Quick Navigation
While getting an education, students must complete different tasks and overcome various academic challenges. One of such challenges is the writing process of a comparison essay. If you are wondering how to start an introduction for a compare and contrast essay or just want to know how to write one well, you first need to understand its purpose. A compare and contrast essay is an academic paper that is used for analyzing two different subjects to determine their differences and similarities.
In a compare and contrast essay, students must think critically and look at topics from different perspectives. These types of papers can be comparative, where they show similarities between subjects. They can also only require students to contrast. In this paper, it is appropriate to use easily comparable subjects. This is so you don’t have to work too hard to find the similarities and differences between the two topics. Below, you will find methods to start writing your college-level compare and contrast essay.
What Is A Compare And Contrast Essay?
These are complicated papers that have a task to compare two subjects or show the contrast between them. Keep in mind that these papers can show both at the same time. It is important to add that these essays must reveal small and not obvious differences between two subjects or must show similarities between the two subjects that are not obvious and not something you can see at first sight. Yes, you need to know how to write a compare and contrast essay in order to get the best grade due to the fact these papers are common in college.
You need to know that comparing means you will have to be focused on the similarities between the two. On the other hand, we have contrast, which is looking at the differences between the two subjects. For example, you may have to provide similarities and/or differences between college education and long-distance learning. As you can see, these two do have some same or similar results, but they are done in different ways, and the differences are massive. There is no need to add that compare and contrast essay introduction has a huge role in all of this.
Tips On How To Make Your A Compare And Contrast Essay Perfect
There is no need to tell you that compare and contrast essays are common, and you will have to work on a few of them during your education. What this means is that you need these tips. They can help you get a paper that is just perfect and the one that will have the best grade ensured. A good thing here is that all the tips are simple and straightforward. On the other hand, they do have a huge effect on your paper and on the outcome. Yes, you will have to use all of these tips for all papers of this kind you write, and there must be no exception.
- Choose a great topic
Before you start with similarities and differences, you need to choose a topic. In some cases, this is possible, while in others, it is not. But, if you can, always choose a topic you are passionate about and the one you like. This will make the whole research and the whole process much easier and more appealing. At the same time, it won't make a paper annoying to work on. When students are interested in something, they will invest more time and effort and get a better result. The best thing here to keep in mind is that some topics are simple, while others are complicated. However, if you are more interested in a complicated topic, go for it. - Do a proper research
This is something you have to do for all papers, and there is no other way. Yes, you will need a lot of time to invest in research, which sometimes means days or even weeks. You need to have all the details in order to present all the similarities. Some of these details are not easy to find. Others are confusing, so you will need even more time to analyze them. As such, it is always better to start as soon as possible and do slow and detailed research. - Use Venn Diagram
You can see this diagram all over the web. It has two circles that interlay in the middle. You will assign one circle to one subject. In the middle, where you can see the two circles overlap, you will see the similarities between the two subjects. The diagram is ideal when comparing two subjects, and you want to make things easier and more effective. Yes, it actually works, and it can make a massive difference. - Find and present evidence and proper sources
When comparing and contrasting, you still need to provide evidence that will prove your claims. The goal here is to make your paper as accurate as possible. For that, you need actual sources and accurate ones. You also need to present these in your paper, so a teacher will know that you did your research. Once again, we can see that all of this does take time, so you will need to start as soon as possible.
Steps In Writing A Compare And Contrast Essay
1. Choose the Topic of Your Text
Before you start writing your compare and contrast essay, you need to compare and contrast essay ideas that can showcase your writing and analytical skills. Therefore, try to pick topics that are easy to compare.
2. Think of Your Text’s Structure
You must decide how many paragraphs your essay will have. This depends largely on the length of your text. If you are going to write about 4000 words, you need to create many paragraphs. However, if the text is going to be brief, you don’t need that many paragraphs in it. Your structure can vary widely.
The standard structure is to include an intro, a paragraph about one topic, a paragraph about another topic, and a conclusion paragraph. Alternatively, you could start with an intro, then write a paragraph that discusses the similarities between the two subjects, then a paragraph that explores the differences between the two subjects, and then finally end with a conclusion. While essay planning, you can freely modify this structure.
3. An Essay Introduction
You should begin your essay with a strong intro that catches the readers’ attention and clearly introduces your topic. When starting a compare and contrast essay, it is good to begin with a question you will answer in your work and a fact that will draw in your audience.
_1664979079.jpg)
4. Be Creative
Try to be as original as possible in your work. For example, do not write "I’ll inform you about this and this in my work". Instead, pique your reader’s interest by asking two questions on each subject: "What draws people to travel? Why do some people prefer not to travel?”. You can also use this in your thesis statement within your intro; it is common here.
5. Add Some Facts or Humor
In the intro, you should provide a compare and contrast essay outline. This gives your readers a full understanding of the topic you are writing about. It is also a good idea to give a brief historical overview, to start with a story or a joke, or to use a provocative statement in your intro.
6. Body Paragraphs
Before you begin your essays, do research on your topic to become more knowledgeable about your writing topic. While researching, you need to gain a thorough understanding of your topics. A good strategy to use is to make two lists for the subjects and then write down the information in the correct categories. This graphic organizer will allow you to clearly see the similarities and differences between the two things you are comparing. It’s also important to utilize good transition words when writing your compare and contrast essay. While researching, search for uncommon knowledge so that your readers will want to read your compare-and-contrast essay with greater interest.
7. Conclusion
In your conclusion, you need to wrap up the text that you have written with a clear summary of your paper that emphasizes the main ideas.
A conclusion should not be too long. When you write it, you can repeat something from the compare and contrast introduction. However, it should not be repetitive and it should bring a new perspective on what you have initially discussed in your introduction. Other than the introduction for compare and contrast essay, your conclusion is the most important part of your paper.
8. Proofreading
After you have finished writing your paper, check for spelling and grammatical errors. You should also check to make sure that your paper flows nicely and that there are no awkward transitions or topics that come out of the blue. Be sure also to check the style and the format of your essay, since the text should be written in one style and format.
9. Final Organization
Do not forget to organize your citations and references, in the end, to ensure that you have done your title page and other sections according to the academic standards that your professor or teacher expects you to follow.
10. The Final Review
It’s also a good idea to give yourself time to step back from your paper. This way, you can review it with a clearer head than if you are rushing to meet a deadline at the last second. These helpful hints and pieces of advice can help you to write a good essay at the college level. Comparative and contrast essays are often assigned to teach students how to think critically. Students learn to analyze information on two different subjects, allowing them to synthesize information and present an evidence-based argument.
By utilizing the tips, tricks, and hacks for writing essays in this article, you are sure to have a much easier time writing your compare and contrast essay.
