Are you about to craft a compare and contrast essay and you are feeling totally lost, well, that happens lot of us. Selecting the right stuff to compare and then figuring out how you can put it together in one piece is a real pain for a lot of students.

Well, this is where we come in, you will obtain a detailed guide about a compare and contrast essay. Also, we will teach you essential tips to boost your writing skills in the next section. 

A contrast essay is a kind of essay where you will need to point out the similarities and tell the differences between two subjects.

Tips for writing a compare and contrast essay- Step-by-step guide

1. Use a van diagram to brainstorm a lot of ideas

In the first stage, you need to use a Van diagram to compare your essay. So, in one circle, you need to jot down the things that your two subjects have in common.

In the other circle, jot down the elements that make them different to explain what the essay will cover.

Hence, this visual will guide your essay, acting as a roadmap.

2. Compose a clear thesis statement

Now create a clear thesis statement. It must be clear, concise, and clearly written, a compare and contrast essay outline.

For example, if your essay is about pets or animals in then you need to explore their care, behavior, and suitability. 

A typical thesis statement of a compare and contrast essay follows this structure.

[Subject A] is [similar/different] from [Subject B] in terms of [specific aspect(s) of comparison]

Example of a thesis statement.

"Online education is similar to traditional classroom education in terms of curriculum quality but different in terms of flexibility and student interaction."

3. Craft the outline of your essay

In this section, create an outline and make your essay a proper structure. Although,  there are multiple different types of essays and their outline structures. But a compare and contrast essay follows this format, that are as follows.

• Intro

• Body 1

• Body 2

• Conclusion 

4. Write a rough draft

Writing a first draft is the hardest one, and many learners struggle with writing.  So, what you need to do is to forget about the mistakes and typos. Write freely in this section what comes to mind about the topic.

You will easily solve the mistakes in the least section. 

5. Proofread it

Here comes the last part where you need to proofread it well and ensure your content is free from grammar, typos, and any kind of mistakes.

Here are the key tips that help you proofread your content.

• Give your essay to someone else 

• Read backward

• Come back with a fresh point of view

• Make a checklist

Examples of good compare and contrast essay topics.

• Online Learning vs. Traditional Classroom Learning

• The Influence of Nature vs. Nurture on Human Development

• City Life vs. Rural Life: Contrasting Lifestyles

• Two Iconic Superheroes: Batman vs. Superman

• Democracy vs. Autocracy: Contrasting Forms of Government

• The Impact of Social Media vs. Traditional Media

• British vs American English

• In-house employees vs. freelance contractors

• Compare and contrast running versus walking

• Differences between baroque and renaissance

• Family vacation vs. summer camp

• Fighting climate change actively vs. saying it’s not as urgent as people think

• Switching to solar or wind power vs. sticking with oil and gas

• Paying to offset your carbon footprint vs. just using less energy

Compare & Contrast Essay Structure

Well, the compare and contrast essays are structured in three different ways:

1. Block Method

2. Alternating Method

3. Similarities & Differences

That is what really makes them tricky and challenging to write. So, if you are planning to write your next compare and contrast essay, then you'd better understand these structures first. Without understanding them, you will be confused about how to organise your comparison correctly in your essays. 

So, let's take a look at them one by one:

1. Block Method

This method is all about talking about one subject at a time. You will not just pour in all the information. But you will take it slowly, one by one. 

So, you will first talk about your subject A. You will include everything about it, from its themes, traits, or whatever you are focusing on. Then you will continue with your subject B, and then explain every point about it. 

So, it's like writing two chapters of the same book. That's how you are comparing. 

This works best when switching between the two subjects creates a mess for you. So, it's better to just explain each of them one by one. 

2. Alternating Method

Now, this is one of the most efficient methods. Here, you will be explaining one point at a time for each side. 

So, whatever points you are focusing on, like theme or traits. You just take one point and explain each of them one by one.

For instance, if you are talking about the colour of Subject A, then you will talk about the colour of Subject B right away. So, you are comparing them side by side in each paragraph. It will become much easier if you use headings to define your points. 

This approach works best when both of your subjects are closely related to each other, like an alternative product or service.

3. Similarities & Differences

Finally, this is one of the simplest methods of all. It will cover all the similarities first and then the differences. Or maybe vice versa. 

So, you have to choose whether you will be explaining the similarities or differences first. Then start comparing them accordingly. 

This works best when two of your subjects are mostly alike or have a great extent of differences. 

Final Words

So, compare and Contrast essays might sound like a challenging task. But they are quite easy to write.

Here, you are not going to explain your opinions or argue about something. But all you need to do is compare two different objects, subjects, processes or anything. 

Hence, it is all about comparing one phenomenon to another. So, follow these guidelines and start writing your perfect compare and contrast essay. I know you will ace it.

Best of Luck!