1. Compare or Contrast Essay
You compare or contrast every day.
Should you eat pizza for lunch or a salad?
You look at the benefits of pizza, the benefits of salad, and then make your decision.

2. Why compare/contrast? To demonstrate:
That one thing is better than another
That things which seem different are actually alike
That things which seem alike are actually different

3. Suggestions – all of these found in the reading
Be sure subjects are at least somewhat alike
Stay focused
Formulate a strong thesis
Select points to be discussed
Organize the points
Use clear transitions

4. Developing Your Essay Two patterns for organization
Choose one and stick to it throughout.
Point-by-point
The Block

5. Thesis Sentence
Mom’s Hamburger Haven is a much better restaurant than McPhony’s because of its superior food, service and atmosphere.

6. Pattern One: Point by Point
Point 1: Food
A. Mom’s
B. McPhoney’s
Point 2: Service:
B. McPhoneys
Point 3: Atmosphere
B. McPhony’s

7. Now, it’s your turn!
Pair up with a neighbor and try a point by point with this thesis:
Hands down, Katy Perry is a better performance artist than Rihanna because of her superior lip-syncing, dancing and costumes.

8. Here is a template
Point One: A: B:
Point Two
Point Three

9. It Should look like this:
Point One: Lip-Syncing
A:Katy
B:Rihanna
Point Two: Dancing
Point Three: Costumes

10. Remember our original thesis statement?
Mom’s Hamburger Haven is a much better restaurant than McPhony’s because of its superior food, service and atmosphere.

11. Pattern Two: The Block A. Mom’s B. McPhony’s 1. Food 2. Service
3. Atmosphere
B. McPhony’s

12. Now it’s your turn!
Pair up with your neighbor again and put the same thesis sentence into the block pattern.
Hands down, Katy Perry is a better performance artist than Rihanna because of her superior lip-syncing, dancing and costumes.

13. Here is a template A: 1: 2: 3: B:

14. Here’s what it should look like
A: Katy
1: Lip-syncing
2: Dancing
3: Costumes
B: Rihanna

15. Key words to use in your essay
Comparison
Also
Similarly
Too
Both
Like
Not only…but also
Have in common
Share the same
In the same manner
Contrast
However
On the contrary
On the other hand
In contrast
Although
Unlike
Though
Instead of
But

16. Outline
Why outline?
What does an outline look like?

17. Outline