The integral purpose of a compare and contrast essay is to identify the similarities and differences between two or more concepts/topics. In essence, this type of essay seeks to identify elements that unite or separate related topics and concepts. In this case, the writer of such an essay must have a clear understanding of the subjects and concepts involved before engaging any related analysis. It is notable that the compare and contrast essays are more common in middle and high school levels, since they are aimed at sharpening the analytical skills of a student. In case you have issues in preparing your compare and contrast essay, here are some important elements you must include:
Use Venn Diagram To Brainstorm Ideas
In order to demonstrate high degree of analysis in writing a compare and contrast essay, you should begin with a brainstorming session. In this case, a Venn diagram is an important tool to assist in the comparison process. A Venn Diagrams comes in the form of overwrapping circles, whereby each circle represents a topic. Areas that do not overwrap indicate distinction between the involved concepts, while the overwrapping areas indicate common elements. Therefore, you can utilize a Venn diagram to get an idea of the underlying similarities and differences between two or more concepts.
Create A Thesis Statement
Having successfully familiarized with the topics using the Venn diagram, you will be in a position to understand the relationship between two or more topics. In this stage, you should articulate a thesis statement that draws a clear roadmap on the direction that your essay will take. A thesis statement should resonate with the points that intend to compare and contrast.
Develop A Clear Draft/Outline
Note that the compare and contrast essay seeks to draw the differences and similarities between concepts. Therefore, you should work with an outline that specifies the areas points that you would want to compare and contrast.
Body Paragraphs
All your body paragraphs should contain a point of comparison or contrast. It is necessary to avoid colliding arguments under one paragraph. Remember to have a clear topic sentence in your body paragraphs to guide your arguments. Some in-text citations are important in validating your arguments in the body paragraphs. You should follow the initial draft in articulating and arguing out your points. At no given instance should you write a compare and contrast essay that does not have valid sources to back your arguments.
Conclude
It is important to note that you were handling different points in terms of differences and similarities. It is for this reason that you must have an articulate conclusion for your compare and contrast essay. In this case, you need to have the thesis statement in mind. The thesis statement is what that guides your entire flow of points in your essay. You also must remember that points that you raise across all the body paragraphs. Having accounted for the thesis statement and the points raised, you can now easily generate a summary of your work. It is the summary that makes a strong conclusion.
List of References
Any type of essay that has utilized secondary sources must have a list of references. The list of references provides the complete details of the in-text citations used. Make sure that you have the list of references in the right format and style to avoid losing some points in your compare and contrast essay.