COMPARISON AND CONTRAST ESSAY

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COMPARISON AND CONTRAST ESSAY

Definition:

In this kind of essay, the aim is to show the similarities and differences of two items, two people, two countries, or how something or someone has changed When comparing two things, we focus more on the similarities though we may mention the differences shortly When contrasting two things, we point out the differences between them The most important point to consider while planning a comparison and contrast essay is choosing comparable items

e.g Middle East Technical University and Bogazici University

We have to make sure that these two items have enough points to be compared After writing the comparable points as a list,

• location,

• size,

• reputation,

• specialty,

• social clubs,

• sports facilities,

we have to eliminate some of them and choose 2-3 from the list that can lead to full supported paragraphs

• location

• size

• specialty

Organization:

Two patterns of organization are possible:

1 Point-by-Point Organization

In this pattern, the organization is as follows:

Example 1:

Thesis statement: METU and BOUN are Turkey's two very prestigious

universities with some differences in their specialties, facilities, and locations

I specialty

A METU

B BOUN

II facility

A METU

B BOUN III location

A METU

B BOUN

Example 2:

Thesis statement: One way to decide between two job offers is to make a

point-by-point comparison of their features

I. The salaries of job X and job Y are approximately equal

A Job X's salary

B Job Y's salary

II. Job X offers the same fringe benefits as job Y

A Job X's fringe benefits

B Job Y's fringe benefits

III. In contrast to job Y, job X offers good opportunities for advancement

A Job X's opportunities for advancement

B Job Y's opportunities for advancement

VI. Unlike the high pressure and competitive asmosphere at Company X, the

atmosphere in Company Y seems friendly and supportive

A Atmosphere at Company X

B Atmosphere at Company Y

Conclusion

For each of the points of comparison, we compare and contrast the two items

2 Block Organization

In this pattern, the two items to be compared and contrasted form two separate paragraphs In each paragraph the points of comparison are discussed in the same order,

as in the following organization:

Example 1:

Thesis statement: METU and BOUN are Turkey's two very prestigious

universities with some differences in their specialties, facilities, and locations

I BOUN

A specialty

B facility

C location

II METU

A specialty

B facility

C location

Example 2:

Thesis statement: One way to decide between two job offers is to evaluate what the

similarities and differences are before making a decision

I. The salaries and fringe benefits of job X and job Y are almost the same

A Salary (Job X and Job Y)

B Fringe benefits (Job X and Job Y)

II. Although the salary and fringe benefits are equal, there are big differences in

the areas of workplace atmosphere and opportunity for advancement

1 Job X

2 Job Y

B Opportunity for advancement

1 Job X

1 Job Y

Conclusion

This pattern is mostly used when the amount of information about the items is limited Also some topics (e.g Your life before and after the divorce of your parents) lend themselves to block type organization

Language:

The two patterns differ in terms of language as well While pattern 2 is quite straightforward, pattern 1 requires more transitions but the end product is more understandable for the reader

COMPARISON STRUCTURE WORDS

SENTENCE

CONNECTORS Subordinators CLAUSE CONNECTORS Coordinators OTHERS

1 similarly

likewise

also

too

2 as just as 3 and both and

not only but also neither nor

4 like (+N) just like (+N) similar to (+N)

5 be similar to (+N)

be the same as(+N)

6 (be) the same

7 (be) alike (be) similar to

8 to compare (to/with)

Examples

1 Human workers can detect malfunctions in machinery; likewise/similarly, a robot

can be programmed to detect equipment malfunctions

Human workers can detect malfunctions in machinery; a robot can also.

Human workers can detect malfunctions in machinery; a robot can, too.

2 Robots can detect malfunctions in machinery, as/just as human workers can.

3 Robots and human workers/Both robots and human workers/Not only robots but also human workers can detect malfunctions in machinery.

4 Robots, like/just like/similar to human workers, can detect malfunctions in

machinery

5 Robots are similar to/ the same as human workers because they can both detect

malfunctions in machinery

6 In their ability to detect malfunctions in machinery, robots and human workers are the same.

7 Robots and human workers are alike/similar because they can both detect

malfunctions in machinery

8 Robots can be compared to/with human workers in their ability to detect

malfunctions in machinery

CONTRAST STRUCTURE WORDS - CONCESSION (UNEXPECTED RESULT) SENTENCE

CONNECTORS

Subordinators Coordinators

1 however

nevertheless

nonetheless

still

2 although even though though

3 but yet

4 despite (+N)

in spite of (+N)

