How to Write a Comparative Essay

A compare and contrast essay presents similarities and differences between two subjects, items, or topics. You may either examine the features of the two subjects without making any judgments, or you may point out advantages and/or disadvantages of each with the intention of making a choice between them. Comparative essays may discuss similarities or differences arranged in the order the writer chooses.

• Always choose two subjects that have enough basis for comparison to cover the required essay length. Your essay length is approximately 750 words and requires at least three ways in which the subjects are alike or different. Your thesis should tell the reader exactly what you are going to compare or contrast.
  
  
• There are two basic methods or styles of organizing a compare and contrast essay.
  
  
  • With the subject by subject or block method, you address each subject in separate paragraphs.
    

    If you have selected the subject by subject method for your essay, the body will consist of several pairs of paragraphs.
    
    First and second paragraphs of body: The first paragraph will address a characteristic of Subject X and the second paragraph will address the same point for Subject Y.
    
    Third and fourth paragraphs of body: The third paragraph will address another characteristic of Subject X and the fourth paragraph will address the same point for Subject Y.
    
    Include additional pairs of paragraphs for additional points of comparison, discussing other points of similarity and difference, with the characteristics of Subject X being listed first.
    
    

  • In the point by point method, you examine one aspect of one subject and the same aspect of the second subject within the same paragraph.
    

    If you have selected the point by point method for your essay, the body should consist of a minimum of three paragraphs.
    

    First paragraph of body: State a characteristic of Subject X and then state how Subject Y is similar/dissimilar.

Second paragraph of body: State another characteristic of Subject X and again state how Subject Y is similar/dissimilar.

Add additional paragraphs for additional points of comparison, keeping the target length of your essay in mind.

This information was taken from AppleWorks 5: Stationary Documents -- “Writing an Essay”
(copyright 1991-1999).