COMPARE/CONTRAST PARAGRAPH

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

Write a comparison paragraph; comparing involves finding likeness between two or more items

Write a contrast paragraph; contrasting involves focusing on the differences between two or more items

Learn how to find good topics for comparison and contrast

Use the all-of-one-side approach or the point-by-point approach

WHAT IS A COMPARISON OR CONTRAST PARAGRAPH?

•Comparison is the development strategy finding similarities between two subjects.

• My brother and my father are two of the most stubborn men I know.

• Both Yo-Yo Ma and Wynton Marsalis are excellent musicians.

WHAT IS A COMPARISON OR CONTRAST PARAGRAPH?

•Contrast is the development strategy focusing on differences between two subjects.

• History and science classes require very different skills for success.

• Tampa and Miami have very different atmospheres.

REAL-LIFE WRITING

•For college• Literature papers contrasting or comparing the

content or style of two writers• In your personal life

• Writing an e-mail to a friend contrasting two iPods to recommend which one to buy

•At work• Contrasting your product against your competitor’s

product

CHOOSE A GOOD TOPIC FOR DEVELOPMENT• Find a topic that will allow you to say something

interesting about both subjects.

• Decide which aspects of the two subjects you wish to focus on.

WRITING AN EFFECTIVE TOPIC SENTENCE• Your topic sentence will identify the two subjects your

are comparing and contrasting.

• Your topic sentence will state whether you’ll be finding similarities or differences between them.

ORGANIZING AND LINKING YOUR IDEAS (SUBJECT BY SUBJECT)All-of-One-Side approach, model:

ORGANIZING AND LINKING YOUR IDEAS (SUBJECT BY SUBJECT)• All-of-One-Side approach, example:

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ORGANIZING AND LINKING YOUR IDEASPoint-by-Point approach, model:

ORGANIZING AND LINKING YOUR IDEASPoint-by-Point approach, example: