Compare and Contrast Organizational Strategy
Compare/contrast essays tend to be one of the most common types of essay. However, that does not mean it is an unimportant rhetorical strategy, rather it is a favored one. Since we have had to make choices and distinguish between one thing and another all of our lives, most of us like to see how others make their decisions. We especially appreciate this strategy if it helps us or informs us in some way. For that reason, writing a well-developed, interesting compare/contrast essay is a necessary tool for any student.
A couple things to consider when writing C/C essays are organization and content. Remember interesting introductions and conclusions are necessary to any essay. Also, a strong thesis statement, which guides the essay is a must.
Three common types of organization patterns exists for this type of writing:
Block Style -- choose either similarities or differences in the thesis, for example, Like minds think alike;
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in the first paragraph all the attributes of the first item are discussed, i. e., the traits of happy people;
| the second paragraph compares (or contrasts) the second item to the first, making sure to address each point mentioned in the first body paragraph, i.e., while a person of happy demeanor is known to like a good laugh, a morose person might prefer a more subtle humor;
| the third paragraph addresses what's interesting about the comparison you have made, so that the reader knows exactly why you have written the essay. |
Item-by-Item -- again decide what you are discussing before you begin, either compare or contrast; the easiest of the three, in this strategy, you discuss the first item in the first body paragraph and the second in the second; the third contains what's interesting about the attributes you mentioned.
Point-by-point is the final and most sophisticated type; here you organize by three or four key ideas, so that you can discuss either similarities or differences within each, i.e., happy and morose attitudes, food preferences, fads, and family orientation could be discussed in a point-by-point essay -- a strong thesis is a must.
Content
When writing C/C essays, please avoid the common, mundane connections people will make on their own. What you want to do is take something known to you and portray it in a new way. For example, if you want to talk about the difference between dogs and cats, the topic is so well covered that you would need to find some intriguing way to write about them -- maybe discussing their dream-lives or the regard they hold for butterflies. Whatever you choose, please refrain from boring your audience.
Another imperative: be specific. Refer to level of abstractions to help you with this. Beginning writers too often leave out information the reader does not have. Having more information than one needs is preferred to not having enough. Remember, too, keep your focus narrow, avoiding vague generalities and unsupported opinion.
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