In this video, we'll be discussing compare and contrast essays. First, we'll review
the concepts of comparison and contrast, we'll take a look at the basic parts of a
compare contrast essay, you'll read a compare contrast essay,
and then we'll do a detailed analysis of the compare contrast essay.
What is comparing and contrasting? When we compare, we look at the similarities
between two things. When we contrast, we look at the differences between two things.
Sometimes we use the word 'compare' when we want to look at both similarities and differences.
We compare and contrast almost on a daily basis. For example, we might use comparing
and contrasting to make very simple decisions such as deciding what we want to eat for dinner
or deciding what to watch on tv. We can also use comparing and contrasting in college.
For example, we might be asked to compare or contrast chimpanzee babies and human babies
or we might be asked to contrast the characteristics of two major cities.
When we write a compare contrast essay,
we include the same basic parts of any essay. We start with the introduction paragraph,
we have at least two body paragraphs, and we end with a conclusion paragraph.
Let's take a look at a sample essay.
Take a look at this sample essay that looks at the differences
between Downtown L.A. in 1921 and Downtown L.A. in 2021.
You can pause the video here so that you can read the essay completely.
Now, let's take a closer look at the introduction paragraph.
Here we can see that this introduction paragraph has the three major parts of
the introduction paragraph. We start with a hook as a first few sentences. Then, we have
some background information or bridge sentences that connect the hook to the thesis statement.
We end the introduction paragraph with the thesis statement, "Public transportation
and architecture are two major differences between Downtown Los Angeles in 1921 and 2021.
Now let's take a very close look at the thesis statement.
When we write a thesis statement for a compare contrast paragraph,
we need to include four components. We need to include the topics that are being compared,
and then we need to also include the points of comparison or the points of contrast.
In this thesis statement, we know that this essay is going to be focusing on contrast
because right here we have the phrase 'two major differences,'
so we know from the word 'difference' that we're going to be focusing on contrast. The two
topics that we are contrasting are Downtown Los Angeles in 1921 and Downtown Los Angeles in 2021.
The two points of contrast
are public transportation and architecture.
Let's take a closer look at the body paragraph topic sentences
and how they relate to the thesis statement.
For body paragraph number one, we have the topic sentence, 'One major difference between Downtown
L.A. in 1921 and 2021 is public transportation.' So, you can see that in the topic sentence,
we include the two topics, 'Downtown L.A. in 1921 and Downtown L.A. in 2021,
and we include the first point of contrast or the first difference
that we mentioned in the thesis statement in this case it's public transportation.
If you take a look at body paragraph 2's topic sentence, it follows the same pattern:
'Architectural style is another major difference between Downtown L.A. in 1921 and today.'
Again we've included the two topics Downtown L.A. in 1921 and Downtown L.A. today.
And we've included the second point of contrast from the thesis statement.
So, if we look back at the thesis statement the second point of contrast
was architecture, and so right here we have 'architectural style.'
So, for your body paragraph topic sentences in a compare contrast essay, again we want to include
the two topics that we're comparing or contrasting,
and then we want to also include the point of contrast or the point of comparison.
Now let's take a look at the organization of the rest of each body paragraph.
Let's take a look at body paragraph number one.
We know that in body paragraph number one, we're going to be looking at the differences between
Downtown L.A. in 1921 and Downtown L.A. in 2021 in terms of public transportation. So,
after our topic sentence, we follow with a little bit of an explanation of the topic sentence,
and then we start with the contrasting. The first part of this paragraph we're talking about
Downtown L.A. in 1921 in terms of the public transportation, so we can see this first part
these sentences here in green are all about the public transportation in Los Angeles in 1921,
and then we come to
this transition word 'in contrast.' 'In contrast, is a word that signals
that at this point the writer is going to start discussing the second topic which in this case is
public transportation in Downtown L.A. in 2021, and we can see that the sentences here in blue
relate to public transportation in Downtown L.A. in 2021. So, we can see that we follow
a logical time order. We start with the past and then we use 'in contrast,' and then we discuss
public transportation in Downtown L.A. today, so we're following a time order logic.
Now let's take a look at the second body paragraph.
The second body paragraph is organized in the same way.
Don't forget that we're discussing architecture in the second body paragraph, and we start with
the topic sentence and after the topic sentence, the writer immediately started discussing Downtown
L.A.'s architectural style in 1921, so we can see these sentences that are highlighted in green
are all related to the architecture of Downtown L.A. in 1921.
Then we come to this word 'unlike' 'Unlike the the buildings of old Downtown L.A. . . .'. So,
here we used a prepositional phrase to show a transition. This is the signal
that now the writer will be discussing the second topic which is
Downtown L.A. architecture today or 2021,
and we can see that these sentences that are highlighted in blue are all related to
Downtown L.A. architecture in 2021.
Now let's take a closer look at the conclusion paragraph.
In the conclusion paragraph, we start with the transition, 'in conclusion,' and then we
restate the thesis statement. This writer has decided to restate the thesis statement in two
separate sentences, but all the four components of the thesis statement are included in these
two sentences. We have Downtown Los Angeles in 1921, Downtown Los Angeles in modern day,
and then we have the points of contrast, public transportation, the architecture.
This is followed by a summary of the main points of the body paragraphs
in this essay, and the last sentence is a final thought, something interesting for your reader
to think about. In this case, the writer has related the final thought to the question
at the beginning of the introduction paragraph, so that's one way that we can use the final thought.
So, we can see that the organization of a compare contrast essay is very important. So, let's take a
quick look at a outline for the organization of a compare contrast essay. This is a general outline
for a compare contrast essay. We start with the introduction just like any other essay,
and then we have our body paragraphs. The organization and the body paragraphs
is particularly important. Remember that we start with the topic sentence. The topic sentence should
include both topics and the first point of contrast or the first point of comparison.
In the first part of the paragraph after the topic sentence, we discuss the first topic.
After that we discuss the second topic all in one paragraph. In our sample essay, remember that
our first topic was Downtown L.A. in 1921 in terms of public transportation, and then
the second part of this paragraph topic two was public transportation in modern day Downtown L.A.
We follow the same pattern of organization for body paragraph number two as well.
So, that's just a little bit about compare and contrast essay writing.