paragraphs-comparison and contrast

ParagraphsdevelopmentbycomparisonandcontrastAComparisonorContrastessayisanessayinwhichyoueithercomparesomethingorcontrastsomething.Acomparisonessayisanessayinwhichyouemphasizethesimilarities,andacontrastessayisanessayinwhichyouemphasizethedifferences.Inpractice,however,comparisonandcontrastoftenappeartogether,becausepeoplegenerallycomparetwothingsthataresimilarincertainwaysanddifferentinothers.Sample1CompareMyhometownandmycollegetownhaveseveralthingsincommon.First,botharesmallruralcommunities.Forexample,myhometown,Gridlock,hasapopulationofonlyabout10,000people.Similarly,mycollegetown,Subnormal,consistsofabout11,000localresidents.Thispopulationswellsto15,000peoplewhenthecollegestudentsareattendingclasses.Asecondwayinwhichthesetwotownsaresimilaristhattheyarebothlocatedinruralareas.Gridlockissurroundedbymanyacresoffarmlandwhichisdevotedmainlytogrowingcornandsoybeans.Inthesameway,Subnormalliesinthecenteroffarmlandwhichisusedtoraisehogsandcattle.Thirdly,bothofthesetownsaresimilarinthatbothcontaincollegecampuses.Gridlock,forexample,ishometoNeutronCollege,whichisfamousforitsAgriculturalEconomicsprogramaswellasforitsannualCorn-WatchingFestival.Likewise,thetownofSubnormalboaststhebeautifulcampusofQuarkCollege,whichiswellknownforitsAgriculturalEngineeringdepartmentandalsoforitsyearlyHog-CallingContest.Sample2ContrastEventhoughArizonaandRhodeIslandarebothstatesoftheU.S.,theyarestrikinglydifferentinmanyways.Tobeginwith,thephysicalsizeofeachstateisdifferent.Arizonaislarge,havinganareaof114,000squaremiles,whereasRhodeIslandisonlyaboutatenththesize,havinganareaofonly1,214squaremiles.Anotherdifferenceisinthesizeofthepopulationofeachstate.Arizonahasaboutfourmillionpeoplelivinginit,butRhodeIslandhaslessthanonemillion.Thetwostatesalsodifferinthekindsofnaturalenvironmentsthateachhas.Forexample,Arizonaisaverydrystate,consistingoflargedesertareasthatdonotreceivemuchrainfalleveryyear.However,RhodeIslandislocatedinatemperatezoneandreceivesanaverageof44inchesofrainperyear.Inaddition,whileArizonaisalandlockedstateandthushasnoseashore,RhodeIslandliesontheAtlanticOceananddoeshaveasignificantcoastline.Sample3Comparison/ContrastparagraphsTherearesomedistinctsimilaritiesbetweenfastfoodandhomecookedmeals.Thefirstsimilarityisthattheybothprovideavarietyofchoices.Thereareanumberofselectionsavailableinrestaurants;salads,burgers,sandwichesandmore.Similarly,iftheingredientsareavailable,anythingcanbecookedinyourownkitchen.Anothersimilarityisthateachcanberelativelyinexpensive.Fastfoodcanbeverycheapsincemanymealsareunderfivedollars.Inthesameway,homecookedmealsalsocanbereasonableespeciallyifingredientsarecarefullyconsideredforthecost.Thirdly,bothfastfoodandhomecookedmealscanbedelicious.Weknowthatmanypeopleenjoythetasteoffastfoodbecauseitispopulararoundtheworld.Likewise,homecookedmealscancertainlybeyummyiftheyarepreparedjustasyoulikethem.Althoughthereareanumberofsimilarities,thereareseveraldifferencesbetweenfastandhomecookedmeals.Thefirstdifferenceisthatfastfoodisgenerallymorefatteningsinceoilisfrequentlyusedinthecookingprocess.Incontrast,thefatcontentcanbecontrolledinhomecooking.Anotherimportantdifferenceistheamountoftimethateachtakes.Fastfoodisobviouslyquicksincemenusarelimitedandanumberofstaffareinvolvedinthepreparationandcookingprocess.However,homecookedmealstakelongertocompletesinceonepersonisusuallyresponsiblefortheentiremeal.Thethirddifferenceisconvenience.Fastfoodisready-madeandalwaysavailablewhereashomecookedmealsarenotinstant.Therearetwomajorwaysoforganizingparagraphsofcomparisonandcontrast.Onewayistoexamineonethingthoroughly,andthenexaminetheother.Inthisway,theaspectsexaminedinthetwothingsshouldbeidenticalandinthesameorder.Thismethodiscalledblock(subject-by-subject)comparisonorblockcontrast.Theotherwayistoexaminetwothingsatthesametime,discussingthempointbypoint.Thismethodiscalledalternating(point-by-point)comparisonoralternatingcontrast.Sample:Supposeyouareinterestedinshowingthedifferencesbetweenvacationinginthemountainsandvacationingatthebeach.Block(item-by-item/subject-by-subject)arrangementI.Introductioninwhichyoustateyourpurposewhichistodiscussthedifferencesbetweenvacationinginthemountainsoratthebeach.II.MountainA.ClimateB.TypesofActivitiesC.LocationIII.BeachA.ClimateB.TypesofActivitiesC.LocationIV.ConclusionAlternating(Point-by-point)arrangementI.IntroductioninwhichyoustateyourpurposewhichistodiscussdifferencesbetweenvacationinginthemountainsoratthebeachII.FirstdifferencebetweenmountainsandbeachesisclimateA.MountainsB.BeachIII.SeconddifferencebetweenmountainsandbeachesaretypesofactivitiesA.MountainsB.BeachIV.ThirddifferencebetweenmountainsandbeachesisthelocationA.MountainsB.BeachV.ConclusionTips:a.Tohelpreaderskeeptrackofyourpointsofcomparison/contrast,discussthesamepointsinthesameorderforItemsAandB.b.Strongtopicsentencesandeffectiveuseoftransitionshelptounifythepointsofcomparisonofthetwoitemsunderdiscussion.Topicforpractice:Supposeyouarecomparingandcontrastingyourselfwithyourroommateintermsoftidinessandstudyhabits.OtherSuggestedtopi