Compare and contrast essays are an assignment used in the academic environment to look at the similarities and differences of something which helps develop observance and analytical skills in students. These essays are a staple in most academic curricula which is why at some point in your schooling, you’ll likely be asked to write one.

 Here are some good tips to help you write a compare and contrast essay. 

Choosing a Topic

Some professors or teachers may give you a topic or a list of topics to choose from, but if you are tasked with choosing a topic, there are some things you may want to consider. 

First, choose a topic that fits your guidelines and that you are interested in writing about. Nothing is harder than having to write a compare and contrast essay about something you don’t care about. 

Secondly, ensure that you pick a topic that has a good amount of both similarities and differences. You don’t want to choose two things that are too similar or too different and not be able to compare them effectively.

Brainstorming Ideas

The best way to start preparing to write a compare and contrast essay is to brainstorm ideas on your topic. There are several ways to do this from laying out a Venn diagram to making a list or simply doing a brain dump onto paper with everything you know that relates to your topic. 

No matter which way you do it, don’t forget to do a bit of research before you brainstorm so that your brainstorming can almost act as an outline. 

Three Layout Options

Like there are many ways to brainstorm, similarly, there are multiple ways to lay out your compare and contrast essay. This is one of the few essays where you have some flexibility in the structure. 

You can go with a point-by-point layout where you list the similarity and difference regarding each characteristic one after another or you can go with a blocked layout where you layout all the characteristics of one subject, then the other, and follow it up with a summary of the information you presented. 

The final layout option is to write about all of the similarities between the subjects and then all of the differences between the subjects. There are pros and cons to each, but you should go with the one that feels most natural to you. 

Save Some Time Instead

These three tips are crucial to writing a compare and contrast essay; however, there is a way you can cross this assignment off your to-do list while saving some time and stress. An essay writing service can help. 

The best online essay writing service is right here at Paper Labs. Let our expert writer take the guidelines you were given and deliver an exceptional compare and contrast essay for you to turn in. No matter the deadline, Paper Labs has you covered. Get your essay written today!