127 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

13 December, 2020

13 minutes read

Author:  Elizabeth Brown

Crafting a compare and contrast essay is typically much more interesting and fun than working on a dissertation. With this piece of writing, a student gets his chance to be creative. Besides, one doesn’t have to re-invent the bicycle: these essays already have a purpose and a topic. All you have to do is find similarities or differences between specific notions. And yes, there is one more problem to it.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Half of the success of a compare and contrast essay lies in a properly-chosen topic. Now, this can be tricky.

Just think about it: would want to read a piece on a beaten topic like “Books vs. Television”? Or would you rather give a read to an unusual compare and contrast Korean and Vietnam war essay? While you know everything about the first one, the second topic actually sounds interesting.

Choosing compare and contrast essay topics can be time-consuming and daunting. However, with the guide our  essay writer prepared, you will find a great title with no problem.

By the way, if you need a reminder of what such writing looks like and what components it consists of, don’t hesitate to read our guide on  how to write a compare and contrast essay . It will help you structure and organize your knowledge in this regard.

And here is a short introduction to what this type of academic writing should really look like.

How to write a compare and contrast essay

Depending on the task you received from your tutor, in this particular academic paper you are either to compare several things or notions or contrast them.

how to write a compare and contrast essay outline

Here is what a structure of this type of writing looks like:

  • An engaging opening with a “hook.”
  • A thesis statement that explains what is the focus of your writing and whether you’ll be comparing or contrasting the notions.
  • If you don’t know  how to write a thesis statement , here is a guide that will explain you all the details step by step.
  • An argument #1 that supports the thesis statement.
  • Evidence proving the author’s position.
  • A short conclusion.
  • A short reminder of a problem described in the essay.
  • A brief overview of the similarities or differences (aka supporting arguments).
  • A call to action or a interesting question to the audience.

Any A-grade essay would follow this structure. Thus, if you aim to receive better grades, consider taking this structure into account.

Meanwhile, as a student you get tons of other writing assignments. If you’re currently struggling with choosing good  argumentative essay topics , don’t hesitate to take a look at our recent guide!

Finally, let’s dive into the search. After all, this is a key to crafting an excellent piece.

What makes good compare and contrast essay topics

Several factors make some topics your best option compared to the rest.

No matter how great the topic of your choice is, the target audience can sense when you genuinely care about what you are writing, and when you’re simply following the structure with no personal interest in the subject. If you write yawning and find it hard to find any evidence to support your position, chances are you’ve chosen a wrong topic. A compare and contrast dog and cat essay might be a good topic for a person deeply loving these furry little creatures. But someone not that much into domestic animals won’t be able to write a single line of an essay comparing dogs and cats. So, choose your topic wisely.

Availability of trusted sources.

In some cases, you have to use trusted sources to prove your point. Otherwise, your position might seem biased and subjective. That is why we strongly recommend you to check whether the compare and contrast essay titles you opted can be supported by evidence found at the trusted sources.

Recommendation of a tutor.

Last but not least, ask for recommendations. With years of experience under his belt, your tutor might have an eye for great topics. So, why not using his experience for your own good? Besides, apart from good topics suggestions, he can also provide you with great sources to explore. So, don’t lose an opportunity to make your life easier with his assistance!

Proper formatting style.

Proper formatting is hard to overestimate when it comes to A-grade essay writing. A great deal of your grade depends on it. That is why we recommend you to check out our  essay format guide to figure out what your piece should look like.

These are the criteria that help you pick a good theme for your paper. But where should you look for theme to choose from in the first place? We know the answer.

If you aren’t sure you have the time and energy to craft a piece yourself, we’re here to help.  Handmade Writing is a reliable place to order your academic papers from.

Sources of interesting topics

Basically, there are six sources students can go to these days:

  • Social media.
  • Scientific journals.

Each one of them is filled with personalities, facts, events, and locations to contrast and compare. Therefore, don’t hesitate to explore these right sources.

By the way, if you are looking for ideas or inspiration on  how to write a scholarship essay , we’ve got something for you. We’ve gathered a guide that will walk you step by step through the process of composing a good essay that’ll get you college scholarship!

compare contrast essay topics

Easy compare and contrast essay topics for college students

  • High school vs college.
  • McDonalds and Burger King: Explain how these two fast food chains similar or different from each other.
  • Public schools and homeschooling: Which do you prefer?
  • Basketball and football: Popularity, speed of play, dependency on athleticism, personal preference, etc.
  • Lamborgini vs. Bugatti.
  • Virtual vs. Augmented reality: Which technology is the future?
  • Star Wars vs. Star Trek: Which is better?
  • Communism vs. Socialism: The good, the bad, and the ugly.
  • American English vs British English.
  • Conventional or E-learning: What would you choose?
  • Computer and video games: Which is more fun?
  • Inner beauty and outer beauty.
  • Snapchat and Instagram: What makes them similar (different)?
  • Stalin or Hitler: Which is a bigger evil? Or what in their management style was similar?
  • Living in the big city or living in the country: What would you choose?
  • Italian vs. Spanish cuisines.
  • Active vacation in the mountains vs. passive rest by the sea.
  • Facebook vs. Twitter.
  • Windows vs. Linux.
  • Android or iOS: Which is the future?

Funny compare and contrast essay topics

  • Chandler, Joey and Ross: Which one of them is cooler?
  • Pizza or pasta: If you had to eat one food for the rest of your life, which of these would you choose?
  • Batman vs. SuperMan;  Avengers vs. Justice League.
  • Soccer vs football: How are they different apart from their name?
  • Iron Man or Hulk: Which one is the best superhero of his time?
  • Michael Jackson vs. Elvis Presley.
  • George and Lennie.
  • Harry Potter vs. Ronald Weasley: One is way cooler than the other.
  • Simpsons or the South Park?
  • Eternal summer or eternal winter: Which is the least of all evil?

Historical topics

  • WW1 and WW2: Reasons, participants, number of dead and wounded, etc.
  • Renaissance and Barocco.
  • Roman and Greek mythology.
  • Crusaders vs. Saracens.
  • The European economics before and after WW2.
  • Abolition of slavery in the USA and Europe.
  • Japanese and European feudalism essay.
  • Gender roles in the Roman Empire vs Ottoman Empire.
  • British colonization and Spanish colonization.
  • Lincoln and Kennedy.
  • Reconstruction in America against the Industrial Age.
  • Mongolian Empire and Persian Empire.
  • Monaco vs Luxembourg: Countries’ history comparison.
  • Worker unions history in the USA vs. Great Britain.
  • Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great.

Compare and contrast essay between two jobs

  • Marketer vs. Digital Marketer.
  • Anthropologist vs. Philosopher vs. Psychologist
  • Software Engineer vs. Software Architect.
  • Film producer and a Film Director.
  • Working from home and working at an office.
  • Linguist and a Grammarian.
  • Developer or a Coder?
  • QA Specialist or a Test Engineer.
  • Dean or a Principal.
  • Accountant vs. Economist.
  • Journalist vs. Reporter.
  • Recruiter vs. HR Generalist.
  • Copywriter vs. Content Marketer.

Compare and contrast essay between two cultures

  • Egypt and Mesopotamia compare and contrast essay
  • Modern European and American culture.
  • Urbanism and ruralism.
  • Vegetarianism vs. pescetarianism.
  • Compare and contrast Mexico and United States essay.
  • Emo culture and gothic.
  • Compare and contrast Sparta and Athens essay.
  • Bookworms vs. Film Buffs.
  • Culture and ethnicity.
  • Christianity, Islam and Judaism essay.

Interesting topics about literature

  • Bible vs. Quran.
  • 1984 vs. Fahrenheit 451.
  • Chronicles of Narnia: Film or the book series?
  • The Great Gatsby vs. The Catcher in the Rye.
  • Fiction against non-fiction.
  • Divine Comedy vs. Paradise Lost.
  • Lord of the Rings: The book against the latest film production?
  • Expository and Persuasive writing.
  • Harry Potter vs. Lord of the Rings.
  • Anne Frank’s Diary vs. I am Malala.
  • Classic poetry against the modern one.
  • Paper books against the e-books: The never-ending battle.
  • Anne of Green Gables vs. Pollyanna.
  • Pride and Prejudice vs. Bridget Jones’ Diary.
  • Bronte sisters vs. Jane Austen.
  • Drama and Comedy.
  • To Kill a Mockingbird or The Help.
  • Little Women vs. Little Men.
  • Poetry and prose: What makes them different?

Topics related to movies and cinematography

  • Wolf of Wall Street vs. Great Gatsby.
  • Main differences between European and American films.
  • Horror films and thrillers.
  • House M.D. against Grey’s Anatomy.
  • Sherlock Holmes: The old series or the new episodes?
  • Polyanna: Which is better – a film or the book?
  • Japanese horror films vs. American.
  • Home Alone 1 vs. Home Alone 4.
  • The Wizard of Oz against Gone With the Wind.
  • The Sound of Music vs. Mary Poppins.
  • Beverly Hills, 90210 or Melrose Place.
  • Friends vs. The Office.
  • Charlie Chaplin and Mr. Bean.
  • The Pianist or Schindler’s List.
  • Romeo and Juliet: 1968, 1996, and 2013 productions.
  • Forrest Gump or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
  • 300 or Gladiator.
  • Lord of the Rings: extended edition vs. director’s cut.
  • Ben-Hur (1959) vs. Ben-Hur (2016).
  • Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) and Prince of Egypt.
  • Dunkirk vs. Saving Private Ryan.
  • The Green Mile vs. The Shawshank Redemption.
  • Les Miserables (2012) vs. The Greatest Showman.

Music and arts-related topics

  • Beyonce vs. Rihanna.
  • Whitney Houston against Adele.
  • Britney Spears against Madonna.
  • Mona Lisa vs. Girl with a Pearl Earring.
  • Van Gogh against Picasso.
  • Impressionism against Expressionism.
  • Opera and ballet.
  • Spotify or Deezer.
  • Records or Live concerts.
  • Jazz or classical music.
  • Musical theatre vs. Play with music.
  • Renaissance and Enlightenment epochs in arts.
  • African vs. Asian art.
  • Rock music of the XX century vs. today.
  • Religious hymns and secular songs about Christmas.
  • Music people listened to in their twenties in the XX century and now.
  • Protagonist of the modern pop music culture and that of the 1960s.

We guarantee that you can easily find a good title among the ones we suggested. If you find it hard to compose a good compare and contrast essay even after choosing one of our topics, don’t hesitate to us a line asking for help.

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101 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Great Ideas for Essays

  • Teaching Resources
  • An Introduction to Teaching
  • Tips & Strategies
  • Policies & Discipline
  • Community Involvement
  • School Administration
  • Technology in the Classroom
  • Teaching Adult Learners
  • Issues In Education
  • Becoming A Teacher
  • Assessments & Tests
  • Elementary Education
  • Secondary Education
  • Special Education
  • Homeschooling
  • M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, University of Florida
  • B.A., History, University of Florida

Compare and contrast essays are taught in school for many reasons. For one thing, they are relatively easy to teach, understand, and format. Students can typically understand the structure with just a short amount of instruction. In addition, these essays allow students develop critical thinking skills to approach a variety of topics.

Brainstorming Tip

One fun way to get students started brainstorming their compare and contrast essays is to create a Venn diagram , where the overlapping sections of the circle contain similarities and the non-overlapping areas contain the differing traits.

Following is a list of 101 topics for compare and contrast essays that you are welcome to use in your classroom. As you look through the list you will see that some items are academic in nature while others are included for interest-building and fun writing activities.

  • Apple vs. Microsoft
  • Coke vs. Pepsi
  • Renaissance Art vs. Baroque Art
  • Antebellum Era vs. Reconstruction Era in American History
  • Childhood vs. Adulthood
  • Star Wars vs. Star Trek
  • Biology vs. Chemistry
  • Astrology vs. Astronomy
  • American Government vs. British Government (or any world government)
  • Fruits vs. Vegetables
  • Dogs vs. Cats
  • Ego vs. Superego
  • Christianity vs. Judaism (or any world religion )
  • Republican vs. Democrat
  • Monarchy vs. Presidency
  • US President vs. UK Prime Minister
  • Jazz vs. Classical Music
  • Red vs. White (or any two colors)
  • Soccer vs. Football
  • North vs. South Before the Civil War
  • New England Colonies vs. Middle Colonies OR vs. Southern Colonies
  • Cash vs. Credit Cards
  • Sam vs. Frodo Baggins
  • Gandalf vs. Dumbledore
  • Fred vs. Shaggy
  • Rap vs. Pop
  • Articles of Confederation vs. U.S. Constitution
  • Henry VIII vs. King Louis XIV
  • Stocks vs. Bonds
  • Monopolies vs. Oligopolies
  • Communism vs. Capitalism
  • Socialism vs. Capitalism
  • Diesel vs. Petroleum
  • Nuclear Power vs. Solar Power
  • Saltwater Fish vs. Freshwater Fish
  • Squids vs. Octopus
  • Mammals vs. Reptiles
  • Baleen vs. Toothed Whales
  • Seals vs. Sea Lions
  • Crocodiles vs. Alligators
  • Bats vs. Birds
  • Oven vs. Microwave
  • Greek vs. Roman Mythology
  • Chinese vs. Japanese
  • Comedy vs. Drama
  • Renting vs. Owning
  • Mozart vs. Beethoven
  • Online vs. Traditional Education
  • North vs. South Pole
  • Watercolor vs. Oil
  • 1984 vs. Fahrenheit 451
  • Emily Dickinson vs. Samuel Taylor Coleridge
  • W.E.B. DuBois vs. Booker T. Washington
  • Strawberries vs. Apples
  • Airplanes vs. Helicopters
  • Hitler vs. Napoleon
  • Roman Empire vs. British Empire
  • Paper vs. Plastic
  • Italy vs. Spain
  • Baseball vs. Cricket
  • Jefferson vs. Adams
  • Thoroughbreds vs. Clydesdales
  • Spiders vs. Scorpions
  • Northern Hemisphere vs. Southern Hemisphere
  • Hobbes vs. Locke
  • Friends vs. Family
  • Dried Fruit vs. Fresh
  • Porcelain vs. Glass
  • Modern Dance vs. Ballroom Dancing
  • American Idol vs. The Voice
  • Reality TV vs. Sitcoms
  • Picard vs. Kirk
  • Books vs. Movies
  • Magazines vs. Comic Books
  • Antique vs. New
  • Public vs. Private Transportation
  • Email vs. Letters
  • Facebook vs. Twitter
  • Coffee vs. an Energy Drink
  • Toads vs. Frogs
  • Profit vs. Non-Profit
  • Boys vs. Girls
  • Birds vs. Dinosaurs
  • High School vs. College
  • Chamberlain vs. Churchill
  • Offense vs. Defense
  • Jordan vs. Bryant
  • Harry vs. Draco
  • Roses vs. Carnations
  • Poetry vs. Prose
  • Fiction vs. Nonfiction
  • Lions vs. Tigers
  • Vampires vs. Werewolves
  • Lollipops vs. popsicles
  • Summer vs. Winter
  • Recycling vs. Landfill
  • Motorcycle vs. Bicycle
  • Halogen vs. Incandescent
  • Newton vs. Einstein
  • . Go on vacation vs. Staycation
  • Rock vs. Scissors
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Compare And Contrast Essay Guide

Compare And Contrast Essay Topics

Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics: 100+ Fresh New Ideas

By: Barbara P.

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Mar 10, 2020

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

A compare and contrast essay revolves around finding and analyzing the similarities and differences between two subjects belonging to the same category.

If you have been assigned a compare and contrast essay, then you’re probably looking for interesting topics that you can write on, right?

Steer forward with us!

Following is the list of interesting topics for a compare and contrast essay that you can use for your essay assignments. As you proceed, you will notice that some of the topics are academic, and others are included for interest.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

On this Page

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Students - 2022 Ideas

A compare and contrast essay is an important academic assignment for school or college students. An essential point that you must keep in mind when choosing a compare and contrast essay topic is to go for the subjects that belong to the same category. For instance, you can’t choose football and 19th-century art.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for University Students

At the university level, the essay topics are a little different and unique. Also, with a good essay topic, you will easily create the thesis statement and body paragraphs.

If you want to write on a great topic, you can choose from the below-mentioned essay topics.

  • Salt vs. sugar
  • Teacher vs. Doctor
  • Prose vs. poetry
  • Short vs. long hair
  • Psychosis and antisocial disorder
  • Between soft and hard drugs, which is more dangerous?
  • Difference between lust and love
  • Compare methods of normal and abnormal psychology
  • Silver and gold
  • Tennis vs. badminton

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for College Students

When students step into college from high school, they are still used to the concept of teachers assigning essay topics. Sometimes the teacher gives you the topic, but you will have to pick one yourself most of the time. So, be creative and challenge yourself to write on different essay topics.

Topics for college students can be difficult to manage at times because teachers can have higher expectations. In such a case, get help from an online writing service with your academic paper.

