Compare and contrast essay is a commonly assigned task given to students throughout their time in college. It requires students to discuss in detail the similarities and differences between two things. The assignment helps learners engage in critical thinking and figure out how two ideas are interconnected and how they differ.
The keywords to help you identify compare and contrast essays are differences, similarities, compare, and contrast. It is not every topic in this kind of assignment requires you to lean on both sides. Some may require you to compare only, contrast, or both. You need to think broadly and create ideas that will help you write such an assignment.
Choose two subjects that share key relationships
Avoid choosing subjects that are rarely related or have nothing in common. Such subjects will be harder to discuss. If the subjects don’t have meaningful comparison grounds, you should avoid them. When you find choosing topics challenging, seek help from essay writing services such as Bestessay.com. Some topics like these are harder to compare or contrast.
- Dogs barking and humans landing on the moon
- Fish swimming in the sea and donkeys pulling a cart
- Life today and life after death
The more your subjects are difficult to compare, the harder it will be for you to complete your essay. You will rarely get a strong point to make your comparing and contrasting arguments.
Choose a topic that is easy to argue
There are thousands of compare-and-contrast essay topics that you can choose from. However, not all of them are easy to deal with. A certain topic might seem tough to you but easy to another person. This is because people have different abilities and conducting IQ tests helps people know their abilities. Here are topic ideas that are easy to compare and trust.
- Are sciences more worthwhile in the career market than arts?
- Are exams a direct reflection of a student’s abilities?
- How does WW1 compare with WW2?
- Compare and contrast Joe Biden’s administration with Donald Trump
- What are the similarities and differences between the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolution?
- Should people use chemical drugs or herbal?
- Advantages and disadvantages of getting part-time work or partying in college
Consider your course
You have a choice of hundreds of compare-and-contrast topics. However, choose topics that are relevant to your course. If you are studying medicine, do not choose history topics, no matter how simple they may look. The main purpose of a compare and trust essay is to help you understand your course better. Here are compare and contrast essay ideas based on subjects.
Compare and contrast essay topics on economy
- How economic growth compares with political unrest
- Similarities and differences between economy and economics
- Which is better: Economics or business studies?
- How do micro and macro-economic theories compare and contrast?
- How are demand and supply interrelated in the market structure?
Compare and contrast essay topics on history
- North America and South America during the Civil War
- The United States and the UK in the 1980s
- The third and the fourth Industrial Revolutions
- First-world and third-world nations
Compare and contrast essay topics on health
- What are the similarities and differences between psychologists and psychiatrists?
- Nurse practitioners and general practitioners: Compare and contrast
- Which one offers better healthcare: Hospitals or Clinics?
- Use of ceramic-on-ceramic hip replacements or use of metals: Which is better?
Compare and contrast essay topics on education
- Is it better to learn from hardcopy textbooks or the internet?
- Is it more productive to study from your room or the library?
- Is research paper writing better than creative writing?
- Which is better: vocational or professional learning?
How to compare and contrast two subjects
There are different strategies you can use to compare and contrast two subjects. Start by building an outline that will guide you through the process. Use any of these strategies.
Subject-by-subject strategy
Subject-by-subject strategy is the easiest way to compare and contrast topics. You first separate the subjects and highlight their similarities and differences. You may discuss the similarities first and then the differences or discuss them side by side. Here are examples of topics that can be discussed subject by subject.
- High school life and college life: How do they compare and contrast?
- What are the differences in behavior between males and females?
- Differences and similarities between hurricanes and tornadoes
- Which is worse: Viruses or bacteria?
- Which is better? Getting a job after high school or pursuing higher education?
Point-by-point comparison
When doing a point-by-point comparison, you look at the core aspects of each point and then present it to your audience. Discus one point per paragraph but don’t create too many paragraphs. Here are examples of topics that can be discussed point-by-point.
- Eating fast foods or healthy foods
- Attending private schools or public schools
- Learning sciences or arts
- Using android or iPhone
- Differences between the Milky Way and other galaxies
Compare and then contrast
This strategy requires you to compare first and then contrast. Most students choose to use this approach because they may choose to lean on the comparing side or the contrasting side only or both. This strategy fits better for more complex topics such as these.
- Similarities and differences between American and European history
- China’s and America’s economic developments
- Fashion in the 19th and 21st centuries
- Roman architecture and Greek architecture
- Using Xbox or PlayStation
Regardless of the approach that you choose, remember any type of essay starts with an introduction and then the body and conclusion. In the introduction, include the hook and thesis statement. Discuss your compare and contrast points in detail in the body. Discuss a recap in the conclusion but make it interesting. Editing is a crucial component.
Conclusion
Compare and contrast essays require you to take two subjects that are closely related. When you choose subjects that are rarely related, it becomes very hard for you to find their similarities and differences. Choose topics that are within your study area to avoid feeling confused. The main approaches you can opt for are subject-by-subject, point-by-point, or compare and then contrast. Stay within the common essay structure that starts with an introduction, body, and conclusion.
