Contrast Essay
Select a topic Choose a topic that can be narrowed down to a manageable essay. Think of your angle or how you want to present the topic
Research Use notecards Be sure to get your source citations
Organizing your work Brainstorm to organize your work Make a chart with three columns Traits of Subject 1 Shared traits Traits of Subject 2
Thesis Review your list of traits Write a sentence stating what you learned Ex: While the ____________ and _____________ seem similar, they are different in several ways. Page 169
Draft the essay Opening Get readers’ attention and introduce the two subjects and thesis Page 173
Middle Describe one package of traits representing the first subject and a parallel set of traits representing the second subject Page 174
Conclusion Point out similarities and differences, point out their significance, and restate your main point. Page 176
Opening Get readers’ attention and introduce the two subjects and thesis
Middle Compare and contrast the two subjects trait by trait (include transitions that help the reader look back and forth between the two subjects).
Conclusion Summarize the key relationships, note their significance, and restate your main point.
Revise Balanced comparisons Complete and thoughtful treatment of each subject Clear, smooth sentences with varied structure Title and introduction that create interest Thoughtful unifying conclusion Strong word choices
Get Feedback Peer edit A clear interesting thesis An engaging and informative introduction A middle that compares/contrasts parallel traits A conclusion that restate the main point and unifies the essay
Edit Transitions that signal comparisons and link paragraphs: on the other hand, in contrast, similarly, also, both, even though, in the same way Correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage Correct documentation - MLA
Publish Type in MLA format 12 point Times New Roman 1 inch margins Double spaced Your name, class, my name, date in upper top left corner Title centered – do not underline