Examples

1 It began to rain, however/nevertheless/nonetheless/still, we continued our hike.

2 We continued our hike although/even though/though it began to rain.

3 It began to rain, but/yet we continued our hike.

4 Despite/In spite of the rain, we continued our hike.

CONTRAST STRUCTURE WORDS - DIRECT OPPOSITION

SENTENCE

CONNECTORS Subordinators CLAUSE CONNECTORS Coordinators OTHERS

1 however

in contrast

in (by) comparison

on the other hand

2 on the contrary

3 while whereas 4 but 5.differ from6 compared (to/with)

7 (be) different (from) (be) dissimilar (to) (be) unlike

Examples

1 The term rock music commonly refers to music styles after 1959 that were

influenced primarily by white musicians; however/in contrast/incomparison/on the other hand, rhythm-and-blue music styles were influenced primarily by black

musicians

2 Innovation in rock music comes not just from the United States; on the contrary

the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were from Great Britain, and the music style known as reggae came from the Caribbean Island of Jamaica (Note: On the contrary contrasts an untruth and a truth.)

3 The term rock music commonly refers to music styles after 1959 that were

influenced primarily by white musicians, while/whereas rhythm-and-blue music

styles were influenced primarily by black musicians

4 The term rock music commonly refers to music styles after 1959 that were

influenced primarily by white musicians, but rhythm-and-blue music styles were

influenced primarily by black musicians

5 Early rock music differs from later styles in that later styles make use of

electronics to produce new sounds

6 Compared to/with earlier rock styles, later styles have a harder sound.

7 The punk, rap, grunge, and techno styles of the '90s are very different from/dissimilar to/unlike the rock music played by Elvis Presley in the '50s, but

they have the same roots

Do not forget that using transitions enables the piece of writing to be coherent; it is easier for the reader to follow our ideas when transitions are used to link them together However, overuse of transitions causes a traffic jam and should be avoided We should be using transitions sparingly (only when necessary)

Sample comparison contrast essays

Sample 1:

METU and Bogazici University

Almost all high school students who would like to further their academic lives in the university search for information about the various universities of Turkey Among many universities in Turkey, two of them are the most popular: Middle East Technical University and Bogazici University They are considered the best However, since both cannot be THE BEST, their specialties, facilities and locations need to be examined in detail to be able to choose the most suitable university for one's education life

One of the areas that one should investigate is the specialties of the two universities METU is a comparatively new university (1956) Its aim was to contribute to the development of Turkey and Middle East countries and especially to train people so as to create a skilled workforce in the fields of natural and social sciences The first academic program to start education was the Department of Architecture It was followed by the Department of Mechanical Engineering Today, there are 37 undergraduate programs in five faculties of METU Bogazici University, on the other hand, is a very old university (1863) Its first name was Robert College It got its present name in 1971 It started education by giving Bachelor of Arts degree Engineering building was built later (1912) Today, Bogazici is known to graduate students who have strong social and business skills

The second point we would like to compare is their facilities METU is widely recognized with its cultural and intellectual facilities The campus houses pioneers of some clubs such as mountaineering and scuba diving clubs, which are only two of a total

of 25 different social clubs that students can choose There is an alumni society There are two gymnasiums, 7 tennis courts, a closed and an open swimming pool However, the campus is far from the city center; therefore, there are not many places to eat at around the campus

METU has a very good library with hard and electronic copies of many books and journals Bogazici also has a very good library, a swimming pool, a gymnasium and an alumni society that offers many extra-curricular courses, such as fitness, yoga, cooking courses There are canteens on campus However, unlike METU, Bogazici is situated in Etiler and it is close to Bebek, places popular with young people and there are a lot of places to eat around the campus

This brings us to the third point we would like to compare; the campus The two campuses are quite different from each other Bogazici campus is quite old; dates back to

the second half of 19th century The buildings are very old Though they are restored from time to time, they have historical value and their facades cannot be changed The campus is full of old trees and it has an awesome view of the Bosphorus The campus is quite large However, new buildings cannot be added so two new campuses have been constructed One is called the North Campus and is quite close to the main campus The other is in Kilyos, 40 km away There are shuttle busses for both campuses METU, on the other hand, is modern looking with concrete and red brick buildings The campus is large enough to allow construction of new buildings With many green areas where students can meet and talk, it has a more academic atmosphere

As a conclusion, we can say that METU dwells more on the technical departments and a closed campus life which enables the students to concentrate on their courses more On the other hand, Bogazici is very good at social sciences and economics departments and has every facility to create a cultural and intellectual environment for the student One should evaluate one’s priorities before making such a choice

Sample 2:

The Senate and the House of Representatives

The government of the United States is made up of three branches:the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch The legislative branch, called Congress, is responsible for making laws Congress is made up of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives In this essay, you will learn the differences and similarities between these two houses of Congress