The compare and contrast essay topics in college are a bit less complicated than in high school. The following are the easy compare and contrast essay topics for college students.

  • How does high school differ from college?
  • Students with or without part-time jobs
  • Essay Vs. Research Paper: What is more challenging?
  • Homeschooling Vs. Traditional Schooling
  • SAT Vs. GRE: What is more difficult?
  • Masters Vs. PhD: What helps strengthen your career?
  • Differences between Islam and Christianity
  • Introverts Vs. Extroverts
  • Real-life dating Vs. Online dating
  • How do education and employment compare?

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for High School Students

Essay topics for high school students are much different than the topics for college students. The topics are a little less technical and difficult.

Here are some great compare and contrast essay topics for your ease.

  • Friends Vs. Family
  • Childhood friendship Vs. High school friendship
  • Bikes vs. cars.
  • Study abroad Vs. Studying in your country
  • Living on your own Vs. At home with my parents.
  • Facebook vs. Twitter In-house employees Vs. Freelance contractors
  • Texting Vs. In-person conversations
  • Working out or dieting
  • Being in a relationship or being single

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Middle School Students

The topics for middle school students are quite interesting and creative. Therefore, the students enjoy the writing process.

We gathered some great compare and contrast essay topics for your help.

  • Basketball Vs. Football
  • Compare two plays written by Shakespeare
  • Running Vs. Walking
  • Reading vs. writing
  • Doctor Vs. Nurse
  • Breakdance Vs. Ballet: What is more difficult?
  • World war I Vs. World War II
  • Chocolate vs. Ice-cream
  • Compare two of your favorite movies
  • Reading books Vs. Watching movies

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 6th Grade

The essay topics for grade 6 are very simple and easy. We collected some essay topics for grade 6 students; pick the one that you find interesting.

  • School exams vs. college exams
  • Winter holidays vs. summer holidays
  • Comparative essay vs. argumentative essay
  • Attending school vs. remote learning
  • Driving a bike and driving a car
  • Vegetables and fruits
  • Christianity versus Judaism
  • E-books versus textbooks
  • An experience I agree to attend a party or stay at home.
  • Steroids and boxing
  • Handwriting or typing

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Psychology Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

There are certain pros and cons associated with psychology topics. The pros are that the possibilities are endless; one can write as much as possible. This fact is the con as well; since there is so much material to choose from for the essay topic.

  • Anxiety vs. Depression
  • Therapy vs. medication
  • Agoraphobia Vs. Claustrophobia
  • Compare suicide and homicide
  • Autism Vs. Down syndrome
  • B. F. Skinner theory Vs. John B. Watson theory
  • Anorexia Vs. Bulimia
  • Social anxiety or fear of public speaking
  • Nature vs. nurture
  • Ego Vs. Superego

Sports Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

The best part about the sports-related topic is the accurate data available online with practical examples. This fact can help you write an even more refined essay.

Take a look at these and topics and choose the best one for your essay.

  • Women’s football team, Vs. Men’s
  • Chess Vs. Checkers
  • Football Vs. Cricket: Which is better?
  • Sachin Tendulkar Vs. Ricky Ponting
  • Roger Federer Vs. Rafael Nadal
  • Rugby and Soccer
  • Wayne Rooney and Lionel Messi
  • Ice climbing Vs. Traditional climbing
  • Knicks Vs. Nets
  • Aikido Vs. Judo

For all the students who are in sports, these are the best kind of topics. As they say, you write best about subjects you are most interested in.

Art & History Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Writing a compare and contrast essay has its challenges and especially when the topics are art or history-related. Always make sure to gather the necessary data before kick-starting the essay.

  • Baroque Vs. Mycenaean Period
  • Mosaic Vs. Raku
  • Compare the 19th Century Art
  • Brunelleschi and The Romans
  • Impressionism and Post-Impressionism
  • Roxanna and Dorian Gray
  • Compare Kafka's Metamorphosis and Albert Camus’ The Stranger
  • Macbeth and Othello
  • Tapestry Vs. Fresco

Funny Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Funny topics not only refresh the mind of the students but help in the learning process as well. Below given are some great essay topics that you can use for your essay.

  • Beyonce Vs. Rihanna
  • Kim Kardashian Vs. Paris Hilton
  • Ellen DeGeneres Vs. Oprah Winfrey
  • Pet dogs Vs. Pet cats
  • Pasta vs. pizza
  • Lollipops Vs. Popsicles
  • Drama Vs. Comedy
  • Email Vs. Pigeon Post
  • Credit card Vs. Cash
  • Star Trek Vs. Star Wars

Medical Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

The medical students are sometimes stuck with selecting the essay topic for their essay assignment. For your help, we compiled some excellent topics that will help in your writing phase.

  • Religions that are against traditional medical procedures.
  • Vaccination or Medications.
  • Operations vs. therapeutic cancer curing.
  • Should vaccinations be made mandatory?
  • Morning exercise vs. evening exercise.
  • Medical history and privacy concerns.
  • Wheat and corn grain.
  • Chocolate or candies.
  • Carrot and pumpkin.
  • Rest or training.

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Compare and Contrast Essay Topics on Movies

The compare and contrast essay on movies is an interesting type of essay. Look at these topics that will help in your topic-selection phase.

  • Romeo and Juliet.
  • Gandalf vs. Dumbledore.
  • Comedy vs. horror.
  • Harry Potter: book & movie.
  • Thrillers and horror movies.
  • Fantastic Four or Avengers.
  • Bollywood Vs. Hollywood.
  • DC or Marvel
  • Superman vs. batman.
  • Games of thrones vs. the witcher.

Are these topic ideas helpful? Did you get what you were looking for?

Now that you have chosen a topic for your essay, you can start composing it. For that, you have to follow a structured essay outline.

Do you still find it difficult to choose a topic or to write a compare and contrast essay step by step?

It is completely understandable, as essay writing can be tricky at times.

But don’t worry! We have got your back.

5StarEssays.com is a writing company that holds a remarkable place in the market due to its unbeatable services and customer satisfaction. Our highly qualified professionals are ready to take your orders round the clock.

Experience is very important for academic writing; that is why we have recruited seasoned writers from different backgrounds just for you. All your write my essays for me requests are processed by professional essay writers and deliver high-quality work.

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Barbara P.

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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which topic is suitable for a comparison and contrast essay

Compare and Contrast Essay: Full Writing Guide and 150+ Topics

which topic is suitable for a comparison and contrast essay

Compare and contrast essays are academic papers in which a student analyses two or more subjects with each other. To compare means to explore similarities between subjects, while to contrast means to look at their differences. Both subjects of the comparison are usually in the same category, although they have their differences. For example, it can be two movies, two universities, two cars etc.

Good compare and contrast papers from college essay writer focus on a central point, explaining the importance and implications of this analysis. A compare and contrast essay thesis must make a meaningful comparison. Find the central theme of your essay and do some brainstorming for your thesis.

This type of essay is very common among college and university students. Professors challenge their students to use their analytical and comparative skills and pay close attention to the subjects of their comparisons. This type of essay exercises observance and analysis, helps to establish a frame of reference, and makes meaningful arguments about a subject. Let's get deeper on how to write a compare and contrast essay with our research writing services .

How to Start a Compare and Contrast Essay: Brainstorm Similarities and Differences

Now that you know what is compare and contrast essay and are set with your topic, the first thing you should do is grab a piece of paper and make a list with two columns: similarities and differences. Jot down key things first, the most striking ones. Then try to look at the subjects from a different angle, incorporating your imagination.

If you are more of a visual learner, creating a Venn diagram might be a good idea. In order to create it, draw two circles that overlap. In the section where it overlaps, note similarities. Differences should be written in the part of the circle that does not overlap.

Let’s look at a simple example of compare and contrast essay. Let one of the subjects be oranges, and the other one be apples. Oranges have thick peel, originally from India, and are tropical fruit. These characteristics pertain only to oranges and should be in the part of the circle that does not overlap. For the same section on apples, we put thin peel, originated in Turkey or Kazakhstan, and moderate to subtropical. In the section that overlaps, let’s say that they are both fruit, can be juiced, and grow on trees. This simple, yet good example illustrates how the same concept can be applied to many other complicated topics with additional points of comparison and contrast.

Example of compare and contrast

This format of visual aid helps to organize similarities and differences and make them easier to perceive. Your diagram will give you a clear idea of the things you can write about.

Another good idea for brainstorming in preparation for your comparison contrast essay is to create a list with 2 columns, one for each subject, and compare the same characteristics for each of them simultaneously. This compare and contrast format will make writing your comparison contrast paper argument a breeze, as you will have your ideas ready and organized.

One mistake you should avoid is simply listing all of the differences or similarities for each subject. Sometimes students get too caught up in looking for similarities and differences that their compare and contrast essays end up sounding like grocery lists. Your essay should be based on analyzing the similarities and differences, analyzing your conclusions about the two subjects, and finding connections between them—while following a specific format.

Compare and Contrast Essay Structure and Outline

So, how do you structure this compare and contrast paper? Well, since compare and contrast essay examples rely heavily on factual analysis, there are two outline methods that can help you organize your facts. You can use the block method, or point-by-point method, to write a compare and contrast essay outline.

While using the block structure of a compare and contrast essay, all the information is presented for the first subject, and its characteristics and specific details are explained. This concludes one block. The second block takes the same approach as the first for the second subject.

The point-by-point structure lists each similarity and difference simultaneously—making notes of both subjects. For example, you can list a characteristic specific to one subject, followed by its similarity or difference to the other subject.

Both formats have their pros and cons. The block method is clearly easier for a compare and contrast essay writer, as you simply point out all of the information about the two subjects, and basically leave it to the reader to do the comparison. The point-by-point format requires you to analyze the points yourself while making similarities and differences more explicit to the reader for them to be easier to understand. Here is a detailed structure of each type presented below.

Point-by-Point Method

  • Introduce the topic;
  • Specify your theme;
  • Present your thesis - cover all areas of the essay in one sentence.
Example thesis: Cars and motorcycles make for excellent means of transportation, but a good choice depends on the person’s lifestyle, finances, and the city they live in.

Body Paragraph 1 - LIFESTYLE

  • Topic Sentence: Motorcycles impact the owner’s lifestyle less than cars.
  • Topic 1 - Motorcycles
  • ~ Argument: Motorcycles are smaller and more comfortable to store.
  • ~ Argument: Motorcycles are easy to learn and use.
  • Topic 2 - Cars
  • ~ Argument: Cars are a big deal - they are like a second home.
  • ~ Argument: It takes time to learn to become a good driver.

Body Paragraph 2 - FINANCES

  • Topic sentence: Cars are much more expensive than motorcycles
  • ~ Argument: You can buy a good motorcycle for under 300$.
  • ~ Argument: Fewer parts that are more accessible to fix.
  • ~ Argument: Parts and service are expensive if something breaks.
  • ~ Argument: Cars need more gas than motorcycles.

Body Paragraph 3 - CITY

  • Topic sentence: Cars are a better option for bigger cities with wider roads.
  • ~ Argument: Riding motorcycles in a big city is more dangerous than with cars.
  • ~ Argument: Motorcycles work great in a city like Rome, where all the streets are narrow.
  • ~ Argument: Big cities are easier and more comfortable to navigate by car.
  • ~ Argument: With a car, traveling outside of the city is much easier.
  • Sum up all you wrote in the article.

Block Method

  • Thesis — cover all areas of the essay in one sentence

Body Paragraph 1

  • Topic Sentence: Motorcycles are cheaper and easier to take care of than cars.
  • Aspect 1 - Lifestyle
  • Aspect 2 - Finances
  • ~ Argument: Fewer parts, easier to fix.
  • Aspect 3 - City
  • ~ Argument: Riding motorcycles in a big city is more dangerous than cars.

Body Paragraph 2

  • Topic sentence: Cars are more expensive but more comfortable for a big city and for travelling.
  • ~ Argument: Cars are a big deal—like a second home.
  • ~ Argument: With a car, traveling outside the city is much more comfortable.

Body Paragraph 3 ‍

Use the last paragraph to evaluate the comparisons and explain why they’re essential. Giving a lot of facts can be intense. To water it down, try to give the reader any real-life applications of these facts.

Depending on the structure selected, you can begin to create an outline for your essay. The typical comparison essay follows the format of having an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion — though, if you need to focus on each subject in more detailed ways, feel free to include an extra paragraph to cover all of the most important points.

To make your compare and contrast essay flow better, we recommend using special transition words and phrases. They will add variety and improve your paper overall.

For the section where you compare two subjects, you can include any of the following words: similarly, likewise, also, both, just like, similar to, the same as, alike, or to compare to. When contrasting two subjects, use: in contrast, in comparison, by comparison, on the other hand, while, whereas, but, to differ from, dissimilar to, or unlike.

Show Your Evidence

Arguments for any essay, including compare and contrast essays, need to be supported by sufficient evidence. Make good use of your personal experiences, books, scholarly articles, magazine and newspaper articles, movies, or anything that will make your argument sound credible. For example, in your essay, if you were to compare attending college on campus vs. distance-based learning, you could include your personal experiences of being a student, and how often students show up to class on a daily basis. You could also talk about your experience taking online classes, which makes your argument about online classes credible as well.

Helpful Final Tips

The biggest tip dissertation writing services can give you is to have the right attitude when writing a compare contrast essay, and actively engage the reader in the discussion. If you find it interesting, so will your reader! Here are some more compare and contrast essay tips that will help you to polish yours up:

types of writing

  • Compare and contrast essays need powerful transitions. Try learning more about writing transition sentences using the words we provided for you in the 'Compare and Contrast Structure and Outline' section.
  • Always clarify the concepts you introduce in your essay. Always explain lesser known information—don’t assume the reader must already know it.
  • Do not forget to proofread. Small mistakes, but in high quantities, can result in a low grade. Pay attention to your grammar and punctuation.
  • Have a friend or family member take a look at your essay; they may notice things you have missed.

Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

Now that you know everything there is to know about compare and contrast essays, let’s take a look at some compare and contrast examples to get you started on your paper or get a hand from our essay helper .

Different countries across the world have diverse cultural practices, and this has an effect on work relationships and development. Geert Hofstede came up with a structured way of comparing cultural dimensions of different countries. The theory explains the impacts of a community’s culture on the values of the community members, and the way these values relate to their behaviors. He gives scores as a way to help distinguish people from different nations using the following dimensions: long-term orientation, individualism, power distance, indulgence, necessity avoidance, and masculinity. Let us examine comparisons between two countries: the United Kingdom and China — based on Hofstede’s Six Dimensions of Culture.
Over the last two decades, the demand from consumers for organic foods has increased tremendously. In fact, the popularity of organic foods has exploded significantly with consumers, spending a considerably higher amount of money on them as compared to the amount spent on inorganic foods. The US market noted an increase in sales of more than 10% between 2014 and 2015 (Brown, n.p). The increase is in line with the views of many consumers that organic foods are safer, tastier, and healthier compared to the inorganic foods. Furthermore, considering the environmental effects of foods, organic foods present less risk of environmental pollution — compared to inorganic foods. By definition, organic foods are those that are grown without any artificial chemical treatment, or treatment by use of other substances that have been modified genetically, such as hormones and/or antibiotics (Brown, n.p).

Still feeling confused about the complexities of the compare and contrast essay? Feel free to contact our paper writing service to get a professional writing help.

Finding the Best Compare and Contrast Essay Topics For You

When choosing a topic for your comparison essay, remember that subjects cannot be drastically different, because there would be little to no points of comparison (similarities). The same goes for too many similarities, which will result in poor contrasts. For example, it is better to write about two composers, rather than a composer and a singer.

It is extremely important to choose a topic you are passionate about. You never want to come across something that seems dull and uninspiring for you. Here are some excellent ways to brainstorm for a topic from essay writer :

  • Find categories: Choose a type (like animals, films or economics), and compare subjects within that category – wild animals to farm animals, Star Wars to Star Trek, private companies to public companies, etc.
  • Random Surprising Fact: Dig for fun facts which could make great topics. Did you know that chickens can be traced back to dinosaurs?
  • Movie vs. Book: Most of the time, the book is better than the movie — unless it’s Blade Runner or Lord of the Rings. If you’re a pop culture lover, compare movies vs. books, video games, comics, etc.

Use our rewrite essay service when you need help from professionals.

How to Choose a Great Compare and Contrast Topic

College students should consider providing themselves with a chance to use all topic examples. With enough revision, an advantage is gained. As it will be possible to compare arguments and contrast their aspects. Also, discuss numerous situations to get closer to the conclusion.

For example:

  • Choose a topic from the field of your interests. Otherwise you risk failing your paper.
  • It is a good idea to choose a topic based upon the class subject or specialist subject. (Unless the requirements say otherwise.)
  • Analyze each argument carefully. Include every detail for each opposing idea. Without doing so, you can definitely lower grades.
  • Write a conclusion that summarizes both arguments. It should allow readers to find the answer they’re looking for.
  • It is up to you to determine which arguments are right and wrong in the final conclusion.
  • Before approaching the final conclusion, it’s important to discuss each argument equally. It is a bad idea to be biased, as it can also lower grades.

