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The paragraphs aren’t about proving or disproving anything they are used to highlight the similarities and differences between the two items.Īll body paragraphs should start with a topic sentence and then follow with: BodyĮach paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of the topic. When writing the introduction to a compare and contrast essay, it is essential to start with a “hook.” A hook is a bold statement or question that gets the reader’s attention and causes them to want to know the answer.Īfter the hook, the intro should include background info on the two subjects and then follow with a thesis that ties together why these two topics are being compared and contrasted. Once a student has outlined the two topics and their similarities, it is time to move on to the actual writing. The overlapping section of the diagram is for the similarities between the two topics. A Venn Diagram is a chart with two or more overlapping circles, one for each topic’s specific qualities. When it comes to writing a compare and contrast essay, it is easiest to start with creating an outline using a Venn Diagram.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY TOPICS FOR UNIVERSITY HOW TO
How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay These words will help add a fluid transition between thoughts so that the reader isn’t confused by which point you are trying to emphasize. Signal words allow the reader to understand that the author is shifting from one topic to another as well as the relationship between them. However, it would be more effective if you compared and contrasted something like gasoline prices during a presidential campaign or an election with the cost of gas at another time.Īnother essential element of a compare and contrast essay includes specific phrases known as signal words. Put simply, if you were to compare and contrast these two items, there wouldn’t be anything to write about. For example, a compare and contrast essay that examines the relationship between a political figure and the price of gas won’t be very effective because the two topics are entirely unrelated.
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To do this, students must choose two topics related to each other to draw comparable and contrasting points of view. Unlike other types of essays that talk about one subject or are designed to convince readers of something, a compare and contrast essay has one specific goal – to show the relationship between two objects or ideas. Essential Elements of a Compare and Contrast Essay Typically, when writing a compare and contrast essay, students have the most trouble coming up with a topic that will satisfy both parts of this type of essay.įortunately, this guide will cover 200 compare and contrast essay topics and helpful tips on writing this type of essay. This form of essay is most commonly assigned to students in literature, history, and social studies. Any time an essay assignment requires a student to examine the relationship between two or more topics, it is called a compare and contrast essay.
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