3 paragraph essay compare contrast

A compare and contrast essay examines two or more topics objects, people, or ideas, for example , comparing their similarities and contrasting their differences. You may choose to focus exclusively on comparing, exclusively on contrasting, or on both-or your instructor may direct you to do one or both. First, pick useable subjects and list their characteristics. In fact, their individual characteristics determine whether the subjects are useable.

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

It uses those points to make a meaningful argument about the subjects. While it can be a little intimidating to approach this type of essay at first, with a little work and practice, you can write a great compare-and-contrast essay!

To write a compare and contrast essay, try organizing your essay so you're comparing and contrasting one aspect of your subjects in each paragraph. Or, if you don't want to jump back and forth between subjects, structure your essay so the first half is about one subject and the second half is about the other. You could also write your essay so the first few paragraphs introduce all of the comparisons and the last few paragraphs introduce all of the contrasts, which can help emphasize your subjects' differences and similarities.

To learn how to choose subjects to compare and come up with a thesis statement, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Facebook.

No account yet? Create an account. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Article Edit. Learn why people trust wikiHow. This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Explore this Article Formulating Your Argument. Organizing Your Essay.

Putting It All Together. Sample Body Paragraphs. Sample Essay Outline. Show 2 more Show less Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1 of Pick two subjects that can be compared and contrasted. The first step to writing a successful compare and contrast essay is to pick two subjects that are different enough to be compared. For example, you could choose to compare bats and whales. One is tiny and flies, and the other is huge and swims, but they both use sonar to hunt.

You could pick two subjects that might appear to be the same but are actually different. For example, you could choose "The Hunger Games movie vs. Make sure that your subjects can be discussed in a meaningful way. In other words, why bother putting these two things together? Brainstorm your topic. Take a little time to brainstorm about how your chosen subjects are similar and different. This will help you see which points are the major ones you want to focus on, and can help guide you when you formulate your thesis.

This set of overlapping circles can help you visualize where your subjects are similar and where they differ. Major points of difference are also good to note. Consider your main points. Instead, choose a few points that seem to be particularly important. These are points of comparison ways they are similar. These are points of contrast ways they are different.

These points of contrast can often be good places to start thinking about your thesis, or argument. Do these differences make one animal a superior type of pet? Or a better pet choice for a specific living situation e. Develop your thesis. For example: Show readers why one subject is more desirable than the other.

Example: "Cats are better pets than dogs because they require less maintenance, are more independent, and are more adaptable. Example: "New York City and San Francisco are both great cities for young professionals, but they differ in terms of their job opportunities, social environment, and living conditions.

Example: "While both The Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mockingbird explore the themes of loss of innocence and the deep bond between siblings, To Kill a Mockingbird is more concerned with racism while The Catcher in the Rye focuses on the prejudices of class. If your teacher recommends this form, go for it. However, you should be aware that especially in college, teachers and professors tend to want students to break out of this limited mode.

Part 2 of Decide on a structure. There are several ways to organize a compare-and-contrast essay. Which one you choose depends on what works best for your ideas.

This organization deals with all of the points about Topic A, then all of the points of Topic B. For example, you could discuss all your points about frozen pizza in as many paragraphs as necessary , then all your points about homemade pizza. This type of organization switches back and forth between points. For example, you could first discuss the prices of frozen pizza vs.

The disadvantage is that you do switch back and forth between topics, so you need to make sure that you use transitions and signposts to lead your reader through your argument. Compare then contrast. This organization presents all the comparisons first, then all the contrasts. Putting the contrasts last places the emphasis on them.

However, it can be more difficult for your readers to immediately see why these two subjects are being contrasted if all the similarities are first. Outline your essay.

Outlining your essay will help you work out the main organizational structure and will give you a template to follow as you develop your ideas. No matter how you decided to organize your essay, you will still need to have the following types of paragraphs: [7] X Research source Introduction. This paragraph comes first and presents the basic information about the subjects to be compared and contrasted.

It should present your thesis and the direction of your essay i. Body Paragraphs. These are the meat of your essay, where you provide the details and evidence that support your claims.

Each different section or body paragraph should tackle a different division of proof. It should provide and analyze evidence in order to connect those proofs to your thesis and support your thesis. Many middle-school and high-school essays may only require three body paragraphs, but use as many as is necessary to fully convey your argument.