There are many differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives The Vice President of the United States is the head of the Senate He must vote in the Senate

if there is a tie On the other hand, the House of Representatives’ leader is called the Speaker of the House The representatives elect him or her

Another difference is that the Senate is made up of 100 senators, two from each state The House of Representatives, however, is made up of 435 representatives The number of representatives from each state is determined by that state’s population The greater the population in a state, the more representatives that state will have in the House A third difference is that senators are elected to six-year terms, while representatives are elected

to serve two-year terms Every two years, the nation holds an election for members of Congress At that time, all members of the House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate are up for re-election

There are also similarities between the Senate and the House of Representatives For example, both houses of Congress are made up of men and women Both senators and representatives are members of Congress who must work together toward the same goal:

to create, discuss, debate and vote on bills, some of which eventually become laws In the U.S Capitol Building in Washington D.C., senators and representatives often meet with

each other and in smaller groups to discuss laws Before the President can sign a bill into law, it must first be approved by a majority of members in both the House and Senate Although Congress is made up of two types of lawmakers, they must work together for the benefit of all Americans

Sample 3:

Where to Go on Vacation: The Beach or the City

It is a fact that not all the people have the opportunity to go on vacation The ones who have the facilities like to go out of town once in a while in order to leave their worries behind When we go on vacation, we have to decide the best place to go according to what we have in mind The purpose of this essay is to contrast the differences between vacation at a beach or in a city We will look at the kinds of activities, the clothing required and the pace of life available while vacationing on the beach or in the city The first major difference between vacationing on the beach or in a city is the kind of activities you are able to do On the beach, for example, you can go sailing, fishing, surfing, skiing, or take advantage of the sun and lie in the sand to get tan, or even in some cases feed sharks and swim with dolphins On the other hand, in a city you can visit different sites such as museums, theaters, important buildings, downtown, among other things This means that you have many places to know and you will need much more time and organization in a city than on the beach

Another difference between vacationing on the beach or in a city is the clothing and equipment you need to take with you If you decide to go to the beach, you will have to take mainly a bathing suit, shorts, short-sleeve shirts, sandals, sunglasses, goggles, and sun block Considering that you are going to the city where you will have to walk a lot, you will need comfortable and casual clothing such as jeans and tennis shoes You will also have to take fancy clothes in case you want to go, for example, to watch a play or to

a concert

The final difference between vacationing on the beach or in a city is the pace of life If you want a relaxing plan, your option will be the beach When you are on the beach you just let things happen while in the city you will have to schedule all your activities in order to have time to visit the different sites you want to

In conclusion, here you have these differences to consider when deciding where to go on vacation Although both places are interesting and exciting, it all depends on what you are looking for Keep in mind that wherever you decide to go you will enjoy it

Sample 4:

MY PART-TIME JOBS

I have held six part-time jobs so far, and I have learned something from each one of them I had

my first paid job during the summer vacation before I started high school, picking strawberries at

a farm near our summerhouse During three of my four high school years, I cleaned offices near

my house once a week after school I have also worked as a receptionist for a passenger ferry company, a salesperson in a clothing store, a math tutor for middle school students, and a maid in

a hotel While there are a few similarities between these jobs, the differences between them are

much greater

One obvious similarity is that they have all been part time My parents didn’t allow me to work

more than one evening and one of the weekend days (Saturday or Sunday) while I was a student.

Of course, I often worked full time for a month or so during the summer but never during the

school year Another similarity is that they were all basically entry-level, unskilled positions One might think that being a math tutor was a more highly skilled job, but actually I was given

all the assignments and detailed directions for how to teach math points by the school Still, I think the differences between these jobs are much more striking than the similarities

The first big difference between them was the amount of mental and physical work involved My two jobs as a strawberry picker and as a hotel maid involved a lot of heavy lifting, and in both of them I walked many miles everyday I remember crying after my second day in the strawberry field because my back muscles were so sore The office cleaning job involved some physical

work, such as moving chairs and waste baskets, but it was very easy in comparison For my

receptionist, tutor, and salesperson jobs, I worked in air-conditioned comfort and never lifted

anything heavier than a pencil or a dress Second, there was a great difference in the amount of

independence I had Picking strawberries, I could go as slowly or as quickly as I wanted; when I

picked more strawberries, I got a lot of money As a salesperson, I was also paid a commission on the amount I sold, so I had a lot of independence In my other four jobs, I was told exactly what

to do and when to do it However, the biggest difference, in my opinion, was whether the work

