Sample Compare and Contrast Essays
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Below are two essays. The first one is a block essay and the second one is a point by point essay. I would like you to make two notices and two wonders about each essay.
This is a fun activity that is often done in the classroom. Let’s see if we are able to do this well in an online environment.
I have hidden the responses of your classmates until you complete yours. When the other come available, make at least two comments on what others noticed.
Notice: Highlight a paragraph that shows one of the styles listed: block or point by point. Explain what is unique to that style
Wonders: Hightlight any questions that you have about either of the essays.
I have hidden the responses of your classmates until you complete yours. When the other come available, make at least two comments on what others noticed.
Sample Compare and Contrast Essays
The Senate and the House of Representatives
The government of the United States is made up of three branches: the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch. The legislative branch, called Congress, is responsible for making laws. Congress is made up of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. In this essay, you will learn the differences and similarities between these two houses of Congress.
There are many differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Vice President of the United States is the head of the Senate. He must vote in the Senate if there is a tie. On the other hand, the House of Representatives’ leader is called the Speaker of the House. The representatives elect him or her. Another difference is that the Senate is made up of 100 senators, two from each state. The House of Representatives, however, is made up of 435 representatives. The number of representatives from each state is determined by that state’s population. The greater the population in a state, the more representatives that state will have in the House. A third difference is that senators are elected to sixyear terms, while representatives are elected to serve two-year terms. Every two years, the nation holds an election for members of Congress. At that time, all members of the House of Representatives and onethird of the Senate are up for re-election.
Essays in block format have a specific paragraph for each item being compared. Your points about those items of inquiry are in each separate paragraph, answered specifically to the item in the paragraph.
Block compare and contrast essays are unique because they spend one paragraph contrasting the two topics, like this paragraph, and they spend another paragraph comparing them.
Hey Hayden! I also noticed that in this essay they first list all of the differences in one paragraph and then all of the similarities in another. Although, I think this is a block essay.
This is a really good question. I am curious about that as well.
Block Style essays have a paragraph for contrasting, and another for comparing.
There are also similarities between the Senate and the House of Representatives. For example, both houses of Congress are made up of men and women. Both senators and representatives are members of Congress who must work together toward the same goal: to create, discuss, debate and vote on bills, some of which eventually become laws. In the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C., senators and representatives often meet with each other and in smaller groups to discuss laws. Before the President can sign a bill into law, it must first be approved by a majority of members in both the House and Senate.
While the previous paragraph made all the points about that subject matter, this paragraph uses similar points for this subject matter. When both paragraphs are read, you can see the comparison of the two.
It seems that block format tends towards larger paragraphs.
I think that block essays are effective because they allow the reader to clearly see the similarities and differences between two points.
Although Congress is made up of two types of lawmakers, they must work together for the benefit of all Americans.
In the conclusion of this essay, the author states that the Senate and the House must work together for the benefit of all Americans, but I am wondering how exactly they work together, as the essay did not explain this.
Vacations
Vacations are one of the favorite things for people to do. There are a couple ways to do this, and they have their pros and cons.
Tent-camping and staying at hotels are two of the most common ways of vacationing. Tent camping has been around for years. This is a good option for those whose budget is limited, although some campgrounds’ sites these days rival the charge of hotels. There is also a little bit of an element of danger in tent-camping, although others just see this as part of the adventure.
There is a paragraph for each point, and in it is the contrast of the two subjects.
What makes point by point essays unique is that they organize the paper by dedicating each paragraph to a specific point.
Other than camping and staying in a hotel, I wonder: what are other popular options for traveling?
Hotels are definitely a more comfortable way of vacationing if you have the financial resources. They provide comfortable beds and all the amenities of home. You also have reservations for peace of mind, and don’t need to worry about the weather.
Point-by-point essays are also unique because they keep all the thoughts separate, reducing confusion. They are very straight forward.
The two ways I’ve discussed are both good in some ways; it largely depends on the amount of money you have to spend. Personally, after a bad tent-camping experience with the weather, I’d recommend hotels because this could be the difference between a good trip and a soggy mess!
Hey Cicorra! I too noticed that from the above paragraph it explains that its purpose was to compare and contrast tent camping and staying at hotels.
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In the first essay I noticed that it has a large and detailed intro. I also noticed that the information seems to be organized into “blocks”. I wondered if a block essay means having block paragraphs. I also wondered why the conclusion was so small compared to the other paragraphs.
In the second essay I noticed that it had a very small intro with little detail. I also noticed that the conclusion seems to be an opinion. I wondered if point by point essays are more opinion rather than fact. I also wondered why there wasn’t as much detail in the essay compared to the block essay.
In the essay “The Senate and the House of Representatives” I noticed in the second paragraph that it list everything different about the two houses. What’s unique about this style is that it talks entirely about one thing, and then moves on to the next thing. Like how the essay first mentioned everything different about the two houses and then everything that’s similar. I wonder if this essay style is a better set up for comparing and contrasting things than the other styles.
In the essay “Vacations” I noticed that in the second paragraph it mainly talks about camping. What’s unique about this style is that it talks about one point and then moves on to the next. Like how the second essay gave a point on camping and then vacationing in hotels. I wonder if this essay style is harder for some people to follow along with what’s similar and different between the two items because of how it’s set up
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