techniques of Written Expression

Writing Effective Comparison or Contrast Essays
A Comparison or Contrast essay is an essay in which you either compare something or contrast something. A comparison essay is an essay in which you emphasize the similarities, and a contrast essay is an essay in which you emphasize the differences. We use comparison and contrast thinking when deciding which university to attend, which car to buy, or whether to drive a car or take a bus or an airplane to a vacation site.
In this section, two classic organizational patterns of a comparison or contrast essay will be discussed. One is called block arrangement of ideas; the other is called point-by-point or alternating arrangement of ideas. Suppose you are interested in showing the differences between vacationing in the mountains and vacationing at the beach. You will then write a contrast composition. One way to arrange your material is to use the block arrangement which is to write about vacationing in the mountains in one paragraph and vacationing at the beach in the next. If you mention a particular point in the mountains paragraph, you must mention the same point in the beach paragraph, and in the same order. Study the following outline, which shows this kind of organization. The introductory paragraph is followed by the mountains paragraph, the beach paragraph, then the conclusion; the fully developed essay is just four paragraphs.

Block Arrangement (four paragraphs)

I. Introduction in which you state your purpose which is to discuss the differences between vacationing in the mountains or at the beach
II. Mountain
A. Climate
B. Types of Activities
C. Location
III. Beach
A. Climate
B. Types of Activities
C. Location
IV. Conclusion

A second way to organize this material is to discuss a particular point about vacationing in the mountains and then immediately to discuss the same point about vacationing at the beach. This is called point-by-point or alternating arrangement. An outline of this organization follows.

Point-by-Point or Alternating Arrangement (five paragraphs)

I. Introduction in which you state your purpose which is to discuss differences between vacationing in the mountains or at the beach
II. First difference between mountains and beaches is climate
A. Mountains
B. Beach
III. Second difference between mountains and beaches are types of activities
A. Mountains
B. Beach
IV. Third difference between mountains and beaches is the location
A. Mountains
B. Beach
V. Conclusion


How to Write an Effective Comparison or Contrast Essay: Summary
1. Know what organizational style you are using. Whether you use the block arrangement or point-by-point arrangement, you should be able to identify it. Being able to identify your organization will not only help you in the organization of your own writing, but it will also help your reader follow the points you make.
2. State your organization. Remember the "straight line of development" that was discussed in the introduction requires that you "tell your audience what you are going to tell them; then tell them; then tell them what you told them." An important objective in academic writing is clarity, and stating your organization always contributes to clarity. Err on the side of clarity!
3. Keep your audience in mind. Be sure your reader can relate to your topic. After you finish writing, read your essay from the perspective of your audience. How will they respond to your ideas? Will they understand what you have written? Will they agree with your main point? Will the support appear logical to them?
4. Say what you want to say. Write like Robert Persig did in his book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. In your essay, make your preference clear as Persig did when he contrasted the difference between vacationing by car or motorcycle.
Finally, to further clarify how it would be possible to say what you want to say in your writing, consider which of the following options would YOU prefer, and why? To support your point in each essay, what characteristics would you choose to contrast, and what support would you use? Can you think of any other topics that might be fun to contrast?
A. Vacationing in Paris or taking a three-week trip down the Amazon.
B. Growing up in a small town or growing up in a large city.
C. Working for large company or running your own business.