Compare and contrast essay introduction

Writing a compare and contrast essay

An informational essay

index

Learning targets

What is the purpose?

Getting started

Example

Venn Diagram

Practice

Indicators / Transitions

Thesis and Example

01

Learning targets

I can...

• Write an informative/explanatory paper
• Introduce a topic previewing the content
• Use multiple strategies to organize information
• Use charts, pictures, headings, etc. to organize
• Support the topic with facts, details, quotes and examples
• Use transitions
• Use descriptive vocabulary
• Use a formal style
• Make a concluding statement

Learning Target W.8.2

Learning targets

index

What is the purpose?

Getting started

Example

Venn Diagram

Practice

Indicators / Transitions

Thesis and Example

02

What is the purpose?

Compare / contrast

Informational, not judgemental

Contrast

Demonstrates

Demonstrates

Compare

Comparisons outline both similarities and differences between two subjects.

Contrasts draw out differences between two subjects.

How two subjects, which appear dissimilar, are actually similar.

How one subject is superior in some way to the other.

Learning targets

index

What is the purpose?

Getting started

Example

Venn Diagram

Practice

Indicators / Transitions

Thesis and Example

03

Getting started

Compare / contrast

• Brainstorm everything about two subjects.

• Identify points that are relevant to both subjects.

• Find a dominant idea after examining points of similarity and difference. This is the basis of the comparison/contrast.

Be Sure...

• Select those traits to focus upon based upon the dominant idea.

• Be sure these traits are subject to the purpose —desired accomplishment.

• Be sure to discuss both subjects equally in terms of coverage.

Be Sure...

• Be sure to discuss the same elements for each subject; do not discuss one element for one subject and not do so for the other!

• Have a clear purpose to achieve in the comparison/contrast.

Learning targets

index

What is the purpose?

Getting started

Example

Venn Diagram

Practice

Indicators / Transitions

Thesis and Example

04

Example

Compare

Tell what is the same about two or more things.

Contrast

Tell what is different about two or more things.

Learning targets

index

What is the purpose?

Getting started

Example

Venn Diagram

Practice

Indicators / Transitions

Thesis and Example

05

venn diagram (Double Bubble)

Venn Diagram

Double Bubble

• A great way to organize thoughts when comparing and contrasting two things.
• 2 overlapping circles.
• Label each circle with what you are comparing.

• In the middle, put how the two objects are alike.
• On the sides, put how the objects are different

Oranges

Bananas

Learning targets

index

What is the purpose?

Getting started

Example

Venn Diagram

Practice

Indicators / Transitions

Thesis and Example

06

Practice

VS

Telesilla of Argos aka Tellah

Scout

Male Yorkshire Terrier is 10 pounds.

Female Husky is 35 pounds.

Compare / Contrast

Tellah

Scout

Dogs4 legsMamamals Pointy ears Fur Meat eaters Pets Fluffy tails

A husky Weighs 35 pounds Is tall Is a female

A Yorkie Weighs 10 pounds Is short Is a male

Learning targets

index

What is the purpose?

Getting started

Example

Venn Diagram

Practice

Indicators / Transitions

Thesis and Example

07

Indicators / Transitions

Why do you need indicator / Transition Words?

Indicator words are used to convey to the reader at any given moment whether a comparison or contrast is being made and the nature of it.

The importance

• Transitional phrases ensure a smooth transition from one point to another and from one subject to another.

• Without transitions, your argument will be difficult to follow and seem to jump back and forth without a clear point.

Examples

To Contrast

To Compare

• although
• but
• even though
• however
• on the other hand
• otherwise
• yet
• still

• conversely
• as opposed to
• different from
• whereas
• while
• nevertheless
• in contrast

• also
• as
• in the same way
• like
• likewise
• similarly

• comparable
• equally
• in addition
• both
• too

Learning targets

index

What is the purpose?

Getting started

Example

Venn Diagram

Practice

Indicators / Transitions

Thesis and Organization

08

Thesis and Organization

Thesis

• Decide to what extent the similarities between subjects will be stressed, and to what extent their differences will be stressed.

• Create a thesis statement that reflects that decision.

Weak thesis

• Hitler and Stalin are somewhat alike and somewhat different.

• I can see some similarities and some differences too between Hitler and Stalin.

• Stalin and Hitler are both influential leaders.

Strong thesis

• Hitler and Stalin were powerful and strategic leader who greatly influenced World War II.

• Although Hitler and Stalin were both powerful and strategic leaders, Hitler had a greater impact on World War II.

Outline: Alternating

IV. Impact on WW II a) Hitler b) Stalin IV. Conclusion a) Emphasize Major Ties b) So What? Evaluate c) Clincher

I. Introductiona) Hookb) Thesisc) Supporting StatementsII. Background a) Hitler b) StalinIII. Leadership Style a) Hitler b) Stalin

Point by point Style

• Good for longer, more complex papers

• Make a point about one subject, and then follow it with a comparable point about the other subject.

Paragraph organization

Paragrah 4

Paragrah 3

Paragrah 2

Paragraph organization

Paragrah 2

Paragrah 4

Paragrah 3

Example paragraph

Topic Sentence: The childhoods of Adolf Hitler and Josef Stalin greatly impacted the men they grew up to be. Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in Braunau am Inn, a town in Austria-Hungary, close to the border with the German Empire (Adolf Hitler”). Josef Stalin was born on December 18, 1878 in the small town of Gori, Georgia, then part of the Russian empire (“Stalin”). Both Hitler's parents came from poor peasant families. Stalin was born the son of Besarion Jughashvili, a cobbler, and Ketevan Geladze, a washerwoman (Smith 2). Hitler loved his mother very much, but he had a very difficult relationship with his father (Jones 3). Like Hitler, Stalin was fond of his mother and had a tumultuous relationship with his father, an alcoholic who savagely beat him (Smith 5).

Ideas

Basketball and football (or 2 sports) Summer and winter (or 2 seasons)

References

Compare and contrast - content.schoolinsites.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2023, from https://content.schoolinsites.com/api/documents/db56a0a61a2146e0841c5f82d5268967.ppt

Cottonbro studio - photography - pexels. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2023, from https://www.pexels.com/@cottonbro/

Writing the comparison and contrast essay - council rock school district. (n.d.). Retrieved April 5, 2023, from https://www.crsd.org/cms/lib/PA01000188/Centricity/Domain/3452/Comparison-Contrast%20pp%20NEW.ppt