What are compare & contrast essays?

To compare is to examine how things are similar, while to contrast is to see how they differ. A
compare and contrast essay therefore looks at the similarities of two or more objects, and the
differences. This essay type is common at university, where lecturers frequently test your understanding
by asking you to compare and contrast two theories, two methods, two historical periods, two
characters in a novel, etc. Sometimes the whole essay will compare and contrast, though sometimes the
comparison or contrast may be only part of the essay. It is also possible, especially for short exam
essays, that only the similarities or the differences, not both, will be discussed. See the examples below.

 Compare and contrast Newton's ideas of gravity with those proposed by Einstein ['compare and
contrast' essay]

 Examine how the economies of Russia and China are similar ['compare' only essay]

 Explain the differences between Russian economy and American eco ['contrast' only essay]

Structure

There are two main ways to structure a compare and contrast essay, namely using a block or a point-by-
point structure. For the block structure, all of the information about one of the objects being
compared/contrasted is given first, and all of the information about the other object is listed afterwards.
This type of structure is similar to the block structure used for cause and effect and problem-
solution essays. For the point-by-point structure, each similarity (or difference) for one object is followed
immediately by the similarity (or difference) for the other. Both types of structure have their merits. The
former is easier to write, while the latter is generally clearer as it ensures that the
similarities/differences are more explicit.

The two types of structure, block and point-by-point, are shown in the diagram below.

Block

Introduction

Object 1 - Point 1

Object 1 - Point 2

Object 1 - Point 3

Transition sentence/paragraph

Object 2 - Point 1
Object 2 - Point 2

Object 2 - Point 3

Conclusion

Point-by-point

Introduction

Point 1
 
Object 1 ➤ Object 2
 

Point 2
 
Object 1 ➤ Object 2
 

Point 3
 
Object 1 ➤ Object 2
 

Conclusion

Compare and Contrast Structure Words

Compare and contrast structure words are transition signals which show the similarities or differences.
Below are some common examples.

Compare

 Similarly

 Likewise

 also

 both... and...

 not only... but also...

 neither... nor...

 just like (+ noun)

 to be similar (to)

 to be the same as

 to be alike

 to compare (to/with)

Examples

 Computers can be used to communicate easily, for example via email. Similarly/Likewise, the
mobile phone is a convenient tool for communication.

 Both computers and mobile phones can be used to communicate easily with other people.

 Just like the computer, the mobile phone can be used to communicate easily with other people.

 The computer is similar to the mobile phone in the way it can be used for easy communication.

Contrast

 However

 In contrast

 In comparison

 By comparison

 On the other hand

 while

 whereas

 but

 to differ from

 to be different (from)

 to be dissimilar to

 to be unlike

Examples
  Computers, although increasingly small, are not always easy to carry from one place to
another. However, the mobile phone can be carried with ease.

 Computers are generally not very portable, whereas the mobile phone is.

 Computers differ from mobile phones in their lack of portability.

 Computers are unlike mobile phones in their lack of portability.

Criteria for comparison/contrast

When making comparisons or contrasts, it is important to be clear what criteria you are using. Study the
following example, which contrasts two people. Here the criteria are unclear.

 Aaron is tall and strong. In contrast, Bruce is handsome and very intelligent.

Although this sentence has a contrast transition, the criteria for contrasting are not the same. The
criteria used for Aaron are height (tall) and strength (strong). We would expect similar criteria to be
used for Bruce (maybe he is short and weak), but instead we have new criteria,
namely appearance (handsome) and intelligence (intelligent). This is a common mistake for students
when writing this type of paragraph or essay. Compare the following, which has much clearer criteria
(contrast structure words shown in bold).

 Aaron and Bruce differ in four ways. The first difference is height. Aaron is tall, while Bruce is
short. A second difference is strength. Aaron is strong. In contrast, Bruce is weak. A third
difference is appearance. Aaron, who is average looking, differs from Bruce, who is handsome.
The final difference is intelligence. Aaron is of average intelligence. Bruce, on the other hand, is
very intelligent.

Example essay

Below is a compare and contrast essay. This essay uses the point-by-point structure. Click on the
different areas (in the shaded boxes to the right) to highlight the different structural aspects in this
essay, i.e. similarities, differences, and structure words. This will highlight not simply the paragraphs, but
also the thesis statement and summary, as these repeat the comparisons and contrasts contained in the
main body.

Title:  There have been many advances in technology over the past fifty years. These have revolutionized
the way we communicate with people who are far away. Compare and contrast methods of
communication used today with those which were used in the past.

Before the advent of computers and modern technology, people communicating over long distances
used traditional means such as letters and the telephone. Nowadays we have a vast array of
communication tools which can complete this task, ranging from email to instant messaging and video
calls. While the present and previous means of communication  are similar  in their  general form,
they  differ  in regard to their  speed  and the  range of tools available.

One similarity between current and previous methods of communication relates to the form of
communication. In the past, both written forms such as letters were frequently used, in addition to oral
forms such as telephone calls.  Similarly, people nowadays use both of these forms.  Just as  in the past,
written forms of communication are prevalent, for example via email and text messaging. In addition,
oral forms are  still  used, including the telephone, mobile phone, and voice messages via instant
messaging services.

However, there are clearly many differences in the way we communicate over long distances, the most
notable of which is speed. This is most evident in relation to written forms of communication. In the past,
letters would take days to arrive at their destination.  In contrast, an email arrives almost
instantaneously and can be read seconds after it was sent. In the past, if it was necessary to send a short
message, for example at work, a memo could be passed around the office, which would take some time
to circulate. This  is different from  the current situation, in which a text message can be sent
immediately.

Another significant difference is the range of communication methods. Fifty years ago, the tools
available for communicating over long distances were primarily the telephone and the letter.  By
comparison, there are a vast array of communication methods available today. These include not only
the telephone, letter, email and text messages already mentioned, but also video conferences via
software such as Skype or mobile phone apps such as WeChat, and social media such as Facebook and
Twitter.

In conclusion, methods of communication have greatly advanced over the past fifty years. While there
are some similarities, such as the  forms of communication, there are significant differences, chiefly in
relation to the  speed of communication  and the  range of communication tools available. There is no
doubt that technology will continue to progress in future, and the advanced tools which we use today
may one day also become outdated.

Online Reading Link 1: https://smu.ca/webfiles/ComparisonandContrast.pdf

Link2: https://www.tru.ca/__shared/assets/Cpmpare___Contrast_Essay_Template30233.pdf