A compare and contrast essay is a typical essay assignment for students at various levels of education. Basically, students must develop the necessary skills to complete these assignments. Also, they define some topic or subjects and compare and contrast defined points. In particular, an in-depth discussion concerning the best practices for writing a contrast and compare essay focuses on the content and paper organization.
Content
A clear understanding of the expected content to be delivered when writing a compare and contrast essay is necessary for the development of an effective paper. For example, the author must provide detailed explanations of the similarities and differences between the two or more subjects mentioned in the assignment prompt. In this case, the number of similarities and differences included in the comparative essay are either determined by the paper length or instructions. Moreover, the presentation of similarities and differences requires the author to establish a basis of comparison. In turn, these are themes that enable the reader to follow and distinguish the relevance of specific differences or similarities. Hence, the content of this type of essay should present an unbiased analysis of the subjects.
Introduction with a Thesis Statement in the Compare and Contrast Essay
A compare and contrast essay has an introductory segment that includes a thesis statement. For instance, the introduction of compare and contrast essays discusses the subjects under comparison from a general point of view to give the audience adequate contextual information. Then, the thesis statement is unique because it requires the authors to identify their preferred subject and highlight its superiority. In this case, the authors should provide a clear thesis statement that acts as a reference point for the readers. Hence, the introductory paragraph should be comprehensive.
Approaches in Organizing Body Paragraphs
There are two conventional methods of organizing the body of contrast and compare essays: block and point-by-point approaches. Firstly, the block approach is ideal for short essays where the author can explain a single subject in detail within a single section entirely before moving on to the next subject. Basically, it is ideal for short essays because the readers can easily relate two sections that contain limited information. Then, the point-by-point style in a compare and contrast essays involves dividing the paper based on a given basis of comparison. In this case, people discuss both subjects within a single paragraph or within a section. Also, this method is appropriate for lengthy essays. In turn, it allows the author to exhaustively examine a particular point for both subjects, making differences and similarities more apparent.
Essay Conclusion
The conclusion in a compare and contrast essays adheres to the typical writing rules. Firstly, the concluding paragraph does not introduce any new information to the readers. Basically, the conclusion is an overview of the main points discussed in the essay. Moreover, the author needs to develop a tightly-knit paragraph. In this case, it shows the relevance of the overview but extends it to a broader line of thinking. Thus, it is an opportunity for the author to emphasize the critical points alluded to in the thesis statement.
Summing Up on Compare and Contrast Essay
The writing of a compare and contrast essay requires the author to know the characteristics of the expected essay and the ideal structure. Basically, the similarities and differences should be identified based on a definitive criterion that isolates the most relevant themes. In turn, the essay adheres to the general essay structure. Also, the author has much freedom in organizing the body section and conclusion.
