Writing: compare/contrast organising

The explanation

Compare and Contrast is a common way to organise your analysis and writing. It is most helpful when you have two or three specific topics or elements to analyse that have clear similarities and differences. Writing prompts that are encouraging you to use compare and contrast may sound like:

Choose two different kinds of places where plants and animals live, like a rainy forest and a hot desert. Write a report where you compare and contrast them.

A key element to writing a successful essay using compare and contrast is organising your ideas. You need to ensure that you have enough evidence (examples) that support your analysis of where there are similarities and differences. You will also want to make a “so what” statement about those similarities and differences. For example, if we were answering the prompt above we might have a section in our writing that says:

Birds are found in both rainy forests and hot deserts. Although they may be difference species, birds’ ability to fly means that they are not limited to one small area for food or other needs. This means they can survive in many different places.

You might notice that only the first sentence in that section is the “answer” to our prompt (both kinds of places have birds). The sentences afterward add to and tell our readers why it is important or interesting to discuss this answer. We are saying “this is one answer to the prompt” (birds in both places), “this is why/how it happens” (they can fly), and this is why it is important (they can be in both places because flying means they can go to all sorts of places!).

This might seem like a lot of writing, but most of it can be drafted before you even begin writing your actual answer, by being organised with your notes.

A screenshot of a graphic organiser for comparing and contrasting two topics

Today’s work

Today you are going to take the first step in organising your writing for a compare/contrast prompt. You can either use the suggested topic above or start with:

Think about two characters from books you have read. Compare and contrast their personalities, special powers and friends.

You are going to write some brief notes on the topic, focusing on one list of what is similar between the two and two separate lists of differences. Often, prompts will tell you where you need to focus your comparisons by giving you specific elements to look at. In this case, you have been asked to focus on two characters but to specifically compare and contrast their personalities, special powers and friends (if you choose that prompt) or two different areas where plants and animals live (if you choose that prompt). That means, when you are taking your notes, you will want to make sure you cover all the elements of the prompt. For this exercise, you are going to fill out a version of the graphic organiser pictured above. To start writing your notes, please click here: Compare/Contrast Character Sheet.

Fill in the sheet with information about the characters you have chosen. When you are finished, if you like, comment “done!” in the comment box below.