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A compare and contrast essay focuses on the similarities and differences between two things. It is not simply a description of the two things, but an analysis of the two objects or ideas, which clearly lays out the ways the two are related and dissonant from one another.
A useful starting point for a compare and contrast essay is to brainstorm using a Venn diagram. A Venn diagram is a visual method, using overlapping shapes (usually circles) to show relationships between two or more things.
Example:
Start by drawing two circles that partially overlap. Label each circle with one of the things you are comparing and contrasting. In each circle, list all the properties of that item. Do the same for the second item. Anything that applies to both things should be listed where the circles intersect. Use the Venn diagram process to compare and contrast any of the suggested essay topics listed here:
Compare and contrast essays can be structured in three ways: