PRESENTATION OUTLINE
To compare is to examine how things are similar, while to contrast is to see how they differ. A compare and contrast essay therefore looks at the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.
There are two main ways to structure a compare and contrast essay, namely using a block or a point-by-point structure. For the block structure, all of the information about one of the objects being compared/contrasted is given first, and all of the information about the other object is listed afterwards.
For the point-by-point structure, each similarity (or difference) for one object is followed immediately by the similarity (or difference) for the other. Both types of structure have their merits. The former is easier to write, while the latter is generally clearer as it ensures that the similarities/differences are more explicit.
Block Structure
Introduction
Object 1 - Point 1
Object 1 - Point 2
Object 1 - Point 3
Transition sentence/paragraph
Object 2 - Point 1
Object 2 - Point 2
Object 2 - Point 3
Conclusion
Point-by-point
Introduction
Point 1
Object 1 ➤ Object 2
Point 2
Object 1 ➤ Object 2
Point 3
Object 1 ➤ Object 2
Conclusion
