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Comparison and Contrast

Decent Essays

In the name Allah""

Professor: Dr.Bahman Amani
Prepared by: Akbar Akbari
Place: IAU Maraghe
Date: May 6th 2010

❖ Definition: To compare is to show how items are alike. To contrast is to show how items are different. Thus comparison and contrast involve pointing out the similarities or differences between two (or more) items.
In deciding what to compare or contrast, you will want to make sure that the items share points in common. Thus, the items compared are usually the same kind or class of thing, and in comparing and contrasting them, you essentially establish two or more categories, showing the differences or similarities between or among them. For example, you can compare two passenger cars-a Ford and a Cadillac- …show more content…

But your readers will probably want to know what the similarity or difference amounts to. You can write this for a thesis. However, once you 've noted the difference, the readers will see that you 've merely stated the obvious. Thus comparison and contrast for its own sake is generally pointless, but both are extremely useful to develop support for a thesis. To support the thesis statement we should outline central paragraphs.

❖ Central paragraph organization:

When you have decided whether to concentrate on comparison or contrast, you still must decide how to do it. You should organize your comparison or contrast by whichever method suits your material best. There are three different methods of organization of central paragraph: 1) Point-by-point or alternating method 2) Block method 3) Mixed method

1) Point-by-point or alternating method: In this method you explain one characteristic of item A and then immediately compare it with that of item B –and then you go on to compare the two items point by point. For example when you want to contrast two brands of automobile e. g. Nissan and Toyota to decide which to buy, you will consider such subtopics (elements) as price, mile per gallon, length and width, comfort, and maintenance expense. Thus the organizational type will be:

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