Introduction to Comparison and Contrast

How are these examples similar? How are they different?

What is Comparison and Contrast? Comparison shows how two or more things are similar Comparison shows how two or more things are similar Contrast shows how two or more things are different Contrast shows how two or more things are different

Analogy Looks for similarities between two essentially dissimilar things (figurative language—similes and metaphors) Looks for similarities between two essentially dissimilar things (figurative language—similes and metaphors) How does this help with comparison and contrast? How does this help with comparison and contrast?

Using Comparison and Contrast How is Comparison and Contrast analysis useful in everyday life? How is Comparison and Contrast analysis useful in everyday life? Examples: Examples: Buying a car (Which car is cheaper? Which one gets better gas mileage? Which car is faster?) Buying a car (Which car is cheaper? Which one gets better gas mileage? Which car is faster?) Deciding where to live (Is it better to rent or own? Which place is closest to my job? Which place is in the better neighborhood?) Deciding where to live (Is it better to rent or own? Which place is closest to my job? Which place is in the better neighborhood?)

Even something as basic… …as deciding where to take a date on Friday night could use Comparison and Contrast analysis …as deciding where to take a date on Friday night could use Comparison and Contrast analysis Restaurant “A” might be cheaper, but your date might be more impressed by Restaurant “B” Restaurant “A” might be cheaper, but your date might be more impressed by Restaurant “B” Movie “A” is a comedy, which might make the night more light-hearted, but Movie “B” got better reviews. Movie “A” is a comedy, which might make the night more light-hearted, but Movie “B” got better reviews.

Planning a Comparison and Contrast Essay How to choose? How to choose? Be sure that both subjects have a common element---Cats and Dogs Be sure that both subjects have a common element---Cats and Dogs Basis for Comparison: Basis for Comparison: –It has a common element –Should lead your readers beyond the obvious –Be interesting—bees and Jeeps –Provide yourself with a challenge

Selecting Points of Discussion Determine your emphasis: Comparison, Contrast, or BOTH Determine your emphasis: Comparison, Contrast, or BOTH Make sure that you treat the elements the same. Make sure that you treat the elements the same. Avoid the common error of discussing different elements for each subject. Avoid the common error of discussing different elements for each subject.

Formulating a Thesis Your thesis should establish the significance of comparison and contrast and possibly the relative merits of the items discussed. Your thesis should establish the significance of comparison and contrast and possibly the relative merits of the items discussed. Tell your readers what to expect. Tell your readers what to expect. Indicate if you are going to focus on comparison or contrast or a balance of both. Indicate if you are going to focus on comparison or contrast or a balance of both. Also, you may list the points of comparison and contrast in the order they will be discussed in the essay Also, you may list the points of comparison and contrast in the order they will be discussed in the essay

Sample Thesis statements 1.) Despite the fact that doctors and nurses perform distinctly different tasks at a hospital, their functions overlap when they interact with patients. 2.) Although Melville’s Moby Dick and London’s The Sea Wolf are both about the sea, the major characters, minor characters, and themes of Moby Dick establish its greater complexity

Structuring a Comparison and Contrast Essay Subject-by-subject comparison essay You essentially write a separate essay about each subject, but you discuss the same points about each subject. You essentially write a separate essay about each subject, but you discuss the same points about each subject. You use the same basis for comparison to guide your selection of supporting points, and you arrange these in a logical order. You use the same basis for comparison to guide your selection of supporting points, and you arrange these in a logical order. Disadvantages: Puts a lot of demands on the reader, may make your essay seem less unified or coherent. Disadvantages: Puts a lot of demands on the reader, may make your essay seem less unified or coherent.

Structuring a Comparison and Contrast Essay Point-by-point Comparison Essay Point-by-point Comparison Essay First make a point about one subject and then follow it with a comparable point about the other. First make a point about one subject and then follow it with a comparable point about the other. Advantages: Useful for longer essays, easy to organize, easy for the reader Advantages: Useful for longer essays, easy to organize, easy for the reader Disadvantages: Can tend to be monotonous—avoid by using transitions and varying sentence structure Disadvantages: Can tend to be monotonous—avoid by using transitions and varying sentence structure