College Writing 3-1

44 Chapter 1 Analyzing Print Ads
# Focusing and Organizing
Compare and Contrast
The purpose of a comparison and/or contrast paragraph is to show
how two ideas, persons, or things are alike or different. By comparing
two ideas, persons, or things, the writer shows how they are similar in
one or more ways. By contrasting two ideas, persons, or things, the
writer shows how they are different in some way or ways.
Generally, in academic writing the word comparison is used to
mean both comparison and contrast. For instance, if the writing
assignment asks you to "Compare the authors'points of view in these
two articles," it is telling you to find similarities (compare) and
differences (contrast) between the two points of view.
The two ways of organizing comparison andlor contrast paragraphs
are as follows:
1. Discuss first one (A) and then the other (B).
Topic Sentence about A and B:
The Duncan Hines ads are very attractive, but the ad for
the white cake mix is more striking than the other because of its
color contrast.
lii
Give all the information about A, point by point (the ad for the
white cake mix).
Give all the information about B (the ad for the chocolate cake
mix). Arrange the information, point by point, in the same order
as for A.
2. Discuss both A and B point by point.
Topic Sentence about A and B:
The Duncan Hines ads are very attractive, but the ad for
the white cake mix is more striking than the other because of its
color contrast.