involved people or objects When you are picking fruit and cleaning offices or hotel rooms, you really don’t need to talk with people much Sometimes a whole day could go by in those jobs

when I hardly said anything to anyone, but as a receptionist, salesperson, or tutor, establishing

pleasant and effective relationships with other people was critical

To summarize, the similarities in the amount of work and level of skill needed are not nearly as

obvious as the differences between these jobs Physical labor is hard on your body, but the

hardest thing about these jobs for me was that I rarely go total with anyone I love to talk, and I

have discovered that I need to have independence and responsibility in the kind of work I do As

a result, I kept my sales-person job through all four years of high school Being a receptionist

was somewhat boring, but at least I got to chat with a lot of different people Therefore, besides

earning pocket money and saving for college and some vacations abroad, my six jobs have taught

me a lot about the kind of responsibility, and interaction with interesting people is the path for

me

Two methods for writing a comparison essay are the Block and the Feature-by-Feature methods Use the following information about each format to help your classes write comparison essays

Sample 5:

Industrial Engineer or Administrator?

One of the most important decisions of your life is choosing a career When you have two main options to study you can compare them in order to see the advantages and disadvantages The purpose of this essay is to examine the differences between being an Industrial Engineer and being an Administrator These are two similar careers, but each

of them offers you different opportunities as a student and as a professional Three main aspects comparing these two careers are the job opportunities, the specific skills you acquire and the work areas

One of the main aspects you should consider in selecting a career is the job opportunities

As an Industrial Engineer you have a very wide open field You can work in many different areas Industrial Engineers can work as administrators, manufacturers, and in departments such as human resources As an Administrator you are more specialized, and the work field is more reduced You can only work in departments such as human resources and economics but not in manufacturing or productivity departments

Another very important differences the knowledge you acquire As an Industrial Engineer you will obtain more objective and specialized reasoning abilities You will have to study subjects such as Physics and Mathematics and other kinds of subjects such as Human Resources and Administration As an Engineer you will obtain both a social and a mathematical perspective As an Administrator you have subjects such as Finance and Private Rights You will obtain a better social perspective, but not a very critical or specialized mathematical reasoning

A third aspect to consider is what would you like to do after graduating Both careers are good to be an entrepreneur Engineers are able to work in the manufacturing process in order to offer good quality Administrators are able to work checking the economic and material resources in order to produce An Administrator is specialized in the financial aspects, and the Engineer is specialized in the productivity It depends which area you like the most Click here to understand more about Industrial Engineering and Managing

Definitely, both careers are great options Both are needed in industry and business It is very important to analyze if you are more into business or if you are more into manufacturing Engineers use a very high level of critical thinking and analysis talking about productivity Administrators use a very specialized reasoning talking about economics and resources Both are similar, but they focus on different aspects within the enterprise It is a matter of knowing yourself and finding out what kind of student and professional you want to be

Sample 6:

Two Great Mexican Cities

Becoming a foreign student has given me the opportunity of living in two cities at the same time: Queretaro and San Miguel Living in each city regularly has let me see many differences between the both, but there are three main contrasts between them, which are the size of the cities, the life rhythm of each city, and the activities you can do in each city

Usually the first difference that all people see is the size of the cities Queretaro has grown into a great urban mass filled with industries, buildings, roads, and lots of people The time it takes you to get from one place to another shows us how big it has become San Miguel still maintains the essence of a colonial town in which most of its townsfolk know each other although the city has grown a lot in the last years

Another great difference is the rhythm of life in each city Queretaro has become a city in which its people are usually in a hurry and have a lot of things to do throughout the day This can be seen by the amount of traffic in the city On the other hand, San Miguel still remains quite a calm city where most people walk and take their time

Maybe the most important difference between the cities are the activities you can do In Queretaro you can find all sorts of things to do like shopping in plazas, going to the discos or bars at nights, going to the movies, etc In San Miguel, there are places to drink

a coffee and chat, theaters and art galleries to visit, and many places with beautiful architecture and decoration you can admire

As you can see, there is a great difference between these two cities, and it is best to be in each city according to what you want to do If you like to be active during the day, survive traffic and stress, and go shopping and have fun at clubs or bars, Queretaro is the place to be But if you want to have a calm day, hang out with friends to catch up on things, or use your time in cultural activities like painting or music, San Miguel is a great option

Sample 7:

Cows and Whales

There are some things that happen to cows and whales One of the things, both cows and whales are eaten by people in some countries as edible meat Another thing, although they are living different places like ocean and land, they have their own lives

It seems that cows and whales are in a same situation But there are some differences that could be compared First, many cows are slaughtered everyday On the other hand, whales are protected by national law recently Second, cows are important provisions for