Compare/Contrast Essays
Purpose: To identify the similarities and differences between two or more people, events, places, things, etc.
Difficulties: Students often are tempted to argue that one thing is better than the other. The essay then becomes an argumentative essay. Students should avoid bias and creating arguments in a compare/contrast essay.
Structure:
A compare/Contrast essay can be organized one of two ways: block and point-by-point.
Block Organization
I. Introduction
II. Body
A. Similarities
1) Similarity
2) Similarity
3) Etc
B. Differences
1) Difference
2) Difference
3) etc
III. Conclusion
*Note that you should not put all your similarities in one paragraph and all your differences in another paragraph. For a 4-6 page essay, you should have several paragraphs of similiarities and several paragraphs of differences, divided up in a logical matter using your best judgement.
Point-By-Point Organization I. Introduction
H. Body
A) Object of comparison #1
1) Similarities
2) Differences
B) Object of comparison #2
1) Similarities
2) Differences
C) Object of comparison #3
1) Similarities
2) Differences
D) Etc
III. Conclusion
Format:
Your essays must:
- Be between 4-6 pages each
- Be double-spaced throughout
- Be Times New Roman font, size 12
- Have a reference page with 2-3 sources and cited in either APA, MLA or Chicago Style (choose one citation style)
- Have citations throughout the paper in correct APA, MLA or Chicago Style
- Include a title page with the title of your essay, your name, class number, and the date in the center of page (examples will be provided)
- Not be first or second person
The topic is the difference of table manner between in China and in America, also, do not use .com source as the reference.