A Comparing And Contrasting Essay

A structure like this one seems more focused on the ideas being compared and contrasted than on the comparison and contrast itself.

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For compare and contrast papers, probably the most basic form the essay could take would be six paragraphs in length.

You'll start with an introduction that lays out the general idea behind your argument; it will take a form similar to 'I think the way these texts compare and contrast these elements is important because….' Then you'll take on the body of your essay, which will be four paragraphs long.

This structure focuses on the comparison and contrast instead of on the two ideas (e.g., corsetry and footbinding) being compared and contrasted. If you begin with the comparison, then the contrast will get emphasis - the logical movement is from thinking about similarities to thinking about differences.

If you begin by contrasting the ideas (and then move toward a comparison), the similarities get emphasis. Writers might compare and contrast ideas by treating one idea thoroughly before taking up the second one.

Depending on how organized your thoughts are, you might just jot out a few main ideas on a blank sheet of paper/computer screen or you might actually want to make up an actual list with columns for things the texts share and things they don't.

During this phase, just write down whatever comes to mind, no matter how miniscule you think it may be.If, for instance, both texts have the same basic theme, you could write a paper about the similar and difference ways they explore that theme.Your outline will break down the flow of your essay, noting only the main points you want to cover.Once you're satisfied with your lists, you can go back through and cherry-pick the points you feel are most importantly similar and different.Here you should be looking for the things that you think will lead to the most compelling essay you can write.It is as if the writer is comparing and contrasting (for example) footbinding to corsetry, instead of corsetry and footbinding to each other.Write only about the comparable and contrastable elements of each idea.This method is probably the one most students try first, but many evolve past it into something more flexible.A quick outline that treats first corsets and then footbinding shows one way that such a paper might be structured.Once you've read everything you have to, draw up lists of how those works are similar and different to each other.This is when those notes you might've taken back in step one could come in handy.