- Start with a topic sentence explaining your main point and use examples to emphasize each.
- End with a summary of the main points and your opinion on which is better.
A contrast essay is not as complicated as you think. It is about comparing and contrasting two subjects, talking about how such things are alike and how they are different. It is a way of indicating both the similarity and dissimilarity that go along with two different things. This type of essay is said to be one of the most required forms of writing in college. However, most students fail to follow how this kind of essay should be written. So to help you out with this, here are the most helpful tips on how to write a contrast essay.
Below is an example of a contrast essay outline which should look as follows:
- Their physical traits
- Dialogue and interaction with other characters
- Their actions
- Their thoughts
How to Start a Compare and Contrast Essay?
- The definition of two subject areas
- The main similarities between two subject areas
- The main differences between two subject areas
When comparing and contrasting two characters from a story, you will need to consider the following:
A. Opening statement: On December 27, 2015, just after Christmas holidays, I found myself in a ditch flat out drunk. My family did not have the pleasure of celebrating the holidays because they were out looking for me. After arriving home and seeing their sad and disappointed faces, I knew it was time to quit drinking. On January 2016 I checked myself into a rehab and got the help I badly needed. Since then I have worked hard to configure my life. As a sober man, I have tried to make a difference in the society, get a job, be a responsible parent and observed my health.
The first part to draft in the essay is its introduction. It is the first thing that a reader witness. The introduction is given to introduce the topic on which your essay is based. This is to inform the readers about what is coming next.
After taking all the mandatory pre-writing steps, start writing your compare and contrast essay in the following manner.
To start writing an essay, you should have a topic. Generating a topic can be very time taking and daunting. You cannot just randomly come up with a topic and start writing your essay.
Now look for the similarities and differences that were not obvious and the deep studies and research have figured them out. List them down as well.
Introduction
Thesis statements can be difficult to draft as they should be accurate and on point. It is important to have an understanding of a thesis statement and how to draft it.
An alternating method is an approach that uses a point by point description of the subject’s or object’s comparison. In this, a writer presents a certain idea about one object and the same idea about the second object simultaneously.
The comparison between the two objects is based on facts and logic in compare and contrast essay. A writer states the facts that are visible and tangible and facts that are not obvious and intangible.
- Differences in the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
- How distance-based learning is similar to a college education?
- Draw a comparison between creative writing and writing a research paper.
- College life Vs High School life - Similarities and differences
- Traditional education Vs Remote learning - A better option?
- Differences between the British and American English
- Marriage Vs Live-in relationship - How are they different?
- Reading from an Ebook vs Paper book - Similarities and differences.
- Similarities in adulthood and childhood.
- Movies Vs Books - a better timepass?
- How are education and employment similar?
- How persuasive essay is different from the argumentative essay?
- The difference in events of WWI Vs WWII
- How are we different from animals?
- The risks in online dating Vs real life darting
- How are cats and dogs similar?
Every great essay starts with a great brainstorm. Before trying to compare and contrast your two subjects, begin by writing down every bit of knowledge you have on the two off the bat, being sure that you are keeping the two subjects separate from each other for now. What is it that you already know about your subjects? What are you going to need to research further? Now take a look at the two lists you have made. The differences are probably fairly obvious, but can you pick out any similarities? If not, you’ll have to dig a little deeper.
The introduction will also introduce the general outline of the essay. Let’s say the first paragraph is comparing and contrasting the people of the city and the country, the second paragraph is about the landscape and general aesthetic quality of the two, and the third paragraph is about what you can do for entertainment. You’ll mention all of this, and mention them in the order the paragraphs will be presented in.
Once you know how long the essay must be, you must then determine exactly how you’re going to split up the topics. Are you going to have four paragraphs – an introduction, a paragraph on the first subject, a paragraph on the second subject, and a conclusion? Or maybe your four paragraphs will be an introduction, the similarities between the two subjects, the differences between the two subjects, and a conclusion? If you’re planning on writing a longer paper, maybe you’ll split it up into five different paragraphs – an introduction, unique aspects of the first subject, similarities between the two subjects, unique aspects of the second subject, and a conclusion. These aren’t the only options you have
Another thing to consider is your audience. Are you writing for a third grade class, or are you writing for college professors? Your audience will largely affect the tone and voice of your essay, as well as the words, phrases, and grammar you use throughout it.
The Introduction
When researching your subjects, try to find information that may not be common knowledge. If someone is going to pick up an essay on the similarities and differences between city and country, chances are they already have a lot of background knowledge on the subject. You’ll want to find a small handful of facts that will make readers think ‘wow!’ and continue to read until the end.
