Compare and contrast essays are primarily assigned to the students as they are effective in enhancing the skills of organized writing, analytical reasoning, and critical thinking. While writing such essays, you are sure to have a fresh insight into the topic while gaining an understanding of the differences and similarities between the two subjects. Students gain the ability to view a subject from a different perspective. The right way for writing the essays is by selecting the topic title as well as a powerful hook for grabbing the attention of the audience. Here are some steps of how to start a compare and contrast essay.
Brainstorm the topic
Take care of the structure of the essay
A wide array of comparison essays involve bringing more than one subjects into sharper focus, resulting in a new way to find anything or showcase that a subject is different than the other. For comparing and contrasting in an effective manner, the essay should make unique distinctions or connections between different subjects.
In case the instructor has conferred a specific topic, you may contrast two different things, which go into the same category, but differ from one another. For instance, both dogs and cats are both animals. However, they have a wide array of differences in several ways.
Making the list of differences and similarities
You need to figure out a wide array of differences and similarities. Make sure to include one or two meaningful similarities and differences between the subjects. For focusing the list, select the categories for classifying the differences and similarities between both the subjects. After this, you can separate every item, present in the list into the categories.
Draw a Venn diagram of the topic
Draw 2 overlapping circles of large size on a piece of paper. Assign every area which does not overlap. You can enlist the points which make the subject different in the specific areas which do not overlap. The common characteristics should be included in the center area in which both the circles overlap.
Find answers to the W and H questions
In order to write the perfect compare and contrast essay, you should find answers to the basic questions. In case you compare or contrast two theories and ideas, you need to figure out the answers to the different questions including their origination, the creation, the goal of the theory, the central focus, what type of evidence are useful for bestowing support to the theory, etc.
Conduct a thorough research
Your instructor may ask you to do an in-depth analysis on a complicated topic or you may begin to start writing from an opinion based perspective. As the brainstorming process is completed, you should ensure to identify different aspects of the essay which require thorough research or reading. You should also ensure to identify any existing gaps and make preparations for conducting research so that it is possible for you to compare as well as contrast both the topics in the essay.
Creating an outline
If you want to start a compare essay, you need to write a creative and meaningful outline. In the outline part, you should be planning what you need to write in each of the sections of the essay. If the essay is around five hundred to eight hundred words, you need to divide it into five paragraphs. In case the essay is longer than 1500 words, it is a prerequisite to think of another structure. It is essential to divide the essay into smaller chunks of text.
Here are some tips for writing the perfect outline for the essay
The thesis
The thesis of the compare and contrast essay will be useful to you in the creation of a focused argument. It functions as a road map for the readers. The thesis should include the key differences and similarities in both subjects. It should also be able to provide answers to different questions. A more concise thesis will let for an open discussion of the different options.
Using the Block method to organize the paper
In the block method, every paragraph in the essay will be addressing either topic from the pair of the topics and looking at the shared aspects or traits, which are established during the brainstorming process. The organization for the process is inclusive of the body paragraph, introduction, and conclusion.
What it involves
It involves an introduction to the general topic as well as two specific topics. The ending should be with the thesis and should include points about what should be covered in the essay. The body paragraph starts with a topic sentence for different topics. If there are three specific topics, you can create three unique body paragraphs. The conclusion part should be inclusive of the summary of the prime points, the restating of the thesis. In addition to this, it should include the evaluation of the analysis as well as future developments, which may sway the contrast and compare to one topic with the other.
Opting for the point by point structure
In the point by point structure, every paragraph comprises of the arguments for either aspect on both the topics. The organization for the procedure includes body paragraph, introduction, and conclusion.
Introduction
It is the first part to start a compare and contrast essay. In the introduction part, it is necessary to cover all the points in the paper. You need to keep in mind that it cannot be any subject. You require listing specific cases, terms, events or people, having certain parameters in common. You should also make sure to include those features which set them different. You require checking if the opening paragraph has the must-have points.
In the essay introduction, the writer requires listing the specific points, he is going to cover without mentioning any of the details. They should be present in the body paragraphs of the essay. You should ensure to set out the sentence for naming specific themes under the core area. In addition to this, you should ensure to include a strong and good thesis statement. It is the single sentence or a couple of sentences that introduce the primary argument of the whole paper as well as reasons for studying the issue. It is regarded as the most powerful part of the introduction. The thesis statement needs to be placed at the end of the opening paragraph.
The body happens to be the next part of the compare and contrast essay. An effective outline plays a vital role in the prevention of writer’s block.
Body Paragraphs
The number of paragraphs which should be included in the paper should be dependent on the number of subjects, the author should analysis. It is dependent on the total number of features as well as points, which should be taken by the writer into account. For instance, if you are willing to showcase the differences and similarities between the subjects with the bunch of perspectives, you need to include the two paragraphs in the body. In the end, it will be a four-paragraph which compare and contrast the paper.
Points to Consider
You should ensure to start each paragraph of the body with a unique theme sentence which should be focused on either of the points, you are willing to analyze. You require discussing the differences and similarities, adding personal thoughts on the specific topic, and bestow support with the credible statistics, evidence, words of the field experts, or facts. For the improvement of readability and general flow, you require opting for the transitions between different parts of the text. You should make sure to analyze each and everybody paragraphs from a different point of view. You can include transitional words in the body paragraph.
In the end
After writing the introduction and body parts in the proper manner, it is time to write an impressive conclusion. Though it is the simple part, you will not be able to grab the attention of the audience if you do not have a strong conclusion. The conclusion should comprise of the summary of the main ideas, analysis, and meaning. You should make sure to create a summary of the primary arguments which are present in the text with an eye to bestowing support to the thesis statement. The thesis statement is another vital part of the writing process which should be synthesized with the details, provided in the body.
After this, you should confer a brief analysis of the discussed material or you can talk about the possible implementation or solutions. You also need to consider the nature of the selected topic while writing the conclusion. In the conclusion part, you should ensure to emphasize the significance of the discussed problem. You also need to mention why it is crucial to draw the comparison of the selected events, subjects and explain the objective of the evaluation.
Rapid Essay can be of great help
You can also refer to Rapid Essay to procure top quality of essay writing services. It offers a wide array of features such as faster time delivery, free revision, making payment in parts, free title page, live chat with the writer, plagiarism check. In case of any issue, the friendly support team will be at your assistance and you can contact them anytime 24*7.
