{"id":2392,"date":"2014-10-06T18:00:14","date_gmt":"2014-10-07T01:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/blog\/?p=2392"},"modified":"2018-11-12T10:37:30","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T18:37:30","slug":"compare-and-contrast-essay-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/compare-and-contrast-essay-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Compare and Contrast Essay Tips From a Kibin Editor"},"content":{"rendered":"

Erin H.<\/a> has been one of Kibin’s favorite editors since August 2013. I had a chance to ask her for her best compare and contrast essay tips. Here’s what she had to say.<\/p>\n

In Simple Terms, What Is a Compare and Contrast Essay?<\/h2>\n

A compare and contrast essay, at its heart, describes how two things are similar and how they are different to make a larger point about one or both of the subjects of comparison.<\/p>\n

We humans love<\/i> to compare things. We read articles comparing technical specifications to help us decide between an Apple phone and an Android one. We compare the stances of political candidates to help us make sound voting decisions. We also compare seemingly unrelated things, people, or ideas — like literary characters or the genomes of spiders and humans<\/a> — to deepen our understanding of those subjects or to see them in a new light.<\/p>\n

And sometimes, like New York Times<\/i> contributor Eric Spitznagel, we do it for a laugh<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Compare and Contrast Essay Tips: What Makes a Good Essay?<\/h2>\n

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Stuck on Your Essay?<\/div>\n\t\t\t
Check Out These Example Compare and Contrast Essays<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tYes! Show me examples.<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n
\nA great compare and contrast essay paints its subjects in a fresh light, telling the readers something they didn\u2019t already know or had never considered before. There is nothing better than a delightful juxtaposition of two things that seem like polar opposites; this writer once wrote compare and contrast essays about nuns and prostitutes<\/a> and Walt Disney and Hugh Hefner!\n

That said, a good compare and contrast essay doesn\u2019t have to be shocking to be interesting and engaging. Great compare and contrast essays might help readers make a decision, facilitate a new understanding of two subjects, or nominate a \u201cwinner\u201d between two subjects — but at their heart, the best essays of this genre always say something fresh and are driven by a clear purpose.<\/p>\n

Compare and Contrast Essay Tips: What Makes a Bad Essay?<\/h2>\n

A bad compare and contrast essay has no clear purpose — that is, it describes the similarities and differences without making a larger point about the subjects being compared and contrasted. In fact, I often see writers fall into the \u201ceasy thesis\u201d trap with these essays. Say we\u2019re comparing electric vehicles and biodiesel vehicles. Writing the thesis is easy, right?<\/p>\n