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150 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics to Consider

Choosing a topic can be a challenging task, but there are plenty of options to consider. In the following sections, we have compiled a list of 150 compare and contrast essay topics to help you get started. These topics cover a wide range of subjects, from education and technology to history and politics. Whether you are a high school student or a college student, you are sure to find a topic that interests you. So, read on to discover some great compare and contrast essay ideas.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics For College Students

When attending a college, at any time your professor can assign you the task of writing this form of an essay. Consider these topics for college students from our team to get the grades you deserve.

  • Attending a College Course Vs. Distance-Based Learning.
  • Writing a Research Paper Vs. Writing a Creative Writing Paper. What are the differences and similarities?
  • The differences between a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree.
  • The key aspects of the differences between the US and the UK education systems.
  • Completing assignments at a library compared with doing so at home. Which is the most efficient?
  • The similarities and differences in the behavior among married and unmarried couples.
  • The similarities and differences between the EU (European Union) and ASEAN (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations)?
  • The similarities and significant differences between American and Canadian English.
  • Writing an Internship Report Vs. Writing a Research Paper
  • The differences between US colleges and colleges in the EU?

Interesting Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Some topics for the compare and contrast essay format can be boring. To keep up motivation, doing a research , have a look at these topics. Maybe they can serve you as research paper help .

  • Public Transport Vs. Driving A Car. Which is more efficient?
  • Mandarin Vs. Cantonese: What are the differences between these Chinese languages?
  • Sports Cars Vs. Luxurious Family Cars
  • Wireless Technology Vs. Wired Devices
  • Thai Food Vs. Filipino Cuisine
  • What is the difference and similarities between a register office marriage and a traditional marriage?
  • The 2000s Vs. The 2010s. What are the differences and what makes them similar?
  • Abu Dhabi Vs. Dubai. What are the main factors involved in the differences?
  • What are the differences between American and British culture?
  • What does the New York Metro do differently to the London Underground?

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for High School Students

When writing essays for high school, it is good to keep them informative. Have a look at these compare and contrast sample topics.

  • Highschool Life Vs. College Life
  • Paying College Fees Vs. Being Awarded a Scholarship
  • All Night Study Sessions Vs. Late Night Parties
  • Teenager Vs. Young Adult Relationships
  • Being in a Relationship Vs. Being Single
  • Male Vs. Female Behavior
  • The similarities and differences between a high school diploma and a college degree
  • The similarities and differences between Economics and Business Studies
  • The benefits of having a part-time job, instead of a freelance job, in college
  • High School Extra Curricular Activities Vs. Voluntarily Community Services

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Science

At some point, every science student will be assigned this type of essay. To keep things at flow, have a look at best compare and contrast essay example topics on science:

  • Undiscovered Species on Earth Vs. Potential Life on Mars: What will we discover in the future?
  • The benefits of Gasoline Powered Cars Vs. Electric Powered Cars
  • The differences of the Milky Way Vs. Centaurus (Galaxies).
  • Earthquakes Vs. Hurricanes: What should be prepared for the most?
  • The differences between our moon and Mars’ moons.
  • SpaceX Vs. NASA. What is done differently within these organizations?
  • The differences and similarities between Stephen Hawking and Brian Cox’s theories on the cosmos. Do they agree or correspond with each other?
  • Pregnancy Vs. Motherhood
  • Jupiter Vs. Saturn
  • Greenhouse Farming Vs. Polytunnel Farming

Sports & Leisure Topics

Studying Physical Education? Or a gym fanatic? Have a look at our compare and contrast essay topics for sports and leisure.

  • The English Premier League Compared With The Bundesliga
  • Real Madrid Vs. Barcelona
  • Football Vs. Basketball
  • Walking Vs. Eating Outside with Your Partner
  • Jamaica Team Vs. United States Team: Main Factors and Differences
  • Formula One Vs. Off-Road Racing
  • Germany Team Vs. Brazil Team
  • Morning Exercise Vs. Evening Exercise.
  • Manning Team Vs. Brazil Team
  • Swimming Vs. Cycling

Topics About Culture

Culture can have several meanings. If you’re a Religious Studies or Culture student, take a look at these good compare and contrast essay topics about culture.

  • The fundamental similarities and differences between Pope Francis and Tawadros II of Alexandria
  • Canadian Vs. Australian Religion
  • The differences between Islamic and Christian Holidays
  • The cultural similarities and differences between the Native Aboriginals and Caucasian Australians
  • Native American Culture Vs. New England Culture
  • The cultural differences and similarities between Italians and Sicilians
  • In-depth: The origins of Buddhism and Hinduism
  • In-depth: The origins of Christianity and Islam
  • Greek Gods Vs. Hindu Gods
  • The Bible: Old Testament Vs. New Testament

Unique Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

What about writing an essay which is out of the ordinary? Consider following these topics to write a compare and contrast essay on, that are unique.

  • The reasons why some wealthy people pay extortionate amounts of money for gold-plated cell phones, rather than buying the normal phone.
  • The differences between Lipton Tea and Ahmad Tea
  • American Football Vs. British Football: What are their differences?
  • The differences and similarities between France and Britain
  • Fanta Vs. 7Up
  • Traditional Helicopters Vs. Lifesize Drones
  • The differences and similarities between Boston Dynamics and the fictional equivalent Skynet (From Terminator Movies).
  • Socialism Vs. Capitalism: Which is better?
  • Curved Screen TVs’ Vs. Regular Flat Screen TVs’: Are they really worth big bucks?
  • Is it better to wear black or white at funerals?

Good Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Sometimes, it may be a requirement to take it back a notch. Especially if you’re new to these style of writing. Consider having a look at these good compare and contrast essay topics that are pretty easy to start off.

  • Is it a good idea to work on weekdays or weekends?
  • Black of White Coffee
  • Becoming a teacher or a doctor? Which career choice has more of an impact on society?
  • Air Travel Vs. Sea Travel: Which is better?
  • Rail Travel Vs. Road Travel: Which is more convenient?
  • What makes Europe far greater than Africa? In terms of financial growth, regulations, public funds, policies etc…
  • Eating fruit for breakfast Vs. cereals
  • Staying Home to Read Vs. Traveling the World During Holidays. Which is more beneficial for personal growth?
  • Japanese Vs. Brazilian Cuisine
  • What makes ASEAN Nations more efficient than African Nations?

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics About TV Shows, Music and Movies

We all enjoy at least one of these things. If not, all of them. Why not have a go at writing a compare and contrast essay about what you have been recently watching or listening to?

  • Breaking Bad Vs. Better Call Saul: Which is more commonly binge watched?
  • The differences between Dance Music and Heavy Metal
  • James Bond Vs. Johnny English
  • Iron Man Vs. The Incredible Hulk: Who would win?
  • What is done differently in modern movies, compared to old black and white movies?
  • Dumber and Dumber 2 Vs. Ted: Which movie is funnier?
  • Are Horror movies or Action Movies best suited to you?
  • The differences and similarities between Mozart and Beethoven compositions.
  • Hip Hop Vs. Traditional Music
  • Classical Music Vs. Pop Music. Which genre helps people concentrate?

Topics About Art

Sometimes, art students are required to write this style of essay. Have a look at these compare and contrast essay topics about the arts of the centuries.

  • The fundamental differences and similarities between paintings and sculptures
  • The different styles of Vincent Van Gogh and Leonardo Da Vinci.
  • Viewing Original Art Compared With Digital Copies. How are these experiences different?
  • 18th Century Paintings Vs. 21st Century Digitally Illustrated Images
  • German Art Vs. American Art
  • Modern Painting Vs. Modern Photography
  • How can we compare modern graphic designers to 18th-century painters?
  • Ancient Greek Art Vs. Ancient Egyptian Art
  • Ancient Japanese Art Vs. Ancient Persian Art
  • What 16th Century Painting Materials were used compared with the modern day?

Best Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Almost every student at any stage of academics is assigned this style of writing. If you’re lacking inspiration, consider looking at some of the best compare and contrast essay topics to get you on track with your writing.

  • The United States and North Korea Governmental Conflict: What is the reason behind this phenomenon?
  • In the Early Hours, Drinking Water is far healthier than consuming soda.
  • The United States Vs. The People’s Republic of China: Which economy is the most efficient?
  • Studying in Foreign Countries Vs. Studying In Your Hometown: Which is more of an advantage?
  • Toast Vs. Cereal: Which is the most consumed in the morning?
  • Sleeping Vs. Daydreaming: Which is the most commonly prefered? And amongst who?
  • Learning French Vs. Chinese: Which is the most straightforward?
  • Android Phones Vs. iPhones
  • The Liberation of Slaves Vs. The Liberation of Women: Which is more remembered?
  • The differences between the US Dollar and British Pound. What are their advantages? And How do they correspond with each other?

Easy Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

In all types of academics, these essays occur. If you’re new to this style of writing, check our easy compare and contrast essay topics.

  • The Third Reich Vs. North Korea
  • Tea Vs. Coffee
  • iPhone Vs. Samsung
  • KFC Vs. Wendy’s
  • Laurel or Yanny?
  • Healthy Lifestyle Vs. Obese Lifestyle
  • Forkes Vs. Sporks
  • Rice Vs. Porridge
  • Roast Dinner Vs. Chicken & Mushroom Pie
  • What’s the difference between apples and oranges?

Psychology Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Deciding upon good compare and contrast essay topics for psychology assignments can be difficult. Consider referring to our list of 10 psychology compare and contrast essay topics to help get the deserved grades.

  • What is a more severe eating order? Bulimia or Anorexia
  • Modern Medicine Vs. Traditional Medicine for Treating Depression?
  • Soft Drugs Vs. Hard Drugs. Which is more dangerous for people’s psychological well-being?
  • How do the differences between Lust and Love have an effect on people’s mindsets?
  • Ego Vs. Superego
  • Parents Advice Vs. Peers Advice amongst children and teens.
  • Strict Parenting Vs. Relaxed Parenting
  • Mental Institutions Vs. Stress Clinics
  • Bipolar Disorder Vs. Epilepsy
  • How does child abuse affect victims in later life?

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Sixth Graders

From time to time, your teacher will assign the task of writing a compare and contrast essay. It can be hard to choose a topic, especially for beginners. Check out our easy compare and contrast essay topics for sixth graders.

  • Exam Preparation Vs. Homework Assignments
  • Homeschooling Vs. Public Education
  • High School Vs. Elementary School
  • 5th Grade Vs. 6th Grade: What makes them different or the same?
  • Are Moms’ or Dads’ more strict among children?
  • Is it better to have strict parents or more open parents?
  • Sandy Beaches Vs. Pebble Beaches: Which beaches are more popular?
  • Is it a good idea to learn guitar or piano?
  • Is it better to eat vegetable salads or pieces of fruit for lunch?
  • 1st Grade Vs. 6th Grade

Funny Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Sometimes, it is good to have a laugh. As they always say : 'laughter is the best medicine'. Check out these funny compare and contrast essay topics for a little giggle when writing.

  • What is the best way to waste your time? Watching Funny Animal Videos or Mr. Bean Clips?
  • Are Pug Dogs or Maltese Dogs crazier?
  • Pot Noodles Vs. McDonalds Meals.
  • What is the difference between Peter Griffin and Homer Simpson?
  • Mrs. Doubtfire Vs. Mrs. Brown. How are they similar?
  • Which game is more addictive? Flappy Bird or Angry Birds?
  • Big Shaq Vs. PSY
  • Stewie Griffin Vs. Maggie Simpson
  • Quarter Pounders Vs. Big Macs
  • Mr. Bean Vs. Alan Harper

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Tips for Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay

Tips for Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay

5-minute read

  • 19th August 2022

Compare and contrast essays are a specific form of academic essay with unique requirements, so if you’re a student , it’s important that you to know how to write one. Luckily, we’ve pieced together this guide to help you plan, structure, and put together your essay, complete with tips for comparing and contrasting.

Let’s begin.

1. What Is a Compare and Contrast Essay?

As you may have guessed, when writing a compare and contrast essay, you’ll need to do two things:

  • Compare the similarities between two or more given subjects.
  • Contrast their differences.

Compare and contrast essays are a common essay style because they allow your teacher or lecturer to assess your understanding of two theories, research methods, literary techniques, or other subjects. These subjects are usually related and may sometimes be confused with one another or are in conflict with each other.

By comparing and contrasting the subjects, you can also improve your analysis skills .

Some examples of compare and contrast essay titles include:

Compare and contrast a Shakespearean sonnet with a Petrarchan sonnet. What are the similarities and differences between anabolic and catabolic reactions? How were Nehru’s political beliefs similar to Gandhi’s? How did they differ?

2. Planning a Compare and Contrast Essay

As with any essay, before you begin writing, you should have a plan . In this case, you’ll first need to identify the similarities and differences between your subjects.

You can do this by writing out a list of all the qualities each subject possesses. Then, you can pick out any similar qualities that show up in both lists, and any qualities that are unique to just one of them. If you’re a visual learner, you might want to draw this as a Venn diagram .

Once you have all the similarities and differences prepared, consider which of them will be the most useful to include in your essay. Ask yourself:

  • How much can you write about each point?
  • What will your conclusion be, and which points support it?
  • How will each point fit into your essay’s structure?

To answer that last question, let’s take a look at some ways to structure your essay.

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3. Structuring a Compare and Contrast Essay

Now that you’ve got a plan for your essay, it’s time to organize it. There are three main structures you can follow when writing a compare and contrast essay: 

  • The block structure: All of the information about one subject (e.g., Shakespearean sonnets) is presented in the first few paragraphs, followed by the subject it’s being compared and contrasted with (e.g., Petrarchan sonnets).
  • The alternating structure: One similarity or difference between both subjects (e.g., rhyme scheme) is explored in one paragraph, followed by a paragraph on another similarity or difference (e.g., use of imagery), and so on.
  • The similarities and differences structure: All the similarities between both subjects are presented, followed by the differences.

There are benefits to each of these structures. The block structure, for example, can be easier to write, while the alternating structure presents each similarity and difference clearly, and the similarities and differences structure focuses on those points rather than the subjects themselves. 

So, when deciding which structure to use, consider what would work best for your essay. If you intend to cover each subject in detail, for example, you might want to choose the block structure. 

On the other hand, if you want to emphasize the connections between each subject, the alternating structure might be best. 

Finally, if you want to conclude that the subjects are either overwhelmingly similar or different to each other, the similarities and differences structure may work in your favor.

Whichever structure you follow, though, you’ll need to include a strong introduction and conclusion.

Your introduction should:

  • Establish the subjects you will be comparing and contrasting.
  • Provide some background about their connection (e.g., “Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnets are poetic forms common in the 14th to 19th centuries”).
  • Explain what you aim to achieve with your essay.

Meanwhile, your conclusion should:

  • Summarize the main similarities and differences you have identified.
  • Make a point regarding the relationship between your subjects.

4. Things to Remember

Here are some important tips to keep in mind when writing your compare and contrast essay:

  • Ensure you are comparing or contrasting the same criteria between each subject. For example, it wouldn’t make sense to compare the line length of a Shakespearean sonnet with the rhyme scheme of a Petrarchan sonnet, as these are two separate categories.
  • Always address both subjects of your essay in any introductions, conclusions, and topic sentences.
  • Use comparison words and phrases such as “similarly,” “like,” and “in the same way” when comparing subjects.
  • Use contrast words and phrases such as “in contrast,” “however,” and “whereas” when contrasting subjects.
  • As with any essay, make sure to back up any arguments you make with evidence and credible sources .

Expert Academic Proofreading

Once you’ve written your compare and contrast essay, don’t forget to have it proofread. Our dedicated essay editing team is available 24/7 to help polish your paper. Try us out with a free proofreading and editing sample .

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How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

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WHAT IS A COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY?

Essentially, compare and contrast essays ask students to evaluate the similarities and differences between two things.

Usually, there will be some meaningful connection between the two things to be compared and contrasted.

These essays are not merely about stating the obvious; instead, they challenge the students to explore two or more topics and then express subtle similarities and understated differences that may not be immediately obvious to the casual reader.

For example, there is little point in asking students to  compare and contrast  a computer and a bicycle.

Both are material objects, but the extreme differences are obvious apart from that. More useful would be to ask students to compare and contrast two different models of computers or two different brands of bicycles to help them decide which to buy.

Compare and contrast essays encourage students to make distinctions and evaluate things that largely belong in the same category. This is an instrumental and practical skill to develop.

In this article, we will explore how to approach the writing of compare-and-contrast essays in a step-by-step manner. Following this method, students can soon write a well-structured compare-and-contrast essay on practically any topic.

Let’s get started.

Visual Writing

A COMPLETE UNIT ON COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY WRITING

compare and contrast essay | compare and contrast unit 1 | How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay | literacyideas.com

Teach your students how to write amazing compare and contrast essays with this  COMPLETE UNIT  of work which guides students through the process of research, analysis and articulating their thoughts into a well-structured essay.