This paragraph acknowledges that other counter-arguments exist, but discusses how those arguments are flawed or do not apply. This paragraph summarizes the evidence presented. It will restate the thesis, but usually in a way that offers more information or sophistication than the introduction could. Remember: your audience now has all the information you gave them about why your argument is solid. Take it to the next level! Outline your body paragraphs based on subject-to-subject comparison.

Let's say you're working with the following statement: "When deciding between whether to go camping in the woods or spend a day at the beach, one should consider the following points: the weather, the types of activities each location offers, and the facilities at each location.

This method of organization can be unwieldy, so if you choose it, be sure not to let your paragraphs become page-long lists of points about each subject.

A subject-to-subject body paragraph outline could look like this: [8] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source Introduction: state your intent to discuss the differences between camping in the woods or on the beach. Outline your body paragraphs based on point-by-point comparison.

This is the more common method used in the comparison and contrast essay. For example, in this case, you could write one paragraph describing the weather in both the woods and the beach, one paragraph describing the activities in each location, and a third describing the facilities in both.

Woods Beach Body Paragraph 2: Discuss second difference between woods and beaches: types of activities. Woods Beach Body Paragraph 3: Discuss third difference between woods and beaches: available facilities. Woods Beach Conclusion. Outline your body paragraphs based on compare then contrast. This type of organization works best for when you want to emphasize the contrasts between your subjects. First, you discuss how your subjects are similar. Organize your individual body paragraphs.

Once you've chosen an organizational method for your body paragraphs, you'll need to have an internal organization for the body paragraphs themselves. Each of your body paragraphs will need to have the three following elements: Topic sentence: This sentence introduces the main idea and subject of the paragraph.

One of the most common is the comparison/contrast essay, in which you focus on Then you'd have three similar paragraphs about Amante, followed by your. Here is a step-by-step guide to writing a great compare and contrast essay. an essay consists of an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a.

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An assignment to write a compare and contrast essay causes contradictory feelings in most students. On the one hand, it is an interesting task to do.

It uses those points to make a meaningful argument about the subjects. While it can be a little intimidating to approach this type of essay at first, with a little work and practice, you can write a great compare-and-contrast essay!

Put Your Best Foot Forward to Start a Compare and Contrast Essay

Simply put, it is an essay evaluating the similarities and differences between two subjects. These subjects will be in the same category, but different. You might compare and contrast two different kinds of pets, or two novels from the same historical time period. Where do you even begin with a coherent essay about two topics? Remember that your two subjects must be different, but still in the same ballpark, to create a meaningful compare-and-contrast essay. For example, if you want to write about two different historical figures, it makes sense to choose two great artists rather than an artist and a politician.

This type of essay can be really confusing, as balancing between comparing and contrasting can be rather difficult. Check out our compare and contrast essay samples to see how to write essays of this type on your own. Science fiction is one literary genre whose possibilities in terms of generating engaging stories are infinite. The only limit a science-fiction author has is his…. By Nicholas Klacsanzky As a parent, we have to be aware of the many styles of parenting that exist. There is no style that fits…. By Michael Savage Some of the earliest art exhibitions gathered together selections of the greatest works they could find, without particular concern for coherence. Everyone knows how important it is to have favorable conditions at the workplace. Starting from trivial things such as air conditioners or coolers with fresh….

By assigning such essays, your instructors are encouraging you to make connections between texts or ideas, engage in critical thinking, and go beyond mere description or summary to generate interesting analysis: when you reflect on similarities and differences, you gain a deeper understanding of the items you are comparing, their relationship to each other, and what is most important about them.

Comparison In writing, to discuss things that are similar in nature. A compare-and-contrast essay An essay that analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both. The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities.

The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities. For example, if you wanted to focus on contrasting two subjects you would not pick apples and oranges; rather, you might choose to compare and contrast two types of oranges or two types of apples to highlight subtle differences. For example, Red Delicious apples are sweet, while Granny Smiths are tart and acidic. Similarly, to focus on comparison, choose two subjects that seem at first to be unrelated. For a comparison essay, you likely would not choose two apples or two oranges because they share so many of the same properties already. Rather, you might try to compare how apples and oranges are quite similar. The more divergent the two subjects initially seem, the more interesting a comparison essay will be. The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both and the reason for doing so. The thesis could lean more toward comparing, contrasting, or both. Remember, the point of comparing and contrasting is to provide useful knowledge to the reader.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn more Got it! Compare and contrast essays do just what they say. They identify the similarities and the differences between two subjects. Typically, the subjects will fall under the same umbrella. For example, you might compare and contrast two different dog breeds or two different tourist attractions in the same country.