1. A Brief Overview to Writing A Comparison/Contrast Essay Similarities and Differences

2. Comparison-and-Contrast Essay at a Glance
Introduction
Conclusion
Restates the main idea or draws a conclusion
Subject A
Only
Subject B
Only
Identifies the subjects being compared
Tells the purpose for the comparison
Both Subjects
RUBRIC
A successful comparison-and-contrast essay should
identify the subjects being compared
establish a clear purpose for the comparison
include both similarities and differences and support them with specific examples and details
follow a clear organizational pattern
use transitional words and phrases to make the relationships among ideas clear
summarize the comparison in the conclusion

3. Brainstorm everything you know about each subject and then go back and look for connections that show similarities and differences.
Brainstorm

4. Develop a Thesis
The thesis statement will evolve from the brainstorming. Look at your list and ask yourself some questions.
"Is there something important, significant, or interesting in the similarities and differences on my list?
What have I discovered about my two topics?"

5. Weak Thesis Statements
They are both somewhat alike and somewhat different.
I can see some similarities and some differences too.
Strong Thesis statement
Although Sally Strict & Larry Lax are both respected teachers at our school, their teaching styles and expectations for students differ significantly.
BE SPECIFIC about the elements you are comparing/contrasting

6. Dogs Cats Degree of dependence on owner Eagerness to please
Trainability
Cats
Degree of dependence on owner                           
Eagerness to please                    
Trainability

7. Organizing the essay
There are two primary ways to organize the body of your paper:
• the divided pattern/ subject-by-subject
• the alternating pattern/point-by-point

8. Divided/Subject-by-Subject Comparison
A subject-by-subject comparison is, in effect, two separate essays about the same subject. Of course, the essays are linked with a transition and cover the same points. For example, to compare and contrast dogs and cats, you might organize your information in the following way:
       Introduction: Thesis statement - Even though dogs and cats are both popular pets, they have vastly different characteristics that require owners to deal with them in different ways.
        Dogs                Point 1: Dependent                Point 2: Eager to please                Point 3: Easily trained
        Cats                Point 1: Independent                Point 2: Indifferent about pleasing                Point 3: Not easily trained
        Conclusion: Restatement of thesis

9. Alternating/Point-by-Point Comparison: When you write a point-by-point comparison, you write about each major point for both subjects before moving on to another main point.    
Introduction: Thesis statement - Even though dogs and cats are both popular pets, they have vastly different characteristics that require owners to deal with them in different ways.
        Degree of dependence on owner                    Dogs                    Cats
        Eagerness to please             Dogs                 Cats
        Trainability              Dogs              Cats
        Conclusion: Restatement of thesis