IT INCLUDES

HOW TO WRITE A COMPARE & CONTRAST ESSAY

1. understand your task and purpose.

Compare, and contrast type questions ask students to do one of three things:

  • To compare two or more things.
  • To contrast two or more things.
  • To compare and contrast two or more things.

compare and contrast essay | analyse the question 1 | How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay | literacyideas.com

For the purposes of this article, we’ll assume the compare and contrast essay is focused on comparing and contrasting two things.

Now, let’s break down the two keywords to examine what they ask the students to do:

Compare asks the students to look at two things in relation to their similarities.

Let’s compare apples and oranges as a quick example.

Apples and oranges have many commonalities. Firstly, they are both fruits that are grown on trees. They are also both a popular and tasty food choice for many people.

Additionally, apples and oranges are nutritious and provide essential vitamins and minerals for our bodies.

Finally, apples and oranges can be used in various recipes, from baked goods to juices, and they are both easily accessible and affordable. So, even though apples and oranges are different in many ways, they both have some similarities that make them essential parts of a healthy and balanced diet.

Contrast asks the students to examine how the two things differ. Let’s now explore the differences in a quick written example.

Apples and oranges differ in many ways. Firstly, they have a different appearance – apples are round and come in different colors like red, green and yellow, while oranges are oval and have a bright orange appearance.

Secondly, they have a different texture – apples are crunchy, while oranges are juicy. They have different tastes – apples are sweet and tangy, while oranges are sweet and slightly sour.

They also contain different vitamins and minerals – apples are a good source of vitamin C, while oranges are a great source of vitamin C and fibre. So, even though they are both fruits, apples and oranges are different in terms of their appearance, taste, and nutritional value.

It is important that students do both when they are asked a compare-and-contrast question. It may seem obvious, but very often students do one and neglect to do the other.

These ‘things’ could be anything from historical figures to poems, philosophies to fictional characters, but the essential criteria will remain pretty much the same regardless.

2. Identify Similarities and Differences

compare and contrast essay | similarities and differences 1 | How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay | literacyideas.com

The starting point for planning this type of essay is to list the similarities and differences between the two things. This can be done simply in table form or, for the more visually orientated, in the form of a Venn diagram.

Venn diagrams are an especially useful form of graphic organizer that allows the student to see the information at a glance. This is extremely helpful while students are writing.

Brainstorming the similarities and differences can be done by focusing on one subject at a time or by dealing with common traits or features one by one. This will depend not just on the student’s preferences but on the nature of the subjects being examined.

Whether listing the similarities and differences in columns or on a Venn diagram, it’s helpful for students to keep their list of characteristics parallel. That is, the related features between each of the subjects should be displayed clearly together.

3. Choose a Suitable Organizational Structure

Once your students have listed their main points, they need to choose a suitable organizational structure to help present their ideas in essay form.

In most instances, one of two structures will best meet the needs of any compare-and-contrast type essay. These two possible organizational structures are:

  • The block structure
  • The point-by-point structure

In the block structure, each subject is dealt with in turn. That is, the characteristics of Subject 1 are written about first and, in the second half of the essay, the characteristics of Subject 2 are written about.

The block structure is generally easier to write as the student need only focus on one subject at a time.

However, the point-by-point structure more often provides a clearer vehicle for comparing and contrasting the various aspects of both subjects.

Using the point-by-point structure generally requires more skill from the student to weave the similarities and differences of each subject into the fabric of each paragraph. However, it is also the default setting for most compare and contrast essays, and students should be practised in it accordingly.

4. Gather Supporting Evidence

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Once students have analyzed the question and identified the similarities and differences between the two subjects, they’ll need to gather supporting evidence to back up any assertions they make in their essays.

Students can use many different types of evidence to support the statements in their essays.

Some of the most common types of evidence in compare and contrast essays include statistical, textual, testimonial, and anecdotal evidence.

Let’s take a closer look:

Statistical Evidence is perhaps the strongest type of evidence that can be used to support an argument. People like numbers! However, the most important aspect of using statistical evidence is that they come from a reliable source – those cynical of statistics echo the old adage, “ There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics ”.

Textual Evidence is often needed to support an argument, especially when writing about a book, a play, a speech, etc. When using textual evidence in an essay, it is important that students state clearly the source of the evidence they use. Textual evidence can come in many different forms, including:

●     Direct quotations from a text

●     Summaries of the content of a text

●     Paraphrasing of what an author has said on a topic.

Testimonial Evidence refers to the use of expert opinion to bolster an assertion. As with the use of statistical evidence, it is important to select the sources in question carefully. Selecting an unreliable or compromised ‘expert’ can call into question the merit of any argument made. When an expert has been chosen to provide testimonial type evidence, students should establish their credibility by stating who they are and why they are considered an expert before quoting them.

Anecdotal Evidence is often considered to be the weakest form of evidence due to its highly personal nature. Basically, anecdotal evidence takes the form of the retelling of a personal experience. Though it is often criticized as a weak form of evidence, it can be useful when used correctly in an essay. Anecdotes often work well as a ‘hook’ to grab the reader’s attention at the beginning of an essay. Not only do they grab the reader’s attention effectively, but anecdotes also work well in building a personal connection with readers from the outset.

5. Compare and Contrast Essay Transitional Language

Nothing makes a text staler for a reader than the overuse of favorite words and the endless repetition of pet phrases.

Variety is the spice of not only life but of essay writing too. As students weave comparisons and contrast into their essays, they’ll be required to employ transition signals to introduce their points.

Transition signals are words and phrases that are used to signal the relationship between ideas in a text to the reader. It is helpful to students to have a variety of these to hand and to know which can be used to introduce comparisons and which can be used to introduce contrasts.

Let’s take a look at some examples for each:

Comparison Transition Signals

  • Both…and…
  • Neither…nor…
  • Just as / Just like
  • In a similar manner
  • Analogous to

Contrasting Transition Signals

  • In contrast to / Contrastingly / In comparison / By comparison
  • On the contrary
  • On the other hand
  • Nevertheless

Tips for Writing a Great Compare and Contrast Essay

  • Start by choosing two logical subjects that you would like to compare and contrast.
  • Research both subjects thoroughly to gain a deeper understanding of their similarities and differences.
  • Create a clear and compelling thesis statement that defines the purpose of your essay.
  • Organize your essay into paragraphs that compare and contrast specific aspects of each subject.
  • Use relevant and appropriate examples to support your comparisons and contrasts.
  • Use transitional words and phrases to help guide the reader through your essay.
  • Avoid simply listing the similarities and differences of each subject. Instead, focus on making meaningful comparisons and contrasts.
  • Use a variety of sentence structures and vocabulary to make your writing engaging and interesting.
  • Revise and edit your essay for clarity, coherence, and grammatical correctness.
  • Proofread your essay one final time to catch any remaining errors and make sure that your essay is ready for submission.

Remember, writing a compare and contrast essay is an opportunity to show your creativity, critical thinking skills, and writing abilities. So, have fun with it and let your unique voice shine through!

101 DIGITAL & PRINT GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS FOR ALL CURRICULUM AREAS

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Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST TEACHING STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

Compare and Contrast Activity #1

Students should get into the habit of closely examining the question they are writing the essay in response to, especially in high-pressure situations like exams.

Too often, students under pressure misread essay prompts and either miss out on a crucial aspect of the set question or, worst of all, answer an entirely different question to the one that was set.

To help students focus on the specifics of the question, encourage them to underline keywords and phrases with a highlighter or a colored pen.

Another great way to encourage students to focus attention on the specifics is to have students practice rewriting the question in their own words.

While this may not be practical in an exam situation, it is a great way for students to get accustomed to paying close attention to essay questions in less pressured scenarios such as homework and classwork.

Compare and Contrast Activity # 2

Set a compare and contrast question and then instruct your students to use a Venn diagram as a brainstorming tool to help organize their ideas.

Students should draw two circles slightly overlapping and write down things the subjects share in common in the intersection of the two circles. This will enable students to see areas of commonality and divergence between the two subjects at a glance.

Compare and Contrast Activity # 3

Students can use the information they produced in the previous two activities for this activity.

In this activity, students will draft three paragraphs for a compare-and-contrast essay using the point-by-point structure.

To do this, they will use the traditional five-paragraph essay structure as follows:

  • Paragraph 1: Introduction
  • Paragraphs 2, 3, & 4: Body Paragraphs
  • Paragraph 5: Conclusion

The focus of your students’ outlines will be on the body paragraphs. From the points listed in the previous exercises, students select 3 main points to focus on; one for each of the body paragraphs they’ll write.

Instruct students to make their point by focusing on Subject 1 first, and then on Subject 2. This will complete the first paragraph. They’ll then repeat this process for points 2 and 3 to produce paragraphs 2 and 3.

At the end of this, they will have the three body paragraphs of their compare and contrast essay. From there, they can then reverse engineer their introduction and then complete their conclusions.

This exercise is a useful way to provide students some practice in structuring body paragraphs. Not only that, but it’s also a legitimate way to write an essay itself. This method can often reveal to the writer the best way forward when it comes to writing the introduction and conclusion.

Compare and Contrast Activity #4

Using the points outlined in previous activities, challenge students to produce as many types of evidence in support of each assertion as possible. In groups, students can then present their evidence to each other and discuss which is the most convincing and why given the specific context.

Compare and Contrast Activity # 5

Whether making comparisons or contrasts, students must consider carefully which criteria they are using in regards to the two subjects they are dealing with.

For example, if students are contrasting two subjects, say, two people, they may write something like,

Alfred is intelligent and handsome, whereas Brian is short and strong.

While the use of the transition signal whereas in the above sentence effectively sets up a contrast between Alfred and Brian, what isn’t clear is which criteria are being contrasted.

When discussing Alfred’s attributes in the first part of the sentence, the criteria employed are intelligence and looks. In the second part of the sentence, two new criteria are introduced, namely height and physical strength.

This is one of the most common errors made by students in these types of essays. To help students gain practice in this area, write a few example sentences on the whiteboard using the model sentence above to help. Then, have students identify the four different criteria and write two separate contrast sentences that avoid the error illustrated.

For example, in response to the model sentence, students might write the following two corrections:

i. Alfred is intelligent and handsome, whereas Brian is stupid and ugly.

ii. Brian is short and strong, while Alfred is tall and weak.

You can encourage students to vary the contrast transition signals they use to gain practice in this area too.

Compare and Contrast Essay ExampleS (student Writing Samples)

Below are a collection of student writing samples of compare and contrast essay.  Click on the image to enlarge and explore them in greater detail.  Please take a moment to read both the compare and contrast essays in detail and the teacher and student guides highlighting some key elements to consider before writing.

Please understand these student writing samples are not intended to be perfect examples for each age or grade level but a piece of writing for students and teachers to explore together to critically analyze to improve student writing skills and deepen their understanding of compare and contrast writing.

We would recommend reading the example either a year above and below, as well as the grade you are currently working with, to gain a broader appreciation of this text type.

compare and contrast essay | compare and contrast essay year 6 1 1536x1536 1 | How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay | literacyideas.com

In Conclusion 

While there are many technical aspects for students to master on the road to producing well-written compare and contrast essays, the above provides a clear signpost to set them off in the right direction.

Most of the specific skills focused on in the practice activities above will not only improve your student’s abilities to write compare-and-contrast-type essays but will improve their writing in other areas too. Just be sure to offer ample opportunities to practice!

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COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY TUTORIAL VIDEOS

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80 Intriguing Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

Android vs. iPhone? Capitalism vs. communism? Hot dog vs. taco?

First day of school vs. the last day of school.

In compare and contrast essays , writers show the similarities and differences between two things. They combine descriptive writing with analysis, making connections and showing dissimilarities. Remind students that in this type of writing, they’re not necessarily trying to sway the reader to one opinion or another—they’re just presenting and analyzing facts. These compare and contrast essay topics will give them plenty of practice.

  • School and Life Essay Topics
  • Entertainment Essay Topics
  • History and Politics Essay Topics
  • Just for Fun Essay Topics

School and Life Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • Public and private schools
  • Online school and in-person school
  • Any two schools or colleges
  • Going to college vs. starting work full-time

Going to college vs. starting work full-time

  • Working your way through college as you go or taking out student loans
  • Parents and grandparents
  • Elementary school and high school
  • Learning to read vs. learning to write
  • The importance of any two school subjects
  • Wearing glasses vs. having braces
  • You and your best friend
  • Friendship vs. romantic love

Friendship vs. romantic love

  • Group work and individual work
  • Only child vs. having siblings
  • Nature vs. nurture
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Old friends and new friends
  • Your teacher vs. your parent/guardian
  • Car ownership and public transportation

Car ownership and public transportation

  • Learning to ride a bike vs. learning to drive a car

Entertainment Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • iPhone vs. Android
  • Instagram vs. Twitter (or choose any other two social media platforms)
  • Xbox vs. PlayStation

Xbox vs. PlayStation

  • Any two sports, like American football vs. soccer
  • Cooking at home and dining out
  • A movie based on a book and the book it was based on
  • Reading and watching TV
  • Opera music and pop music (or any two music genres)
  • Vegetarian and vegan

Vegetarian and vegan

  • Giving and receiving gifts
  • Going to a play vs. going to a movie
  • Playing a video game and watching a movie
  • Horse racing vs. NASCAR
  • Laptop vs. tablet
  • Sprint vs. marathon
  • Poetry and rap music
  • Ping-Pong vs. tennis
  • DC vs. Marvel
  • Netflix and YouTube
  • Shopping online and shopping in person

Shopping online and shopping in person

History and Politics Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • Capitalism vs. communism
  • Socialism vs. communism
  • Monarchy/dictatorship and democracy
  • Two political candidates in a current race

Two political candidates in a current race

  • Spanish flu pandemic vs. COVID-19 pandemic
  • World War I and World War II
  • American pioneers vs. first space explorers
  • Gen X vs. Gen Z
  • Abraham Lincoln vs. Barack Obama (or any other two presidents)
  • Any two U.S. states

Any two U.S. states

  • Any two historic eras
  • Queen Elizabeth I vs. Queen Elizabeth II
  • Republicans and Democrats
  • Hitler and Stalin
  • The first airplane flight vs. the first manned spaceflight
  • American president vs. U.K. prime minister

American president vs. U.K. prime minister

  • Fox News vs. CNN
  • Legislative branch and executive branch and/or judicial branch
  • Equality and equity
  • Elected politicians vs. lobbyists

Just for Fun Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • Dogs vs. cats as pets

Dogs vs. cats as pets

  • Paper books or e-books
  • Hot dogs vs. tacos
  • Summer and winter
  • Fall and spring
  • Big Mac vs. Whopper
  • Coke vs. Pepsi
  • Chocolate shake vs. hot chocolate
  • Any two superheroes or villains
  • Mondays and Fridays
  • Mornings vs. evenings

Mornings vs. evenings

  • First day of school vs. last day of school
  • Christmas vs. birthdays
  • Hurricane vs. tornado
  • Birthday as a kid and birthday as an adult
  • Going barefoot vs. wearing shoes
  • Appetizers and desserts

Appetizers and desserts

  • Phone calls and texting
  • Pants vs. skirts
  • Electric cars vs. gas-powered cars

What are some of your favorite compare and contrast essay topics? Come share your prompts on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out the big list of essay topics for high school (100+ ideas).

80 Intriguing Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

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which topic is suitable for a comparison and contrast essay

34 Compelling Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

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4.1: Introduction to Comparison and Contrast Essay

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The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. Comparison and contrast is simply telling how two things are alike or different. The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both. The thesis should focus on comparing, contrasting, or both.

Key Elements of the Compare and Contrast:

  • A compare-and-contrast essay analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both.
  • The purpose of writing a comparison or contrast essay is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities between two subjects.
  • The thesis should clearly state the subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both, and it should state what is to be learned from doing so.
  • Organize by the subjects themselves, one then the other.
  • Organize by individual points, in which you discuss each subject in relation to each point.
  • Use phrases of comparison or phrases of contrast to signal to readers how exactly the two subjects are being analyzed.

Objectives: By the end of this unit, you will be able to

  • Identify compare & contrast relationships in model essays
  • Construct clearly formulated thesis statements that show compare & contrast relationships
  • Use pre-writing techniques to brainstorm and organize ideas showing a comparison and/or contrast
  • Construct an outline for a five-paragraph compare & contrast essay
  • Write a five-paragraph compare & contrast essay
  • Use a variety of vocabulary and language structures that express compare & contrast essay relationships

Example Thesis: Organic vegetables may cost more than those that are conventionally grown, but when put to the test, they are definitely worth every extra penny.

Graphic Showing Organization for Comparison Contrast Essay

Sample Paragraph:

Organic grown tomatoes purchased at the farmers’ market are very different from tomatoes that are grown conventionally. To begin with, although tomatoes from both sources will mostly be red, the tomatoes at the farmers’ market are a brighter red than those at a grocery store. That doesn’t mean they are shinier—in fact, grocery store tomatoes are often shinier since they have been waxed. You are likely to see great size variation in tomatoes at the farmers’ market, with tomatoes ranging from only a couple of inches across to eight inches across. By contrast, the tomatoes in a grocery store will be fairly uniform in size. All the visual differences are interesting, but the most important difference is the taste. The farmers’ market tomatoes will be bursting with flavor from ripening on the vine in their own time. However, the grocery store tomatoes are often close to being flavorless. In conclusion, the differences in organic and conventionally grown tomatoes are obvious in color, size and taste.

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465 Best Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Students

which topic is suitable for a comparison and contrast essay

Students of all levels may find the compare and contrast essay creation challenging. You need to understand the difference between the point-by-point and subject-by-subject paper types. Besides, the topic selection and writing requirements can also raise more questions than answers.

Does this sound familiar?

To help you fulfill the task, we created this comprehensive article. These materials provide the following solutions in a short form:

  • 450 compare and contrast essay topics
  • tips on how to select best topic
  • expert advice on how to write this type of paper

We also included illustrative examples in every guide. With these samples, you will quickly learn how to write A+ compare and contrast essays.

Check them below!

🌋 Top 15 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics in 2024

🤔 how to choose a compare & contrast essay topic.

  • 🎨 Art Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

🎭 Culture Comparison Paper Topic Ideas

😂 funny compare and contrast topics.

  • 👭🏼 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics on Gender

🏥 Comparison Topics in Health and Medicine

📚 compare and contrast topics: languages and literature.

  • 💭 Psychology Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

⚾ Sports Comparison Topics

🖥️ compare & contrast: technology topics, 🏫 compare and contrast topics for school, 🎒 comparison topics for elementary school, ✏️ comparison topics for middle school.

  • 📐 Compare and Contrast Topics for High School

✔️ How to Write Compare and Contrast Essay

✨ compare and contrast thesis, 🔥 types of compare and contrast essay organization.

  • 🎓 Compare and Contrast Essay Outline

💡 Conclusion

🔗 references.

  • Sam vs. Frodo Baggins.
  • Gandalf vs. Dumbledore.
  • Stocks vs. futures.
  • Confederation v.s. Constitution.
  • Two ways to spend the vacations.
  • Two ways to get to school.
  • Offense vs. defense.
  • Harry vs. Draco.
  • Receiving gifts vs. giving gifts.
  • Horde or Alliance?
  • China’s economy vs. the U.S. economy.
  • Fascism vs. Nazism.
  • Vegetarianism vs. meat-eating.
  • Smoothies vs. Milkshakes.
  • Road trip vs. Cruise.

How to select a suitable theme for the compare and contrast essay?

Here is the answer!

You need to understand its key feature

  • The assignment’s context. Your teacher may provide some clues about the task’s main idea. Without these tips, you should analyze the subject and the educator’s common questions during lessons. The gathered information significantly narrows down the relevant topic search area.
  • Comparison subjects. Find two or more items that are different and similar at the same time. Having data about the essay’s context, you will quickly figure out the area of knowledge and what you should compare. The only limitation here is the paper’s size.

And you may ask: What is next? Let’s imagine that “Childhood vs. adulthood” is the chosen theme. You may pick a set of apparent criteria for comparing and contrasting. Here are some differences that first come to mind:

  • Financial dependence
  • Legal responsibilities
  • Mental flexibility

And the similarities:

  • Social relationships
  • Hygienic needs
  • Entertainment

The listed options allow you to write a decent article, get the score, and proceed to the next task. With the following distinctions, you can create an exciting paper that may expand your knowledge in various fields of studies and cause a discussion:

  • Psychological profile
  • Social media preferences
  • Grandparents-grandchildren relationships
  • Time attitude

These are the resemblances for the selected topic:

  • Need for personal space
  • Childish behavior
  • Learning process
  • Conflict situations

Factors from both groups represent general concepts only. You will investigate these aspects later in the paper’s body. It’s a good idea to pick the criteria that interest you.

Our ultimate collection of topic ideas makes it possible to quickly find the formulated idea and objects for the compare and contrast analysis. With the gathered data, you can now select the best topic for the exact writing project.

🎨 Art Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

People create music, paint and draw, design clothes, and perform. The list of arts also includes sculpture, knitting, glass blowing, and many other activities. The compare and contrast ideas from this section comprise almost all spheres of human life.

Imagine this: There are plenty of objects or subjects around that can be discussed from an art perspective. Sculpture vs. painting, jazz vs. opera singing, poetry vs. prose; all of these items are similar and different at the same time. Their designers put some art in all of these items.

That is why they suit well for the compare and contrast art essay. Check out the following collection of ideas for the creativity research:

  • The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones: color correction and working with light.
  • Posters of China and the Soviet Union.
  • Offline movie theater vs. streaming services.
  • Animation studios of The United States and Europe.
  • Rock and K-pop music.
  • Drawing and painting.
  • Are graffiti and traditional painting similar?
  • Pre-defined art classes vs. freestyle ones.
  • Anime vs. Disney .
  • What is more complicated for production: silent or sound movies?
  • CGI animation with motion capture: cartoon or movie?
  • Rococo and Baroque styles.
  • American Hip Hop Music.
  • Digital and traditional drawing.
  • Works of art created by an AI and human.
  • Medieval vs. modern fashion design: how far and close are they?
  • Analysis of the traditional theater and cinema entertaining: similarity and difference.
  • Modern Japanese vs. contemporary Chinese poetry.
  • European vs. US industrial design.
  • The Martian novel by Andy Weir: film adaptation vs. book.

Andy Weir Quote

  • Manga and American comic books.
  • How does classical music affect soundtrack production?
  • Photography and realist painting.
  • Wind vs. string music instruments.
  • Learning technical and creative drawing.
  • Ancient Indian and Greek Sculptures Comparison.
  • Thai, US, and Russian modern movies’ main differences and similarities.
  • Traditional Japanese vs. classical Chinese painting.
  • Key affinities and diversities of the web design for two countries of your choice.
  • Renaissance and Pop Art.
  • The movie production process: low and high-budget films.
  • Painting by fingers or brushes?
  • Cavemen’s, Egyptian, and graffiti artworks.
  • Digital and film photography.

We figured out what art is and what you can write about on this topic. How about culture? Isn’t it a similar thing?

Yes and no.

While art aims to manifest a person’s creative skills, culture defines the personality and sum of knowledge of a particular group of people. The phenomenon includes pop, sub, national cultures, etiquette, myths, fairy tales, and traditions.

Here you may compare and contrast movies, fast-food, games, and plenty of other elements that describe your or foreign societies. Feel free to select two or more similar characteristics, compare them, choose the same number of differences, and perform their comparison. For your convenience, the following list includes compare and contrast ideas with facts, subjects, and objects that represent diverse cultural features.

Take a closer look:

  • Traditional festivals in England and the United States of America.
  • Globalization Effects on Countries’ Cultures .
  • Private space attitude in China and Japan.
  • Relationships with the elderly in European, Asian, and African countries.
  • Design of Eve online and Entropia Universe MMO games.
  • Roofs in Thailand, China, and Japan.
  • Greeting traditions in The US and Japan.
  • Work etiquette in South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia.
  • Sharing food traditions in Israel and Sri Lanka.
  • How do Japanese, Chinese, and Americans drink tea?
  • French vs. Italian ways to consume coffee .
  • American Culture and Other Cultures’ Perceptions.
  • Business clothes in The US in the 1980s vs. today.
  • Spirit houses in Indonesia and Japan.
  • Espresso vs. Americano.
  • The traditional dances in Africa vs. Latin America.
  • Australian and Eastern Europe contemporary make-up habits.
  • School uniforms in Thailand, China, and Russia.
  • Chopsticks in South Korea and Japan.
  • Snack culture in France, Italy, and the US.
  • Fast-food cuisine in Israel and Turkey: similarities and differences.
  • The image of a strong male figure in eastern and western cultures.
  • Momijigari vs. Hanami in Japan.
  • Decorative gardening in England and Turkey.
  • Outdoor family activities in mountainous and coastal regions.
  • The subcultures of hippies and hipsters .
  • Qualitative versus quantitative research designs.

What if a teacher asked you to write a compare and contrast essay without any other requirements?

It’s your time to shine!

The current section helps you with picking a humorous topic. There are no limitations on this type of theme except a sense of humor. One may compare and contrast two or more funny items. Moreover, you can find several ordinary objects and figure out their similarities and differences in an amusing way.

It’s true…

The funny compare and contrast topics from this section do not require special knowledge or skills. With the themes from the list below and some imagination, one may create an entertaining and mind-blowing essay.

  • Chocolates vs. lollipops.
  • Cat, dog, or parrot as a house guardian?
  • Ice cream for astronauts vs. a traditional one.
  • Cloth washing by hand or in a washing machine?
  • Food delivery vs. cooking at home.
  • Instant and ground coffee .
  • Mr. Bean: the sitcom vs. cartoon series.
  • Traveling in space by Millennium Falcon (Star Wars) and Starship Enterprise (Star Trek).
  • Getting presents from Santa Claus vs. parents on Christmas.
  • Electricity from potato and battery.
  • Using chopsticks vs. fork when eating beans.
  • The challenges of being tall and short.
  • Playing the musical triangle vs. drum set.
  • Mohawk vs. pompadour for a school dance.
  • Labrador vs. Toy Terrier dog for a baseball partner.
  • Pairing peanut butter with jelly or honey on a sandwich.
  • Mayan vs. modern calendar for planning .
  • Pedicure at home or a beauty salon.
  • Using tofu or mozzarella for pizza.
  • The key ingredients of dog and cat food.
  • Bow or classic necktie: which is more stylish?
  • Watching a movie with or without spoilers.
  • Burger vs hotdog for a picnic lunch.
  • Mittens vs. gloves during cross-country skiing.
  • Cockroaches vs. mosquitos: which is more annoying?
  • Bollywood-style problem solving vs. non-musical analyzing.

Key Features of Compare and Contrast Thesis

  • Store-bought or farm-raised fruits and vegetables?
  • Drawing flowers vs. geometric figures while doodling.
  • What to wear on a date: contact lenses or glasses?
  • Classic toilet vs. spaceship one.
  • Should a pet ferret live in a cage or run freely in the house?
  • Pickled vegetables vs. fresh ones.
  • Which is tastier: deep-fried pickles or chocolate chip cookies?
  • Drawing with brushes vs. fingers for a teenager party.
  • Dreadlocks vs. shaved head.
  • Which is more convenient: skiing in a bikini or swimming in a winter jacket?
  • Operating devices via remote control or manually?
  • Teasing a gorilla vs. giraffe: which is safer?
  • Pros and cons of buying the original or replica of a famous painting?
  • Are bananas or chocolate a better snack during hiking?
  • Playing real soccer and its computer version.
  • Similarities and differences in currency and precious stones usage for payments.
  • Straw for drinking: using or not?
  • Who is likely to win the race: gecko or tarantula spider?
  • Hot, cold, and contrast shower for a good mood.
  • A mediocre photo taken by a famous photographer vs. a good one by an unknown person.
  • Instant noodles: cup vs. bowl serving.
  • Room sweeping vs. vacuuming.
  • Playing online and offline games .
  • The basketball’s and football’s score systems.
  • The convenience of playing games on PC vs. console.
  • Watching TV, YouTube, or reading a newspaper for the latest news ?
  • What to use for refreshment: cucumber or watermelon?
  • Chewing gum vs. shampoo for the best bubbles.
  • Fixed high salary vs. its gradual increase.
  • TV series binge or ongoing watching for a better plot understanding?
  • Buying music albums or a streaming service subscription?
  • What is more interesting for time traveling: Visiting future and past during time traveling.
  • Compare and contrast doodling and mumbling for more efficient thinking.
  • Board vs. computer games.
  • Climbing a mountain or a wall with professional equipment?
  • Handmade pasta vs. factory-made for a family dinner.

👭🏼 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics on Gender

Would you like to dive into actual and widely discussed topics?

We got your back!

The modern world is a complex structure. For many people question of self-identification is becoming more acute and requires in-depth research. The latest social movements, e.g., feminist theory, often require appropriate education to be applied correctly. Our experts formed the following list of compare and contrast gender topics to help you with this comprehensive problem. Feel free to utilize any of these themes for your essay.

Check out these discussion starters:

  • How do different genders overcome stress situations?
  • Marxism and Feminism: similarities and differences.
  • Paternity vs. maternity leave in modern society.
  • The social relations in Japan and the US between genders.
  • Mixed or separated classes: which would you choose?
  • Current acting job opportunities for various genders.
  • Gender-specific TV shows: are they necessary?
  • How do role models affect our lives? Compare and contrast them.
  • Sports results evaluation for different genders.
  • Cybersport for various genders: should we separate them?
  • Unisex vs. gender-specific school uniform.
  • Which gender is a better cook?
  • Similarities and differences of toys for various genders.
  • Physical training standards for different genders.
  • Straight and homosexual male attitudes toward dating.
  • The transgender transition for biological men and women.
  • Raising a child in a traditional or single-gender family?
  • Hair color preferences for teenagers of various genders.
  • Gender-oriented cosmetics and hygiene products.
  • Bodybuilding career for different genders.
  • Sleeping habits for older men, women, and other genders.
  • First date preferences for various genders.
  • The glass ceiling for men, women, and other genders.
  • Patriarchal and matriarchal societies.
  • Spending habits in high school students of different genders.
  • Challenges for boys, girls, and other genders in ballet.
  • Problems among siblings of a different gender.
  • Computer game preferences for various genders.
  • Female etiquette expectations now vs. the beginning of the 20th century.
  • High school class preferences for different genders.
  • Self-image comparison for boys, girls, and other genders in middle school .

Do you prefer something less emotional?

Check this out!

You probably hear about health and various aspects of the medical field of knowledge frequently. That is why you can quickly find several items from the health and medicine sphere to compare and contrast. We investigated this sphere and provided the following list of topics suitable for any study level:

  • Regular small portions vs. interval starvation diet.
  • Diet or healthy lifestyle?
  • Cold training vs. comfortable temperature support.
  • Traditional vs. alternative methods to treat cold.
  • General fitness and professional sport.
  • Professional consulting or self- diagnosis ?
  • Rural and urban medical systems in The United States.
  • The effect of using olive oil and micellar water for makeup removal on human skin.
  • Helpful and harmful bacteria in the human body .
  • Left Versus Right Brain Hemispheres in Humans.
  • Hygiene in Africa and South Korea.
  • Sleeping in a cold and warm room.
  • Drinking water and electrolyte solutions during a training session.
  • The effects of icing and heating of the body area for common sports injuries.
  • Food vs. medicine allergies .
  • Botox vs face gymnastics for wrinkle reduction.
  • Coffee and tea: physiological benefits and drawbacks.
  • Ginger vs. honey for health.
  • Sleeping too much vs. not sleeping enough.
  • What is better for the neck health: sleeping on one or two pillows?
  • Electronic Health Records’ History, Status, Future.
  • The effects of spicy and sour foods on stomach health.
  • Coffee and sugar effects on teeth health.
  • Brushing teeth twice a day or after each meal?
  • Office work and freelance influence on one’s health.
  • The frequency of hair washing: every day vs. less frequently.
  • Effects of meditation and physical exercise on human health.
  • Home food vs. cafeteria lunches for elementary school.
  • Hygiene recommendations for small children and teenagers.
  • Drinking sodas and water at school.
  • Cold and warm water during physical training.
  • The benefits and disadvantages of online fitness classes and visiting a sports club.
  • Effects of caffeine drinks intake in the morning and afternoon.
  • Sunbathing and staying in the shade while visiting the beach.
  • Scheduled water intake vs. responding to thirst in adults.
  • The effects of digital detox and limiting screen time on anxiety levels in office workers.
  • Advantages of Physical Exercise for Good Health.
  • The benefits of professional and self-massage.
  • Fresh vs. canned food for small children.
  • Health benefits of drinking cow and soy milk.
  • Sleeping-in vs. regular schedule for young adults.

Are you interested in linguistic details or literature plots?

Express yourself!

Studying text and various authors may become an exciting investigating project. With the compare and contrast ideas from this section, you will find topics for different study levels. The Place For Papers experts condensed all gathered data about languages and literature topic into the following compact chart:

  • Learning foreign languages and reading classic literature for memory development.
  • Studying rare languages vs. common ones.
  • Should learning poetry at school be mandatory?
  • Reading a translated book vs. an original one.
  • Should language examinations be oral or written?
  • Contemporary or classical books for teenagers?
  • The advantages of audiobooks for elderly people.
  • Raising children on classical fairy tales or YouTube videos?
  • Pros and cons of learning a language with a native speaker.
  • “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” a Book by Mark Twain.
  • Image of American government in English and US literature.
  • Learning to read early and late in life.
  • Reading for fun or mandatory for elementary students?
  • What is more effective: frequent or prolonged language lessons?
  • Does music help when studying languages?
  • Learning a foreign language with a tutor vs. self-education.
  • The Bible : classical and contemporary versions.
  • Should elementary school students learn at least one foreign language?
  • The role of women in Italian and English literature .
  • Should kindergartens teach children to read, or is this parental responsibility?
  • Do reading habits affect children’s grammar level?
  • “The Trojan War: A New History” by Barry Strauss.
  • Video lessons vs. books when learning a new language.
  • Learning a language by watching TV series vs. the classic textbook method.
  • Creative writing: mandatory or elective?
  • The necessity of marketing research when selling products internationally.
  • English language in modern South Africa and India.
  • The difficulties of learning Cyrillic and Latin alphabets.
  • Should language dictionaries be updated yearly?
  • Reading time: morning vs. evening.
  • The meaning of black color in Mexican and Spanish literature.
  • Nature descriptions in European and Australian classic literature.

💭 Psychology Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Why not dive into human’s minds and the logic behind our decisions?

Psychology is a complicated and broad field of science. It analyzes the human mind and behavior, e.g., during listening to music, doing sports, or communicating with other people. Essays on the topic allow students to understand themselves and others.

Yes, just like that!

Comparing and contrasting items from any of the following psychological topics expand your scope significantly. Besides, these themes make it possible to look at already familiar life aspects from a different perspective.

What are we waiting for?

  • Computer games vs. traditional psychological help for post-traumatic stress disorder patients.
  • Parental homework checking vs. independent high school study.
  • Psychological effects of individual and team sports.
  • High schools with and without the grades.
  • The environmental and human values in Doughnut Economics.
  • Interactive and classic whiteboard for better understanding
  • School program with and without homework?
  • Erik Erikson’s Theory of Personality.
  • Discussing sensitive issues in-person and through texting.
  • Gamers’ toxic behavior analysis in UK and US.
  • Mandatory program vs. elective classes in middle school.
  • Informing students’ parents about the grades vs. keeping them private.
  • Organized and creatively chaotic workplaces for artists.
  • Co-ed schools and single-gender ones.
  • The effect of caring for pets and plants on teenagers.
  • Aggressive and passive-aggressive behavior.
  • Buying vs. renting an apartment.
  • Listening to music and silence for more efficient studying.
  • Would students prefer a mechanic or electronic clock during the test?
  • Parental curfew and schedule freedom for teenagers.
  • Bargaining vs. fixed price for souvenirs.
  • Wearing glasses and contacts during teenage years.
  • Allowing vs. prohibiting the cell phones for elementary students at school.
  • Cartoons: translated vs. original for kindergarteners.
  • Achievement Motivation Theory.
  • Sharing a house with other people vs. living alone.
  • Organizing vs. creating chaos.
  • Decorated vs. messy meal for better self-esteem.
  • Playing chess and fishing for patience development.
  • Full family vs. single-parent households.
  • The key differences and similarities of volunteering activities and paid jobs.
  • Mature behavior in children and juvenile acts of adults.
  • Classical and chillout music for studying.
  • Daily habits of introverts and extraverts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Discipline vs. freestyle methods of raising children.
  • Strict discipline effects on teenage boys and girls.
  • Psychologists vs. psychiatrist: rights and responsibilities.
  • Social influence of Facebook and Instagram.
  • Is video content more effective for school subjects than textbooks today?
  • Work-Life Balance and Workplace Stress Management.
  • The roles of genetics , self-care, and charisma in young adults.
  • Psychological effects of winning and losing as a sports team.
  • Painting vs. music therapy for well-being.
  • Is yoga or boxing better for anger management?
  • Religion on the Purple and Blue levels of Spiral Dynamics.
  • Sunrise and sunset effects on human mood.
  • Conscious and involuntary usage of lying.

Are you a fan of a sporty and active lifestyle?

So, let’s get down to business.

Early equivalents of modern formal sports were more focused on training hunters and warriors. You may notice that when reading about various ancient customs. Communities or individuals compete by throwing sharp objects, rolling heavy stones, or simulating a real fight.

Modern sports aim at cooperation, communication, and human physical limits exploration. Professional athletes no longer prepare for competitions alone. It is now also a scientific challenge.

Check out this compare and contrast sports topics:

  • Curling vs. hockey for children.
  • Chess and cybersport: similarities and differences.
  • Track vs. cross country running.
  • What will you choose: fitness club or home-based physical training?
  • Tennis vs. ping-pong for children’s motor skills.
  • Surfing and skateboarding: compare and contrast their safety.
  • Playing tennis with a wall vs. a human opponent.
  • Should children start doing sports from elementary school or later?
  • Morning vs. evening physical training for middle school students.
  • Parkour vs. rock climbing: training details.
  • Physical education lessons at school and the external sport clubs.
  • Chess vs. Go board game for high school students.
  • Home-based AR fitness vs. gym training with an instructor.
  • Healthy and fast-food meals: what to select for physical training?
  • College Athlete Compensation Controversy.
  • Winter and summer activities for school holidays.
  • The best way to learn swimming: individual or group training?
  • Which waves are better for surfing and wind-surfing?
  • Long vs. short haircut for sports.
  • Running with a human or dog partner?
  • Jogging with music vs. listening to nature.
  • Olympic fencing and medieval reconstruction fighting.
  • Scuba or free diving?
  • Which one is more entertaining: bobsleigh or wingsuit flying?
  • The challenges of swimming in the pool vs. open water.
  • Horse or ostrich racing competitions?
  • Social and ballroom dancing: art or sports?
  • Effects of upper and lower body training.
  • Ashtanga and Hatha yoga: which one is better for relaxation?
  • The details of running in a hot and cold environment.
  • Safe and dangerous ways to do CrossFit.
  • Boxing with and without massage: is there a difference?
  • Skiing vs. snowboarding: which sport is better for small children?

Does another scientific or technological breakthrough inspire you? Or, what if your science teacher assigned you an essay about something geeky?

Keep reading, and you’ll find fresh ideas!

Technology is a broad concept that has rapidly burst into all areas of our life. Inventions in medicine, information delivery, materials, entertainment, and surrounding world exploration lead us to a current state. If you like programming, gaming, robotics, AI, or science, this section is at your service.

Sounds good?

Pick one of the following popular compare and contrast technology topics, and describe their differences and similarities. You will quickly find plenty of information about all of the comparing items from the following topic list:

  • Laptop vs. smartphone for gaming.
  • MacBook and Windows PC: which one would you choose for programming?
  • The Role of Information Technology Innovation.
  • Compare and contrast the Fortnite online game’s PC, console, and mobile versions.
  • React or Vue as a preferable JavaScript framework for a social network development?
  • Solar panels, wind, and turbogenerators: what is more suitable for your location?
  • Wired vs. wireless internet for schools.
  • GPS navigator vs. paper map: differences and similarities.
  • The dangers and benefits of cooking on the stove and using a microwave regarding small children.
  • Who should evaluate class performance: AI or a teacher?
  • Information Technology in Transportation.
  • Which has more potential: space or ocean exploration?
  • Manual and automatic photo correction for social networks.
  • The Large Hadron Collider: experiments vs. simulations.
  • Visual and radio-telescopic space analysis.
  • Wingsuit vs. parachute: modern technologies used in the fabric .
  • Which similarities and differences do Python and Swift programming languages have?
  • Elon Musk vs. NASA: are they doing the same things or not?
  • Playing chess with a human and AI opponent.
  • Fire extinguishing from the air or land?
  • Listening to music through headphones or speakers?
  • Traditional vs. automatic farming.
  • World of Warcraft vs. Lineage 2 online computer games economics comparison.
  • Atomic clock and sundial for long-term planning.
  • Electric vs. analog acoustic guitar.
  • What similarities and differences do Space Shuttle and SpaceX reusable rockets have?
  • Plastic vs. glass windows for daily use.
  • Where are Intel processors and Apple silicon chips close to each other and apart?
  • Fingerprint vs. iris scan for mobile devices.
  • Plastic and ceramic dishes on the plane.
  • Air conditioner vs. fan.
  • Playing electric guitar with fingers or a pick?
  • Smart and mechanical watch: which will you choose for mountain climbing?
  • Canned vs. frozen food: which is better for health?
  • Augmented and virtual reality gaming.
  • Paper vs. electronic calendar for the task management.
  • Ceramic coffee cups vs. alternatives.
  • Using typewriters or word processors for writing books?
  • Central heating and boiler systems.

Compare and Contrast Essay: Point-by-Point Comparison

Don’t know how to turn your chosen topic into a strong compare and contrast school essay?

Believe it or not.

To write this kind of essay, you require figuring out a few things:

  • You need to select or know from a teacher a field of knowledge in which to look for analyzing objects.
  • Having this information, perform quick research and pick two or more items to compare.
  • Highlight a number of their similarities and differences.

The Place For Papers team prepared three sets of topics below for all school levels with numerous fresh ideas. Select the theme that fits well for your assignment and find more tips about writing an essay immediately after this section.

  • Cartoons vs. computer games for studying.
  • Field trip and in-class learning.
  • Grading students’ art works vs. discussing them only.
  • Drinking fountains vs. bottled water.
  • A handmade present vs. a bought one.
  • Snacking during class time or eating only lunch at school?
  • Having many school friends or a few close ones?
  • Celebrating your birthday at school or home?
  • Writing with a blue pen vs. colorful ones.
  • What is scarier: darkness or boogeyman?
  • Stickers or candy as a reward for correct answers?
  • A lesson about the profession vs. inviting parents as speakers.
  • Playing sports or running during PE classes?
  • Cooking vs. tasting in a nutrition class.
  • Doing homework with or without parental help?
  • Smile vs. serious face expression when saying hello.
  • Bringing candy or apples as a snack to school?
  • Studying the plants outside vs. reading in a book.
  • Starting school at 7 a.m. or 9 a.m.?
  • Sharing a desk vs. having an individual one.
  • Traveling to school on rainy and sunny days.
  • Pajama vs. regular day.
  • Football vs. baseball games.
  • Long vs. short breaks between classes.
  • Fruits and vegetables: differences and similarities.
  • What are the Sun and the Moon?
  • Having one or two-door entrances in the classroom?
  • Watching a cartoon or answering the teacher’s questions in class?
  • Real vs. plastic flowers in a classroom.
  • Assigned seats during lunch vs. choosing them.
  • Solving math problems with the teacher or independently?
  • Washing dishes or vacuuming the floors as home chores?
  • Christmas celebration at school and with family.
  • Focusing on social life vs. grades in middle school.
  • Sports vs. academic afterschool activities.
  • Speech or essay examinations?
  • Practical and theoretical biology lessons.
  • Healthy snacks or candy in school vending machines?
  • Do multiple-choice or short-answer tests evaluate the knowledge better?
  • Boarding vs. traditional schools.
  • Garage sale and school fare as a first business project.
  • Gymnastics vs. dance classes.
  • Using calculators vs. counting by hand.
  • Is studying the US or the State history more interesting?
  • How often should the exams take place: annually or after each semester?
  • Electric light vs. natural one.
  • Using chopsticks or a fork at a cafeteria?
  • Detention time vs. extra essay writing.
  • Biology vs. chemistry classes.
  • Learning about dreams and real life.
  • Should the exams be comprehensive or chapter by chapter?
  • Day and nighttime animals.
  • Waking by alarm vs. family member.
  • Traveling by train or car?
  • Wearing flip-flops vs. closed shoes to school.
  • Buying or making Halloween clothes?
  • Professional repairment vs. tinkering.
  • Babysitting vs. grass mowing as a summer job.
  • The typical mood during the summer and winter months.
  • Backpacks or school purses for carrying books?
  • Colorful vs. black and white textbooks.
  • Hurricane vs. fire drill.
  • Which is more dangerous: alligator or crocodile?
  • Eating fruits raw vs. cooking them.
  • Discussing personal problems with the family vs. solving them independently.

📐 Compare and Contrast Topics for High School

What if your background and experience make it possible to discuss and defend a chosen position?

Think about this.

You know almost all about school life and start thinking about the close/distant future. Your interests are also becoming more complex and diversified. Internet and social networks speed up this process even more.

What’s the bottom line?

Here, we put together the compare and contrast ideas that allow high school students (maybe like you?) to improve their analytical expertise and begin interesting discussions with classmates and teachers. At this study level, you may also bring the modern vision of the problem.

Take a closer look at this set of compare and contrast high school topics:

  • Social relationships in middle and high school.
  • Expectations and reality of the first year of high school.
  • Bullying effects in middle and elementary schools.
  • Popular and geeks.
  • Riding a school bus or driving a car to school?
  • Advantages of studying in the library vs. home.
  • Handwriting vs. using a computer for essays.
  • Prom traditions and beauty pageants.
  • Computer Technology Effect on Health and Social Life.
  • Scholarly articles vs. Wikipedia as sources for essay writing.
  • Marching band or cheerleading as an extracurricular activity?
  • Sex education as school or parental responsibility.
  • Basic computer science and programming.
  • Many simple tasks vs. a few complicated ones for homework.
  • Graphic design and classical painting in art classes.
  • ID-card or cash payments in a school cafeteria?
  • Information and Communication Technology in Classroom.
  • Dress code vs. free school clothes style.
  • Debate vs. Model EU clubs.
  • Formal vs. informal graduation celebrations.
  • Dictation vs. essay as a classroom activity.
  • Same or different schedules throughout the week?
  • Volunteering at an animal shelter vs. cleaning the streets.
  • Names vs. nicknames in a school setting.
  • Mandatory or chosen activities during homeroom class?
  • Geography lesson vs. travel abroad.
  • Formal and informal class structure.
  • American Presidents with and without military experience.
  • Should teachers try to be modern or remain classical?
  • Using information from a teacher vs. referring to YouTube sources.
  • Wikipedia and credible academic resources for essays.
  • Parent meeting vs. online chat.
  • Life as a popular student vs. ordinary one.
  • Schools that allow hair coloring and make-up vs. conservative ones.
  • Encouraging discussion vs. lecture format.
  • Customized vs. general class curriculum .
  • Writing notes in textbooks vs. separate documents.
  • Should school or students regulate classroom temperature?
  • Using or avoiding smartphones during the class?

You may ask: why do I need to write an essay according to any rules?

Here is the answer: the current type of academic writing teaches you to express your thoughts efficiently.

There are several critical things you need to know for successful compare and contrast essay writing. All standard essays require a thesis statement, and this exact kind is not an exception. Depending on the situation, you should select between the “point-by-point” and “subject-by-subject” article structures.

Last but not least.

You need to finalize the discussed topic in conclusion. All of these features look more complicated than they are. Below, we formed a quick, straightforward, and comprehensive tutorial describing how to write compare and contrast essays.

What do you need to work on first?

Essays of this type require an introduction paragraph with a thesis at the end. The compare and contrast thesis includes the following elements and logic:

  • It tells the reader about the necessity of the chosen topic/subject.
  • In this part of an introduction, one makes a statement that can be debatable.
  • The thesis is like a paper’s agenda that helps a reader to understand its structure.

If the topic asks a question, you should also include an answer in a thesis. Besides, do not put the subject itself in this part of an essay. Rephrase it to let readers think about the discussing theme. Usually, a thesis consists of one or two sentences.

To make it even clearer.

For example, you received a compare and contrast essay assignment on the topic: origami vs. wood carving as a hobby for modern teenagers.

The thesis can be the following: Though both wood carving and origami improve essential motor skills and 3D thinking, the latter art is more convenient for modern teenagers because it does not require specific tools and much time for learning.

Let’s analyze the headline first:

  • There are two subjects : origami and wood carving arts.
  • The “vs.” word means that you need to select one of them as a more suitable hobby for modern teenagers.
  • From the task, we know that it is a compare and contrast essay.

Let’s discuss both subjects using physical and mental points of comparison. The thesis structure is the following:

  • You tell a reader about the necessity of the chosen topic/subject, claiming that motor skills and 3D thinking are essential for teenagers.
  • The statements about motor skills, 3D thinking, specific tools, and time for learning are debatable. For instance, your classmates may argue with proof that there are many people able to master the carving quickly.
  • As you may notice, the similarities’ and differences’ order clarifies the comparison’s structure.
  • In the second part of the sentence, we provide an opinion or answer the question saying that origami art is more convenient for modern teenagers.

At times, a thesis can take more time than the whole paper creation. Some people prefer to write this part of the essay after they finish all other sections. However, this detailed guide will help you to write strong theses quickly.

Is there more than a single way to organize my essay?

Yes, there are two!

There are two ways you can compose the compare and contrast essays: point-by-point and subject-by-subject. It is necessary to select one of the mentioned types of paper organization and follow it during writing. The strictly structured article allows you to discuss the comparing subjects’ similarities and differences in a more efficient form.

You should select two or more points of comparison of the chosen items depending on the assignment requirements. Let’s assume you are comparing cartoons of the 1960s and 2000s. The points of comparison can be the following: technology, budget, and the target audience.

Now, let’s get down to the business!

Point-by-Point

How to deal with this method?

This essay organization format makes it easier for the reader to understand the comparing and contrasting discussing subjects. Each body paragraph includes both points of comparison about all picked subjects.

Enough talk!

Let’s get back to our topic about cartoons and analyze the point-by-point structure. There are two subjects: cartoons of the 1960s and cartoons of the 2000s.

  • In the first body paragraph, you ought to discuss both subjects from the technological point of view. The “technology” here is the first point of comparison.
  • In the second body paragraph, you discuss the budgets of the animation of the selected periods of our history.
  • The last body paragraph respectively is about the target audience.

Pay attention to the subjects’ order; it should be the same throughout all body paragraphs.

Subject-by-Subject

What about the subject-by-subject format?

Look: using this method, you need to review the first subject and all points of comparison about it, then the second one, and so-on depending on the paper requirements. According to the sample topic about cartoons, the basic structure of this method will be the following:

  • In the first body paragraph, you can discuss the cartoons of the 1960s and include all three comparisons: technology, budget, and the target audience.
  • The second body paragraph should be about the cartoons of the 2000s discussed from the technological, financial, and social points of view.

Discuss the points of comparison about each subject in the same order.

🎓 Compare and Contrast Essay Outline

How to assemble the compare and contrast essay from its key elements?

Knowing all the information from the previous sections, you can organize the paper. There are three standard parts that you should include in any writing of this kind: introduction, body, and conclusion.

Two of the mentioned items will be more or less similar from essay to essay.

  • The first section (introduction) persuades people to read the entire article and contains the thesis.
  • In the final part (conclusion), you summarize the paper’s key ideas in a short form.

The only difference will be in the paper’s body.

The compare and contrast essays have the following schematic structure:

A. For the point-by-point comparison method:

  • Introduction with a thesis statement.
  • The body paragraph discussing the first point of comparison about all subjects.
  • The body paragraph discussing the second point of comparison.
  • Conclusion with a summary.

B. For the subject-by-subject comparison method:

  • The body paragraph discussing the first subjects with all points of comparison about it.
  • The body paragraph discussing the second subject.

Feel free to save and use this precise and compact outline for all your compare and contrast essays.

Thank you for reading this comprehensive article. We hope this ultimate guide with examples will simplify the compare and contrast essay creation for school students of all study levels. Here is what you have learned so far:

  • We explained how to pick or create a suitable topic for this kind of essay.
  • You also figured out the selection technic of the comparison subjects. Our experts provided this information with descriptive samples.
  • The Place For Papers team put together a large collection of topics for popular and actual fields of knowledge. All 450 themes are up to date and reflect current science, social, and art tendencies.
  • You will find plenty of formulated ideas for elementary, middle, and primary school levels.
  • Students may find a detailed guide about writing compare and contrast essays handy. We clarified how to create a strong thesis, the paper’s body writing methods, and overall text structure. These materials have necessary examples with supportive explanations.

What does it mean?

The topics from the provided collection form a well-structured list. You will quickly find the required theme. We have divided these ideas into art, culture, funny, gender, health and medicine, languages and literature, psychology, sports, technology, and separate school levels sections.

Ready for action?

With this detailed article, you improve the essay writing skills and save a significant amount of time. Tell your friends about the topic ideas and share this rich collection through the favorite social media.

  • Gale: Educational Publishing Company, Questia
  • What Is Culture, Live Science
  • Medical Compare & Contrast Essay Topics, Study
  • Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences: Why Should Literature Be Used in the Language Classroom, ScienceDirect
  • Compare & Contrast Writing, Pinterest
  • How to Pick a Worthy Topic in 10 Seconds, A CS Research Topic Generator
  • History of Technology, Britannica
  • Historical comparison of gender inequality in scientific careers across countries and disciplines, PNAS
  • Comparing and Contrasting, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • 101 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics, ThoughtCo
  • Gender roles: Men and women are not so different after all, Iowa State University
  • Teaching Struggling Writers How to Write a Paragraph, SettlePi
  • School Psychology, American Psychological Association
  • 75 Dynamic Compare and Contrast Essay Topics, Your Dictionary
  • From Rocks and Spears to Laser Tag: A Brief History of Sport, ThoughtCo
  • Gender Issues: Communication Differences in Interpersonal Relationships, Ohioline
  • Compare & Contrast Essay (Examples, Structure, Topics): EssayPro, YouTube
  • Gale: Education Topics, Questia
  • The Comparative Essay, University of Toronto
  • Compare And Contrast Psychological Perspectives, IPL
  • Compare And Contrast Sports Essay, Bartleby Research
  • Measuring health care quality: comparing and contrasting the medical and the marketing approaches, PubMed
  • Funny Compare and Contrast Essay Topics, Pinterest
  • Compare And Contrast Technology, Bartleby Research
  • The Origins of Psychology, VeryWellMind
  • Sex and gender: What is the difference?, Medical News Today
  • Frequently asked questions about gender equality, United Nations Population Fund
  • The Purpose of Comparison and Contrast in Writing, Libraries

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5 Compare and Contrast Essay Examples (Full Text)

A compare and contrast essay selects two or more items that are critically analyzed to demonstrate their differences and similarities. Here is a template for you that provides the general structure:

compare and contrast essay format

A range of example essays is presented below.

Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

#1 jean piaget vs lev vygotsky essay.

1480 Words | 5 Pages | 10 References

(Level: University Undergraduate)

paget vs vygotsky essay

Thesis Statement: “This essay will critically examine and compare the developmental theories of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, focusing on their differing views on cognitive development in children and their influence on educational psychology, through an exploration of key concepts such as the role of culture and environment, scaffolding, equilibration, and their overall implications for educational practices..”

#2 Democracy vs Authoritarianism Essay

democracy vs authoritarianism essay

Thesis Statement: “The thesis of this analysis is that, despite the efficiency and control offered by authoritarian regimes, democratic systems, with their emphasis on individual freedoms, participatory governance, and social welfare, present a more balanced and ethically sound approach to governance, better aligned with the ideals of a just and progressive society.”

#3 Apples vs Oranges Essay

1190 Words | 5 Pages | 0 References

(Level: 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade)

apples vs oranges essay

Thesis Statement: “While apples and oranges are both popular and nutritious fruits, they differ significantly in their taste profiles, nutritional benefits, cultural symbolism, and culinary applications.”

#4 Nature vs Nurture Essay

1525 Words | 5 Pages | 11 References

(Level: High School and College)

nature vs nurture essay

Thesis Statement: “The purpose of this essay is to examine and elucidate the complex and interconnected roles of genetic inheritance (nature) and environmental influences (nurture) in shaping human development across various domains such as physical traits, personality, behavior, intelligence, and abilities.”

#5 Dogs vs Cats Essay

1095 Words | 5 Pages | 7 Bibliographic Sources

(Level: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade)

Thesis Statement: “This essay explores the distinctive characteristics, emotional connections, and lifestyle considerations associated with owning dogs and cats, aiming to illuminate the unique joys and benefits each pet brings to their human companions.”

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

I’ve recorded a full video for you on how to write a compare and contrast essay:

Get the Compare and Contrast Templates with AI Prompts Here

In the video, I outline the steps to writing your essay. Here they are explained below:

1. Essay Planning

First, I recommend using my compare and contrast worksheet, which acts like a Venn Diagram, walking you through the steps of comparing the similarities and differences of the concepts or items you’re comparing.

I recommend selecting 3-5 features that can be compared, as shown in the worksheet:

compare and contrast worksheet

Grab the Worksheet as Part of the Compare and Contrast Essay Writing Pack

2. Writing the Essay

Once you’ve completed the worksheet, you’re ready to start writing. Go systematically through each feature you are comparing and discuss the similarities and differences, then make an evaluative statement after showing your depth of knowledge:

compare and contrast essay template

Get the Rest of the Premium Compare and Contrast Essay Writing Pack (With AI Prompts) Here

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Thesis Statement

Compare and contrast thesis statements can either:

  • Remain neutral in an expository tone.
  • Prosecute an argument about which of the items you’re comparing is overall best.

To write an argumentative thesis statement for a compare and contrast essay, try this AI Prompts:

💡 AI Prompt to Generate Ideas I am writing a compare and contrast essay that compares [Concept 1] and [Concept2]. Give me 5 potential single-sentence thesis statements that pass a reasonable judgement.

Ready to Write your Essay?

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Take action! Choose one of the following options to start writing your compare and contrast essay now:

Read Next: Process Essay Examples

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Compare and contrast essays are some of the most interesting assignments and students (well, some) enjoy writing them. This is because unlike most kinds of essays, it is hardly possible to get writer's block when you are handling these. You are given the freedom to not only pick compare and contrast topics on your own, but you have the freedom to choose the side of your support as well as how to contrast it.

However, the fact that you are given all this freedom does not mean that this is the simplest essay to write. The biggest challenge is usually in picking the best topic for you and this can be quite a huge issue if you are not careful in what you are doing. Let's see compare and contrast essay topics ideas as well as brief strategies you can use in your writing.

Tips On How To Write Superb Compare And Contrast Essays

The first thing that you need to do before you start writing is to choose an appropriate topic to write about. This should essentially be a topic of interest to you or something that you can discuss in length without any problem whatsoever. Lucky for you, there are so many topics you could focus on when writing and it is all up to you to determine the exact topic that you want to build on.

In most cases, the topics you choose should be closely related. For example if you chose to go with sports, choose two contrasting topics that are in the same category such as soccer vs basketball. You should steer clear of choosing topics that do not have any kind of relationship whatsoever such as pasta vs winter. This will be difficult to compare as they do not have any similarities and are basically worlds apart.

However, there is an exception of really good art students who can pull off contrasting two things that are completely different or discussing certain topics from an artistic point of view. For example one may choose a topic such as, life in the shoes of a werewolf. You see that it is an unusual topic that may be quite difficult to imagine or explain, but some students may just turn that topic into a masterpiece.

Students are encouraged that when choosing a topic, you think outside the box as this will most likely earn you better grades. Students who excel in writing about such complex topic may have a chance to be enrolled into some of the best Art universities to develop their skills and talent.

How To Choose Your Sources

Just because you are given total freedom about what you are going to write, does not mean that you should write casually without giving any proof. Remember that a compare and contrast essay is an academic essay so the language and formatting should all be formal.

Referencing and giving citations in your work is one of the best ways of proving your points, hence explaining why you chose a particular stand. The sources that you choose should be up to date and not more than 5 years old unless you are discussing a historical topic. Always check for the credibility of your sources before using them in your essay so as not to give false information. Some of the best sources of information include:

  • Official textbooks and encyclopedias.
  • Published journals.
  • Official magazines.
  • Academic and research reports.
  • Documentaries.

Steps To Writing A Compare And Contrast Essay

As you may know, a compare and contrast essay is not really written like other common kinds of essays . There are certain aspects about it that make it so different from all these other essays and you need to be aware of that before you start writing.

The first thing you need to do is identify the type of compare and contrast essay that you are handling. There are basically four types:

  • Events . These essays focus on the comparison of different historical events in life or in books.
  • Different situations . They examine the differences of certain cases that you may have found yourself in or even others. If you know how to write a newspaper editorial you are familiar with this stylistics
  • Characters . Focused on people or characters in books, what they did and the impact.
  • Locations or travelling essays . Discusses different places and locations in the world.

As much as compare and contrast essays are written a bit differently from other types of essays , there are certain aspects about them that are similar to the writing format of other essays.

  • Introduction . Just like in any other essay, a good compare and contrast essay has to have an introduction that is catchy and functional. Here, you need to explain what your topic is all about and what you hope to achieve at the end of the discussion. It should also have a thesis statement that will give a little more information about the subject matter and why you have chosen to discuss it.
  • Your argument . The next step is to start writing about your stand point, while giving proof of why you think that the way you are looking at it is the best. Use references, quotations and citations to develop your argument into something readable and easy to understand.
  • Opposing arguments . You need to do thorough research about the opposing arguments that your rival would use to counter your points. You should discuss at least two points here and refute these points standing with your own.
  • Concluding statement . Here, you can choose to rephrase your thesis statement and supporting that your point of view is the best. Conclude with a powerful statement that will impact on the reader. Use some cause and effect essay outline to emphasise the connection between the paragraphs.

Writing Tips To Make Your Essay Stand Out

Any good essay has to stand out and encourage the reader to continue reading from the beginning to the end, no matter the type of essay it is. This is why you need to ensure that you make your compare and contrast essay as interesting and accurate as possible using these tips.

  • Check other essays for inspiration. Starting your own essay from scratch can be a bit confusing for most students. This is why you need to take some time and check out other written essays in the same category as the one you are writing for the best ways to start, develop your argument and finally conclude. See how to incorporate quotes, sayings and humor into your compare and contrast essay. Also check on creative ways to use our references to add some backbone to your argument.
  • Think critically. This is necessary when you are trying to find a suitable topic to write about since there are so many to choose from. Brainstorm and write down a list of your best topics listing down the differences and similarities to see which work well together and have a lot of points that you can discuss.
  • Seek professional assistance. Identifying great education services can help you get your hands on really useful sources on your chosen topics. This will help you build a strong argument and to be able to back what you are discussing. You can write literature review where you reveal your sources and how they helped in your discussion. It is a really great way of increasing your word count without unnecessary fluff.
  • Proper formatting and in text citations. As earlier mentioned, a compare and contrast essay is an academic paper so the correct formatting needs to be used according to what you were instructed to do. In text citations give evidence of your discussion and why you chose the argument that you did.

So now you know how to choose the best compare and contrast topics and the different segments that you need to address when writing. You also understand how to find sources and the best kind to use in your paper to make it relevant and interesting. however, you may still have a problem identifying the best topics for you to discuss, which is why we have highlighted different topics that you can use in your compare and contrast essay.

Best Compare And Contrast Topics For University Students

  • Sciences vs Arts: which are the most viable in the job market?
  • Essays vs research papers: what is the difference:
  • Home schooling: what are the benefits and disadvantages?
  • College education: should it be free? What is to be gained if that step was taken?
  • College degrees: how relevant are they in today’s job market?
  • Education: is it necessary to become successful in life?
  • Exams: are they a true reflection of a student’s ability?
  • Boarding schools vs day schools: what are the major differences?
  • Hostels vs renting: what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Political And Historical Topics

  • Karl Marx vs Friedrich Hegel: who made the most impact?
  • The bible vs the Quran: what are the differences in teachings
  • The 60s vs the 90s music: which was better?
  • Capitalism vs communism: which is superior?
  • Dictatorship and democratic: how are they different?
  • Al Qaeda vs Boko Haram: are they the same?
  • African government vs western governments: what are the differences in governance?
  • Greek gods: real or not?
  • Us president vs Monarch of England: what are the differences in power?

Compare And Contrast Topics For Starters

  • Tomatoes: are they fruits or vegetables?
  • Netball vs basketball: are the rules different or the same?
  • Samsung vs apple: which is the better brand?
  • Being miserable in a mansion or happy in a shanty: which is better?
  • Differences between the American and the British.
  • Aliens: real or not?
  • Marijuana: is it dangerous or a blessing in disguise?
  • Winter vs summer: which is better?
  • Dinner date vs movie and drinks.

Battle Of The Opposites Essay Topics

  • White vs black.
  • Alibaba vs amazon.
  • Religious marriage vs civil marriage.
  • Dogs vs cats.
  • Happiness vs sadness.
  • Pizza vs pasta.
  • WW1 vs WW2.
  • Good girl vs bad boy.
  • Electric vs gas cars.

Teenage Compare And Contrast Essays

  • Watching at home vs going out to a movie.
  • When should one be allowed to date?
  • Reading vs watching? Which is easier
  • Arts vs Science
  • Hip hop vs RnB
  • White collar vs blue collar
  • Android vs IOS
  • Casual vs casual official? What is more appropriate?
  • Snapchat vs Instagram: which is better?

IT And Social Media Essay Topics

  • Does paper mailing have a space in future?
  • Desktop computers vs tablets
  • Facebook vs Twitter: which is better?
  • Online jobs vs traditional jobs?
  • SEO vs traditional marketing? Which yield more results?
  • Blogs vs websites.
  • Traditional learning vs E-learning: what does the future hold?
  • Windows vs IOS.
  • Radio vs newspapers.

Movie and Music Comparison Ideas

  • Rock vs country.
  • Batman vs superman: who is the true hero of the world?
  • DC vs Marvel?
  • Comedy vs Horror
  • Dumbledore vs Voldemort
  • Vampires vs werewolves: who are stronger?
  • 3D vs normal screening? Differences and similarities?
  • Avengers vs fantastic four
  • Michael Jackson vs Prince: who is the true kind of pop music?

Compare And Contrast Literature Topics

  • Fiction vs nonfiction: which has a larger readership?
  • Romance vs horror.
  • Past vs present works of literature: which is better?
  • Hardcopy vs E- books
  • Romeo and Juliet: takeaway lessons
  • Is Shakespeare the greatest poet who ever lived?
  • Poetry vs hip hop: are there any similarities?
  • Greek vs Egyptian mythology
  • Is harry potter the best magical fantasy book ever written?