The introduction should entice readers into reading your essay, so make sure you start out strong. You may begin by mentioning one interesting fact about one of the subjects, or by asking a question that will be answered later in the paper. An introduction should describe what the compare and contrast essay is about, so if you’re discussing the similarities and differences between vacationing in a city and vacationing in the country, be sure you make that clear. One key thing to remember: don’t say “in my essay I will be talking about this and this”. There are much more interesting ways to lead into your topic. Instead of saying “I’ll be discussing the similarities and differences between a vacation in the city and a vacation in the country”, you could say something like “What makes a city so unique? What draws people to the countryside? Though both are compelling in different ways, they hold more similarities than you may realize”. This statement may also double as your thesis, which is your view or stance on the particular topic at hand.
In order to understand how to start an essay, you must first have a full understanding of what you’re going to be writing about. In a compare and contrast essay, you are discussing both the similarities and the differences between two subjects. While you may be someone who can start an essay off of the top of your head with no problem, many people find it easier to sit down and write out an outline before beginning. The order in which you introduce your points in your introduction is the order in which you should introduce them in your essay, so it’s good to have the framework completed before beginning. Knowing how to start a compare and contrast essay is the first step to writing an interesting essay that will keep readers engaged all the way to the end.
Once you have the framework of the essay, the rest of it will fall into place. The next time you’re staring at a blank Word document, make take out that old fashioned pen and paper and start making that outline! You’ll find that starting a compare and contrast essay is easier than you may have imagined.
To start a compare and contrast essay, you will need to write a solid introduction that transitions into a clear and specific thesis sentence. The introductory paragraph should outline the topic you want to cover and provide insight into your main idea. It should mention what matters—the people, ideas, events, or other subjects you are going to compare and contrast in the body of your essay.
One more video guidance on How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay:
Here’s an example outline for a compare and contrast essay about the effects of energy drinks:
Learning how to write a compare and contrast essay is a rite of passage for many college students, as this essay type is one of the most common assignments in college, especially in the first year. Writing a compare and contrast essay helps students develop and improve upon skills such as critical reasoning, scientific argumentation, and organized systematic writing. The best essays of this type have a clear purpose, such as shedding light on a complex idea or clearing up misconceptions about a difficult topic. Another purpose might be illustrating how one subject is better than another or perhaps highlighting a new approach to thinking about something. The individual assignment will vary, of course, and each should come with its rubric. Pay close attention to the rubric, since it will outline what your teacher is looking for, and make sure you understand the assignment before you begin. If you have a question about the essay assignment, do not be afraid to ask your teacher for help.
How to Start
In the body, present as much support for your thesis as you can. Support can come in the form of statistics, research results, interviews, or other sources. Some writers prefer to mention the evidential base in the thesis, but others prefer to wait until the body of the essay.
A good compare and contrast essay topic often includes words such as “versus” (vs.) or “or,” and these words may be useful in the essay’s title as well. Below is a list of potential compare and contrast essay topics for college papers. Ten of these sample topics have “vs.” in the title, and ten have “or,” clearly indicating that the resulting essays will either compare and contrast two completely different subjects or clarify two positions on the same subject.
What conclusion can be drawn from these pros and cons? Obviously, there is nothing healthy about energy drinks. Their contents do not differ much from everyday tea, coffee, and cocoa. Moreover, they exhaust the energy reserves of our bodies. When the stimulating effect is over in three or four hours, a person goes for another can, turning into an energy drink addict, losing the ability to restore energy in a natural way. To my mind, the cons of energy drinks outweigh the pros. My verdict is that energy drinks are mind boosters in some critical situations, but you should not drink them on a regular basis, as they can take on a drug like quality and become soft drugs.
In the thesis, provide one idea or a statement that unites both subject matters. Even if you have discovered more differences than similarities between your subject matters, you should be able to find at least one element that they have in common and include it as part of your main idea.
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- They enhance brain activity when needed.
- The energy-boosting effects of coffee last mere 1-2 hours, while those of energy drinks last 3-4 hours. Moreover, most of them are aerated, which makes them work faster, and coffee does not get the same treatment.
- The aluminum can allow you to consume an energy drink in almost any situation: in the car, on the dance floor, in the school library, and so on. Coffee and tea are not always so portable.
Need a Compare and Contrast Essay?
Here is the list of possible topics for compare and contrast essay:
Pay attention to the structure of your essay, and make sure it is balanced. For instance, if the whole essay will be three pages long, you should not spend two of them on the introduction.
Here’s an example outline for a compare and contrast essay about the effects of energy drinks: