Introduction to Introduction to Comparison and Comparison and

ContrastContrast

How are these examples How are these examples similar? How are they similar? How are they

different?different?

What is Comparison and What is Comparison and Contrast?Contrast?

Comparison shows how two or more Comparison shows how two or more things are similarthings are similar

Contrast shows how two or more Contrast shows how two or more things are differentthings are different

AnalogyAnalogy

Looks for similarities between two Looks for similarities between two essentially dissimilar things essentially dissimilar things (figurative language—similes and (figurative language—similes and metaphors)metaphors)

How does this help with comparison How does this help with comparison and contrast?and contrast?

Using Comparison and Using Comparison and ContrastContrast

How is Comparison and Contrast analysis How is Comparison and Contrast analysis useful in everyday life? useful in everyday life?

Examples:Examples: Buying a car (Which car is cheaper? Which Buying a car (Which car is cheaper? Which

one gets better gas mileage? Which car is one gets better gas mileage? Which car is faster?)faster?)

Deciding where to live (Is it better to rent Deciding where to live (Is it better to rent or own? Which place is closest to my job? or own? Which place is closest to my job? Which place is in the better Which place is in the better neighborhood?)neighborhood?)

Even something as basic…Even something as basic…

……as deciding where to take a date as deciding where to take a date on Friday night could use on Friday night could use Comparison and Contrast analysisComparison and Contrast analysis

Restaurant “A” might be cheaper, Restaurant “A” might be cheaper, but your date might be more but your date might be more impressed by Restaurant “B”impressed by Restaurant “B”

Movie “A” is a comedy, which might Movie “A” is a comedy, which might make the night more light-hearted, make the night more light-hearted, but Movie “B” got better reviews.but Movie “B” got better reviews.

Planning a Comparison and Planning a Comparison and Contrast EssayContrast Essay

How to choose?How to choose? Be sure that both subjects have a Be sure that both subjects have a

common element---Cats and Dogscommon element---Cats and Dogs Basis for Comparison: Basis for Comparison:

– It has a common elementIt has a common element– Should lead your readers beyond the Should lead your readers beyond the

obviousobvious– Be interesting—bees and JeepsBe interesting—bees and Jeeps– Provide yourself with a challengeProvide yourself with a challenge

Selecting Points of Selecting Points of DiscussionDiscussion

Determine your emphasis: Determine your emphasis: Comparison, Contrast, or BOTHComparison, Contrast, or BOTH

Make sure that you treat the Make sure that you treat the elements the same. elements the same.

Avoid the common error of Avoid the common error of discussing different elements for discussing different elements for each subject. each subject.

Formulating a ThesisFormulating a Thesis

Your thesis should establish the significance Your thesis should establish the significance of comparison and contrast and possibly the of comparison and contrast and possibly the relative merits of the items discussed.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 Indicate if you are going to focus on

comparison or contrast or a balance of both.comparison or contrast or a balance of both. Also, you may list the points of comparison Also, you may list the points of comparison

and contrast in the order they will be and contrast in the order they will be discussed in the essay discussed in the essay

Sample Thesis statementsSample Thesis statements

1.) Despite the fact that doctors and 1.) Despite the fact that doctors and nurses perform distinctly different tasks nurses perform distinctly different tasks at a hospital, their functions overlap at a hospital, their functions overlap when they interact with patients. when they interact with patients.

2.) Although Melville’s Moby Dick and 2.) Although Melville’s Moby Dick and London’s The Sea Wolf are both about London’s The Sea Wolf are both about the sea, the major characters, minor the sea, the major characters, minor characters, and themes of Moby Dick characters, and themes of Moby Dick establish its greater complexityestablish its greater complexity

Structuring a Comparison and Structuring a Comparison and Contrast EssayContrast Essay

Subject-by-subject comparison Subject-by-subject comparison essayessay

You essentially write a separate essay You essentially write a separate essay about each subject, but you discuss the about each subject, but you discuss the same points about each subject. same points about each subject.

You use the same basis for comparison to You use the same basis for comparison to guide your selection of supporting points, guide your selection of supporting points, and you arrange these in a logical order. and you arrange these in a logical order.

Disadvantages: Puts a lot of demands on Disadvantages: Puts a lot of demands on the reader, may make your essay seem the reader, may make your essay seem less unified or coherent. less unified or coherent.

Structuring a Comparison and Structuring a Comparison and Contrast EssayContrast Essay

Point-by-point Comparison EssayPoint-by-point Comparison Essay First make a point about one subject First make a point about one subject

and then follow it with a comparable and then follow it with a comparable point about the other. point about the other.

Advantages: Useful for longer essays, Advantages: Useful for longer essays, easy to organize, easy for the readereasy to organize, easy for the reader

Disadvantages: Can tend to be Disadvantages: Can tend to be monotonous—avoid by using monotonous—avoid by using transitions and varying sentence transitions and varying sentence structurestructure