Title: Comparison and Contrast Guide
1Comparison and Contrast Guide
2- Comparison and contrast are ways of looking at
objects and thinking about how they are alike and
different. - For instance, all of these items are alike
because they are kinds of food, but there are
many ways that they are different. For instance,
they belong to different food groups. Some must
be cooked before eating, and some can be eaten
raw. - When you write comparison and contrast, you will
pay attention to these kinds of details.
3- There are two main reasons that people use
comparison and contrast - 1. To Explain--You might compare and contrast
kinds of food, for instance, to help someone
understand which foods need to be refrigerated
and which can be stored in a cabinet or in a bowl
on the counter. - 2. To Evaluate--You might compare and contrast
kinds of food to show why one kind of food or
brand of food is better than another. For
example, apples are a better snack than butter.
4- When you choose items to compare and contrast,
make sure that you choose items that have
similarities. - You have to choose things that will make sense
for comparison and contrast. For instance, it
wouldn't make sense to compare an apple to a
typewriter or a typewriter to bombs.
5Be sure to compare things that belong together.
Have you ever heard the phrase, Youre comparing
apples to oranges?
6Why wouldnt somebody compare apples to oranges?
- Both are fruits
- Both taste sweet
- Both grow on trees
- Both have delicious juices
- Both have seeds
- Both are brightly colored
- Both are nutritious
- Both are grown in America
When you compare items, you look for their
similarities--the things that make them the
samejust as we did with apples and oranges.
7- When you contrast items, you look at their
differences. - For example
- Apples are red. Oranges are orange.
- The fruits have different textures.
- Oranges need a warmer place to grow, like
Florida. Apples can grow in cooler states, like
Wisconsin.
8Comparison/Contrast Essays
- In AP U.S. History, we use an organizational
strategy called Point-by Point Strategy - In this structure, you explain one point of
comparison before moving to the next point. - For instance, you would write about a specific
similarity in one section then you would write
about a specific difference in the next section. - Often, a third body paragraph of another
similarity or difference is included to
demonstrate clear understanding.
9Comparison/Contrast Essays (cont.)
- Essays in APUSH are more about assessing your
ability to discern similarities and differences
than about providing knowledge about a topic,
thus you should avoid separating your comparisons
into separate paragraphs that are based on one
specific thing. For example, in our comparison
of apples and oranges, we did not discuss oranges
and then discuss apples separately. We spoke of
BOTH!
10Behold! The power of BOTH!
- In our comparison of apples and oranges, we did
not discuss oranges and then discuss apples
separately. We will write of a specific
similarity in one paragraph that describes BOTH
items to be compared. - Paragraph topic example The sweetness of oranges
and apples - This makes it clear to the reader of your essay
that you are capable of understanding the exact
similarities and differences(forget about the
fruit!)
11Donts (or do not dos)
- Lets say you had an essay due that required you
to compare and contrast the roles of women in
classical Hindu and Confucian societies. You
should NOT discuss expectations of women in China
in paragraph one and then go on to expectations
of women in India in the second paragraph. - Do not leave similarities and differences
unstated (More on this in a moment). - Dont be afraid to have long paragraphs. You may
have been told a paragraph is anywhere from 3-7
sentences. At this level, they are as long as
they need to beIn this type of essay, they are
most often about 12 sentences long.
12Do Dos
- Deal with a specific expectation of women in
India and China in your first paragraph. - Deal with a specific difference about a similar
topic regarding women in Hindu and Confucian
societies. - Use clear language to make your analysis of
similarities and differences clear to the
readerFor example Women in India and China
were both expected to or Unlike women in
China, Indian women were
13Transitions
- In comparison and contrast, transition words tell
a reader that the writer is changing from talking
about one item to the other. - Transitional words and phrases help make a paper
smoother and more coherent by showing the reader
the connections between the ideas that are being
presented.
14- When you're comparing items, using a transition
from this list will signal to readers that you're
changing from one item to the next and it will
also tell the reader that the two items are
similar.
- Also
- As
- As well as
- Both
- In the same manner
- Like
- Likewise
- Same
- Similarly
- The same as
- Too
15On the other hand, using one of the transitions
from this list of words will signal readers that
the two items you're discussing are different.
- Although
- But
- Differ
- Even though
- However
- In contrast
- Instead
- Nevertheless
- On the contrary
- On the other hand
- Unless
- Unlike
- While
- Yet
16Comparison/Contrast Essay Check List
- There are three main things to pay attention to
as you write a comparison and contrast paper - 1. Purpose Supporting Details
- 2. Organization Structure
- 3. Transitions Coherence
- In addition, be sure to pay attention to the
usual requirements for writing, such as spelling,
punctuation, and grammar.
17Comparison/Contrast Essay Check List
- 1. Purpose Supporting Details
- a. The paper compares and contrasts items
clearly. - b. The paper points to specific examples to
illustrate the comparison. - c. The paper includes only the information
relevant to the comparison.
18Comparison/Contrast Essay Check List
- 2. Organization Structure
- a. The paper breaks the information into
point-by-point structure. - b. The paper follows a consistent order when
discussing the comparison. - c. The paper breaks the information into
sections or paragraphs appropriate to the ideas.
19Comparison/Contrast Essay Check List
- 3. Transitions Coherence
- a. The paper moves smoothly from one idea to
the next. - b. The paper uses comparison and contrast
transition words to show relationships between
ideas. - c. The paper uses a variety of sentence
structures and transitions.