Basics of compare/contrast Body Paragraphs

Intro The essay has a cogent thesis statement that identifies the works you are comparing, the points you are making about them, and their relationship/reflection of their literary time-period; the introduction establishes the same or similar points for both subjects as well as the structure of the essay; the introduction effectively establishes the "so what" point of the comparison.

Thesis statement Although Melville’s Moby-Dick and London’s The Sea Wolf are both about the sea, the minor characters, major characters, and themes of MobyiDick establish its greater complexity. Despite the fact that television and radio are distinctly different media, they use similar strategies to appeal to their audiences.

Body Paragraphs If you have written a subject-by-subject comparison, you include a transition paragraph that connects the two sections of the essay If you have written a point-by-point comparison, you include outstanding transitions and vary your sentence structure to indicate your shift from one point to another; paper makes use of excellent transitional words and phrases that indicate whether you are discussing similarities or differences, and the paper flows beautifully.

Subject by subject outline Despite the fact that television and radio are distinctly different media, they use similar strategies to appeal to their audiences. Television Audiences: Point 1: Men Point 2: Women Point 3: Children Radio Audience

subject-by-subject comparison Topic sentence that links to the thesis but talks just about one of the pieces of literature you are comparing. In his Inaugural Address, John F. Kennedy knew had to prove to his audience that he was the right man for the job of presidency. Lead in: thoughts about the first quote that demonstrates your topic sentence Quote: Analysis: Lead in: thoughts about the second quote that demonstrates your topic sentence Lead in: thoughts about the third if needed quote that demonstrates your topic sentence

Subject by subject Imagine that you have written three paragraphs about JFK, and now you’ll start the next SUBJECT with MLK. In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King wanted to prove to his audience that the accusations of the clergy were false. Lead in: thoughts about the first quote that demonstrates your topic sentence Quote: Analysis: Lead in: thoughts about the second quote that demonstrates your topic sentence Lead in: thoughts about the third if needed quote that demonstrates your topic sentence

Transition paragraph A transitional paragraph provides a concise summary of what was said before and then enables the reader to move on to the next subject.

Point by point In point-by-point, you first make a pint about one subject and then follow it with a comparable point about the other. This alternating pattern continues throughout the body of your essay until all your points have been made. Although Melville’s Moby-Dick and London’s The Sea Wolf are both about the sea, the minor characters, major characters, and themes of MobyiDick establish its greater complexity. Minor Characters: Topic Sentence - Book 1 - Book 2 Major Characters: Topic sentence Themes: Topic Sentence

Transitional words In comparison Although, but, nevertheless In the same way conversely, on the contrary Just as…so despite, on the other hand, Like however Likewise unlike Similarly in contrast