8.2: Planning a Comparison and Contrast Essay

As you consider your two subjects and the overall direction of your essay, pay attention to the What, How, and Why of Comparison/Contrast. What two items or ideas do you wish to compare, and what particular aspects of your two items wo you wish to compare? As mentioned, we can compare most anything, but what are we looking for? We can compare cars and trucks, but why would we want to do so? Are we comparing practical differences, such as seating, fuel economy, or engine power, or are we examining cultural and demographic differences as signified by cars and trucks? While the subjects—cars and trucks—are the same, these would be very different essays. The answer to the What question is often called the “basis for comparison,” and establishing this basis sets up the next two questions.

Once you have your two subjects and your basis for comparison, you’re ready to look at the How: how am I going to compare my two subjects with my basis for comparison in mind? These will be the main point of your essay, your criteria for comparison. The criteria (also sometimes called points of comparison) are simply the ways in which you will compare your subjects. In the above practical example of cars and trucks, you might discuss price, gas consumption, towing capacity, and comfort. Each of these criteria would then be used to discuss both vehicles: a truck might cost more, while a car is less expensive.

The car, however, uses less gas than the truck. Applying each of these criteria to both types of vehicles will ensure a balanced, logical discussion. (This activity is similar to solving an algebra equation: whatever operation you do on one side of the equation, you must also do on the other.) Of course, the criteria you see here are only examples. There are many other points of comparison you might take into consideration; the key, though, is that these criteria matter to you while you are considering these two items. No matter the criteria you use, though, comparisons that do not use consistent criteria simply become descriptions of two items in consecutive paragraphs: you will have discussed cars and trucks, but you will not have compared and contrasted them evenly.

Finally, you are ready to move on to the Why. Why do you want to compare these two items/ideas? At times the why question will be easy to answer. Why am I comparing cars and trucks with certain criteria in mind? I want to get the best value in a vehicle for my personal needs. Why would I need a car over a truck, or why might a construction worker need a truck over a car (or why might a foreman need something different from the other workers)? Why might a particular patient need one procedure or medication over the other one; or, if I own a restaurant, why might I choose one supplier over the other? Why am I examining these particular things in this particular order with these particular criteria? The answer to the question of Why will help establish your thesis for the essay.

Planning a Comparison with Audience in Mind

While you don’t have to be especially mindful of audience when writing a Compare & Contrast essay, careful attention to describing your subjects completely and a focus on balance will produce a more effective essay. You also might want to consider your audience’s knowledge base. Your reader might not start at the same level of knowledge as you, so you may need to catch them up a bit before digging into comparison. For example, let’s say you were comparing two musical genres; you wouldn’t need to go into a lengthy discussion of country or hip-hop, as most people could give you a basic description of the two. However, if you were comparing subgenres of music—say, folk country and dub-step—then you would need to clarify those subgenres for your audience, because a “typical” reader probably wouldn’t know them.