In the prewriting stage of a researched essay, you will do a lot of reading and information gathering. In this stage of the process, you should keep your information organized carefully so that you can find it when it comes time to write your essay.

Understand the assignment

In your essay, you will describe how two topics are similar to and different from each other. You are not arguing that one is better than the other; you are simply drawing comparisons between them. 

Brainstorm

You can start brainstorming for a comparison essay by thinking about a category of things you are interested in (e.g., ancient civilizations, languages, advertising styles, etc.). 

Helpful Tip

A Venn diagram or a T-chart are both great ways to brainstorm for a comparison essay! 

A Venn diagram is a chart with overlapping circles. In one circle, write your first topic, in the other, write your second topic. In the overlap of the two circles, write any similarities between the two topics. 

Look at the example below:

 

 

Research

Choose a topic you are interested in and type “types of ____” in a Google search (e.g., Types of natural disasters). Look at a list and choose two (e.g., hurricanes and tsunamis) to compare. Encyclopedias can also be an excellent source of information on your two topics. Example topics could include the following: 

• Neurology and psychology 
• Buddhism and Hinduism 
• Diabetes and hypoglycemia 
• Chitin and cellulose 
• Surrealism and impressionism 
• Gothic architecture and Baroque architecture 

Finding sources to support your ideas can be a challenge. Here is a list of the type of information you might want to find from a source:

• Descriptions (ex. define the two topics, physical descriptions, explain impact)
• Statistics (ex. sales, effectiveness, usage, etc.)
• Stories (ex. experiences that highlight sameness or difference)

Depending on your topics, an internet search for "differences between __ and __" or "similarities between __ and __" might give you helpful results.

Choose a focus

Make sure the topic isn’t too broad to cover in your essay. You should be able to find concrete examples of similarities and differences between your two topics. 

Thesis

At the end of your introduction paragraph, you should write your thesis. The thesis may list the categories that will be used for the comparisons in your body paragraphs. It may simply argue that the two topics are distinct. Note examples of comparison theses: 

At the end of your introduction paragraph, you should write your thesis. The thesis may list the categories that will be used for the comparisons in your body paragraphs. It may simply argue that the two topics are distinct.

Outline

Start with your topic sentences and thesis. Add questions or quotes to help you develop each of your ideas. The organizational pattern you choose may depend on how much information you have for each topic. Each topic sentence should support your thesis. You may have several paragraphs that explain just one point of your thesis. 

The outline for a comparison essay can be very flexible. Read the example thesis below and compare it to each of the outlines. Each outline could be effective for this thesis. 

Your body paragraphs should explain how or why your thesis sentence is true. You can organize your body paragraphs in two general ways: the block method or the point-by-point method. 

1. The block method organizes your body paragraphs by keeping everything about one topic (e.g., freshwater fish: diet, habitat, size) together before transitioning to the second topic (e.g., saltwater fish: diet, habitat, size). 

In shorter academic essays that follow the block method of organization, there is often only one paragraph for each of the topics. When writing a longer academic essay, think of the block method not as one large paragraph about each topic but as a section of your paper, made up of several paragraphs that relate to the same topic. 

2: The point-by-point method alternates between both topics in every body paragraph (e.g., habitat of both freshwater and saltwater fish, then their diets).

Your body paragraphs should explain how or why your thesis sentence is true. You can organize your body paragraphs in two general ways: the block method or the point-by-point method. 

1. The block method organizes your body paragraphs by keeping everything about one topic (e.g., freshwater fish: diet, habitat, size) together before transitioning to the second topic (e.g., saltwater fish: diet, habitat, size). 

In shorter academic essays that follow the block method of organization, there is often only one paragraph for each of the topics. When writing a longer academic essay, think of the block method not as one large paragraph about each topic but as a section of your paper, made up of several paragraphs that relate to the same topic. 

2: The point-by-point method alternates between both topics in every body paragraph (e.g., habitat of both freshwater and saltwater fish, then their diets).

Exercises