20+ paper examples, study guides & outlines
Mastering the compare and contrast essay is often key to achieving great grades across subject areas in college. That’s because it’s one of the most common assignments in college classrooms.
Often, teachers ask students to write their first formal compare and contrast paper in their college English class. From there, you will continue to use this skill in subjects including history, literature, art, and science.
In essence, a compare and contrast essay asks you to notice, analyze, and write about similarities and differences. Comparing means identifying the ways two things are alike. Contrasting means identifying the ways two things are distinct. You’ll usually analyze two or more things in your essay.
These might be concrete people or objects. For example, you might compare and contrast two book characters or consumer products.
They can also be more abstract ideas. For example, you might compare and contrast two political ideologies or scientific theories.
It can be helpful to look at compare and contrast essay examples in your subject area before you begin. Browse the examples below to find the one that will be most helpful to you.
Not all compare and contrast essays are alike. Often, your professor will have a unique goal and focus in mind for your paper. Look critically at your assignment to determine what it is asking you to do.
In some cases, your teacher may want you to focus on how two items or ideas are both alike and different. In others, they may encourage you to focus on the differences and why they are meaningful. A professor might even ask you to find similarities between two seemingly distinct concepts.
A great way to prepare to write your essay is to look at strong examples of compare and contrast essays. You’ll find hundreds of examples below.
You’ll find that most comparison and contrast essay examples follow two basic structures:
In an essay using the block structure, you’ll write about the two topics you’re comparing and contrasting separately. You might spend one paragraph discussing the first object or item and the second paragraph discussing the second.
This format might be ideal when comparing and contrasting two real people with distinct lives and philosophies. For example, this essay comparing developmental theorists Piaget and Vygotsky.
An essay with a point-by-point structure alternates between discussing each similarity and difference. You’ll start by choosing the similarity or difference you want to address. You’ll introduce it with a sentence. You’ll then explain how each item is unique.
This format is ideal when comparing two concepts that may seem very similar. It helps you break down precisely what makes each one unique in a clear and concise way. For example, this essay comparing cognitive therapy and behavior therapy.
Check out the examples below for more sample papers that can help you master the compare and contrast essay.