Scientific Topic Ideas

  • Uranus vs Saturn: are there any similarities?
  • The sun vs the moon
  • Chemistry vs biology
  • Nuclear vs fossil energy
  • Disputable scientific statements
  • Science and technology: are they interdependent?
  • Is there life on other planets
  • Can theories in physics be used to explain all aspects of life?
  • Hurricanes vs tornados

Everyday Compare And Contrast Topics

  • Coffee vs tea
  • Wood vs bricks: which is better to build with
  • The west vs the east: similarities
  • Catholics vs protestants
  • African countries vs European countries
  • Flying vs driving: which one is better?
  • McDonalds vs KFC
  • Cartoon network vs Nickelodeon
  • American English vs British English

Philosophy Topic Ideas

  • Music vs poetry: do they have the same effect on people
  • Philosophers vs historians: are they similar?
  • Which is more important food or health care?
  • Are humans wilder than wild animals?
  • Should there be justification for evil deeds?
  • Friends vs enemies: who should you be weary of?
  • Good vs evil: where is the line drawn?
  • Simplest explanation vs complex explanation: which is best?
  • Similarities between philosophy and religion.
  • The pen is mightier than the sword: how true is this?

Final Thoughts

The above mentioned compare and contrast essay topics are just a few of the many topics you can choose to discuss in your essay. If you are still having problems making a decision, then you can always ask for assistance from our professional essay writers who will help you find the best topic. You can also order a fully written compare and contrast essay and ease the amount of work you have to do.

compare and contrast essay topics

It’s no wonder that students like to write contrast and compare essays because they leave a lot of space for creativity and own opinion. Such an essay allows the student to put in his own thoughts on the subjects compared and it can be quite fun to compare two entities rather just analyzing one and composing an essay on that. Of course, this doesn’t make it a very easy job and there are some rules and tips you should be aware of before starting to write a comparative essay.

Main Parts of Writing a Compare Essay

Before you even start writing it is very important to choose the topic that will put you in advantage. In most of the situations, you should look for items to compare that have some differences but similarities as well. For example, you can’t go on writing a comparative essay between a stone and rock and roll. So focus on comparison items that will give you the chance to talk about things they have in common but as well on how one is better than the other at certain aspects.

After you establish the comparison items you needs to do some proper research so that you have enough information on both to be able to perform a proper comparison. There are several sources from where you can gather information on your subjects but make sure that you always go with facts. Your text will need some proper back-up and sources to be cited. You can use sources like:

  • Documentaries
  • Scientific magazines
  • Academic journals
  • Official Reports

How to Write a Comparative and Contrast Essay

If you think that you can simply use the basic essay tips you learned in class or for other types of essays, you’re wrong. The thing with comparative and contrast essays is that you’re not just focusing on one item and anything you write has to be constructed in such a way that it can be used to compare it with the other one.

You can start with the type of topic you choose for your compare and contrast essay. Usually, the topics are divided into 4 categories:

  • People and Fiction

No matter what category you choose to go with, you will have to always follow the structure of any academic paper. If you’re not sure how that goes, let us refresh your memory a bit.

Introduction

Here is the place where you have to try and get your readers to listen and hook them with your story. You need to present your topic, of course, and also your thesis statement which has the role of indicating to your readers what is the probable course of the entire work. The thesis statement usually goes in the first paragraph, somewhere around the last sentence of it.

Emphasizing on your arguments

After you’ve done the research, it’s time to develop the arguments that you make when comparing one thing to another. Makes sure to include reliable sources and don’t overdo it, just make it enough for your comparison to look well-researched.

Refuting arguments

In this section things will go the other way around. You need to research the selected topic and find facts to contradict your initial thesis. Again, choose at least one example and expand it into a paragraph at least that contains the counter-argument and as well as sources you used to reach that conclusion.

Obviously, this is the part where you draw your conclusions. You can restate your thesis statement and point out some of the arguments used over the entire essay that backs it up.

More Tips on Writing a Comparative and Contrast Essay

Always check for possible examples of essays when working on your hook sentence. This sentence has a great influence on a first-time reader of your work decision to keep reading or simply pass. There’s a wide variety of hooks you can use such as:

  • Literary queotes
  • Anecdotes or jokes
  • Quotes of important persons
  • Setting scenes
  • Quotes from poetry
  • Scientific arguments
  • Rhetorical questions

Never stop brainstorming since it’s the best way to make a decision regarding the two items you’re going to write about. Make sure to write them down so you can go over them later and finally decide what you’re going to focus on. You can even start to sketch a few similarities and differences between the topic you brainstormed so that you have an idea on how complicated it will be to write the essay.

If needed, you can always turn to professionals to give you a nudge or help you with your topics or sources. You can appeal to books, movies or articles that are discussing the same topic you’re going to approach in your essay.

Make sure you don’t forget about in-text citations and formatting since you’re writing an academic paper. You have to use all the correct citations, including indirect and direct quotes to make your text even more believable.

We are trying to keep the part on how to write a comparative and contrast essay as brief as possible as we already approached this subject, in full, in another article. This article puts more focus on subjects and topic for these types of essays since without a good topic, you might end up getting stuck and have to start over and over again. So here are the best 150 topics you can elaborate a compare and contrast essay on.

Topics for Compare and Contrast Essays That Can be Used by College Students

As you can see, the topics are divided into multiple categories so that it would be easier for you to select one. We chose to start this list of categorized topics with what’s most relevant for college students and that’s obviously college itself and how to handle it. So, here we go:

  • College vs Schools – what’s changed?
  • Unemployed students compared to students that work. Who’s having the right approach.
  • Essays vs research papers – what’s the best choice?
  • British English or American English – what are the major differences?
  • Are there any similarities between employment and education?
  • TOEFL and SAT – what are the similarities and differences?
  • Ph. D and Master Degree – main differences
  • Argumentative papers vs persuasive paper – same or different
  • Traditional Education or remote education – what works best?

6th Grade Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • Summer or Winter – what’s the best season?
  • Christmas at home vs Christmas traveling
  • Wolves and dogs – differences and similarities
  • Flowers and Weeds – why do we need both?
  • Novels or comic books – what’s more interesting to read?
  • Ping-pong vs tennis – what’s your favorite game?
  • Reading a book vs watching TV
  • Female friend or male friends – which ones are best?
  • Western USA vs Eastern USA

Middle School Essay Topics

  • Zeus vs King Arthur – which one is cooler?
  • Role models of 1950s compared to modern role models
  • Watching a move at home compared with going to the cinema
  • Is there a link between school bullies and dictators?
  • Is a hurricane worse than a tsunami or the other way around?
  • Christmas, Halloween or Prom night – which one is the most fun?
  • Bicycle or car driving – which one is more difficult?
  • 5-star hotels vs 3-star ones – why should you choose each of them?
  • Parents or celebrities – who influences a teenager most of all?

High School Compare and Contrast Essay Themes

  • Historic literature or fiction – which one appeals most to college students?
  • College Tests vs High School examinations – what is the most important of the two?
  • E-learning versus traditional learning – is science and technology really helping with the learning process?
  • New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons – who has more fans?
  • Printed books vs e-books – what is the most appealing form of reading for colleague students?
  • Story buildings or wooden houses – what type of construction is best?
  • Portugal and Spain – what are the main similarities and differences?
  • Japanese concept of beauty compared with the American one – what are the standards?
  • Modern rock music compared with rock from the early 20th century – what are the differences and how did this genre evolve?

Day-to-day Compare and Contrast Essay Themes

  • Buffy or Twilight – similarities and differences in characters
  • Macbeth vs Julius Caesar – what do they have in common?
  • Modernism vs realism – main differences and similarities
  • Prose vs poetry – what are the literary elements that differentiate these genres
  • Rural vs urban living – what are the similarities and differences
  • Hillary Clinton vs Donald Trump – who should have won and what do they have in common?
  • Barcelona vs Real Madrid – differences and things the two clubs have in common
  • Android vs iOS – benefits of both operating systems
  • Textbooks or tablets in schools – what are the advantages and disadvantages of each in the process of learning?
  • Asylums vs Jails
  • Star Trek vs Star Wards
  • Family Guy vs American Dad
  • Pineapple vs Apple
  • Scandinavian Mythology vs Greek Mythology

Politics and History Compare Essay Topics

  • Washington’s Ideas compared with Lincoln’s way of action
  • Baroque vs Renaissance epochs
  • Religious Studies vs Anthropology
  • Soviet Government opposed to the American Government
  • UK Prime Minister vs US President
  • South and North Before the events of the Civil War in the United States
  • King Louis XIV compared with Henry VIII
  • Nazism and fascism: are there any differences?
  • Difference in the events of World War II and World War I

Easy to Approach Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • Comparing an orange to an apple
  • Day Time vs Night Time – what are the advantages of each time frame?
  • What are the main differences between animals and people
  • Being rich opposed to living in poverty
  • Tea or Coffee – What are the similarities and contrasts?
  • Living in a small village opposed to living in a big city
  • The differences between feeling sad or lonely
  • Main differences and similarities between British and American traditional dishes
  • Camping sites – seashore or in the woods?

Opposite Compare Essay Topics

  • Males vs Females
  • Pepsi or Coke?
  • White vs Red
  • Peace vs War
  • Riding the bus or driving a car?
  • Hatred and love
  • Positive and negative aspects of working a lot
  • Sun and the Moon
  • Soft toys or dolls – what are the most appropriate toys?

Compare and Contrast Topics for Teenagers

  • Adulthood vs Childhood
  • Living on Campus opposed to living at home
  • Watching a movie or reading the book that the movie was made after?
  • Freelancing or working in an office?
  • Scientific writing vs academic writing
  • Radio shows or TV show?
  • Professional career or education – what should you focus on?
  • Roman and Greek culture – what are the main similarities and differences
  • Science Classes compared with Art Classes

Social Media and IT Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • Traditional Mailing vs email
  • Traditional Commerce vs e-commerce
  • Real-life dating vs online dating sites and apps
  • Video Computer games vs smartphone games
  • Forbes or New York Times?
  • MySpace or Facebook? What’s the best social network?
  • Online job application vs traditional methods
  • Traditional writing services compared with online writing services
  • Online advertising compared with traditional advertising

Music and Movie Compare and Contrast Essay Themes

  • Charmed or Buffy?
  • Movies against books: Reading is the best way to explore a novel?
  • Rock vs Jazz
  • Frodo vs Sam – Which Lord of the Rings character is more important?
  • Dumbledore vs Gandalf
  • Soviet cinematography vs American films
  • Loki and Thor – Brothers or Enemies?
  • Thriller or horror films – what do they have in common
  • Draco Malfoy vs Harry Potter

Literature-Inspired Compare and Contrast Essay Ideas

  • Drama vs Comedy
  • Roman vs Greek Mythology
  • Lessons learned from Beauty and the Best
  • Lyrics of Prose – what students prefer?
  • Nowadays Lyrics compared with poetry of the 13th century
  • Non-fiction vs fiction literature
  • Harry Potter vs Lord of the Rings
  • Literature of the past compared with the one of the future

Scientific Topics for Compare and Contrast Essays

  • Microwave vs Oven
  • Chemistry vs Physics
  • Andromeda and Milky Way
  • What are the differences between Mars and Earth
  • Differences and similarities of the two moon missions
  • DaVinci vs Thomas Jefferson
  • Tsunami vs Earthquakes – what’s the worse natural phenomenon
  • Two different chemical reactions formulas
  • Limited control software vs full access navigation

Popular Compare Essay Themes

  • Football vs Soccer
  • Korean vs Chinese
  • Personal point of view vs public opinion
  • Water or juice
  • Dark beer vs light beer
  • Obesity and Anorexia – what is the most dangerous
  • Divorce and marriage
  • Linux or Windows – Paid vs free OS
  • Capitalism vs Marxism

Philosophical Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

  • Is Miami Beach a better place to live rather than home?
  • Life and Death
  • Anchored in reality or dreamy – what are the pros and cons?
  • Friends or more – where’s the limit?
  • Mental and physical needs of humans
  • Fantasy world or reality?
  • Macbeth and Hamlet – a philosophical approach
  • Humans and dogs – similarities
  • Free access compared with reserved rights – how intellectual property should be treated?
  • Roman philosophers vs Greek ones

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which topic is suitable for a comparison and contrast essay

If you are an advanced study pursuer or studying in college, you must be aware that essays have a strong impact on your academics. You are expected to write some great essays to achieve a higher grade, and that’s why we have come up with this.

This blog presents an extensive list of the top 100 best compare and contrast essay topics for 2024. With the help of these essay ideas, students can improve their critical thinking, analytical prowess, and communication skills significantly. Also, students gain a deeper understanding of the topics by identifying similarities and differences between subjects or objects. This allows them to make informed decisions. 

Ace Your Compare and Contrast Essays with Our Expert Help!

The Importance of Choosing the Right Topic  

Choosing the right topic is essential for a compare and contrast essay ideas. Moreover, it sets the foundation for the entire essay, shaping its direction and influencing the depth of analysis. An engaging and thought-provoking topic allows students to explore interesting aspects of the subjects or objects under comparison, capturing the attention of readers and inspiring further exploration. 

What are Compare and Contrast Essays?  

Compare and contrast essays analyze two or more subjects, discussing their similarities and differences. The purpose of these essays is to uncover differences and similarities in a well-structured manner. They explore various sub-topics, examining both commonalities, like immediate relations as well as differences.  

Now, let’s embark on an exciting journey as we explore the top 100 best compare and contrast essay topics for 2024. This curated list also covers a wide range of disciplines and interests, making it the perfect guide for students of literature, history, science, or any other field. In Addition, it provides simple and original topics to spark ideas for your compare and contrast essays, fostering academic excellence. 

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay?  

Writing a compare and contrast essay involves a careful selection of subjects that are relevant to each other. Additionally, the essay focuses on comparing the similarities and differences between the two topics. In a compare and contrast essay, the similarities form the basis of comparison, while the contrasting aspects emphasize the differences between the subjects.

Moreover, such essays offer valuable analysis by identifying and highlighting what is common and distinct among the topics. Here are tips on how to write a compare and contrast essay effectively: 

Choose Appropriate Subjects:  

  • Select two subjects that have some relevance or connection to each other. 
  • Ensure that the subjects have enough similarities and differences to explore. 

Identify Similarities:  

  • To beging, start by examining the commonalities between the subjects. 
  • Also, look for shared characteristics, features, or themes. 
  • Determine the scope, nature, degree, and magnitude of the similarities. 

Establish a Basis of Comparison:  

  • Use the identified similarities as a foundation for the essay. 
  • Organize your essay around specific points of comparison. 
  • Each paragraph should focus on one point and provide evidence or examples. 

Highlight Differences:  

  • Focus on the ways in which the subjects differ from each other. 
  • Give more importance to the points where they are not similar. 
  • Explore the unique qualities, aspects, or perspectives of each subject. 
  • Support your claims about the differences between the subjects with solid evidence or examples. 

Structure Your Essay:  

When writing a compare and contrast essay, choosing a structure that best suits your purpose is essential. Two common approaches are the point-by-point method and the block method. 

  • Point-By-Point Method: This method involves examining specific points or criteria of comparison between the subjects in each paragraph. It also allows for a more detailed analysis of the similarities and differences.   
  • Block Method: This method involves addressing each subject in separate paragraphs, discussing all aspects or characteristics of one subject first, and then moving on to the second subject. 

Provide Supporting Evidence:  

  • Discuss your comparisons and contrasts with relevant evidence, examples, or data. 
  • Use reliable sources such as books, journals, or reputable online platforms. 

Use Transition Phrases:  

  • Employ transition words and phrases (e.g., similarly, on the other hand, in contrast) to guide the reader through your comparisons and contrasts. 
  • Ensure a smooth flow between ideas and paragraphs. 

Conclude with a Summary:  

  • Summarize the main points of comparison and contrast essay topic you are writing. 
  • Emphasize why analysis of the topic is important and its implications. 
  • Leave the reader with a thoughtful closing statement. 

Following these steps, you can effectively write a compare and contrast essay that offers valuable insights into the similarities and differences between two topics. 

How to Choose the Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024?  

Choosing the best compare and contrast topics for college can be tricky, as comparing two subjects that have nothing in common. However, choosing identical subjects often does not work well as it would be difficult to distinguish between the two. 

For example, if you select two subjects like “The Importance of Exercise” and “The Rapid Growth of E-commerce Websites.” Then it would be nearly impossible to write a compare and contrast essay on these topics. The reason is simple. These two subjects cannot be effectively compared or contrasted. 

Therefore, when choosing a compare and contrast essay topic for college in 2024, selecting subjects with similarities and differences is essential, allowing for meaningful comparisons and contrasts. It will also ensure that your essay will have a strong foundation and provide valuable insights to the reader. 

To summarize, consider topics to compare and contrast ideas with significant overlaps or contrasts, enabling you to explore exciting connections and provide valuable analysis in your essay. 

Six Potential Sources For Choosing a Compare and Contrast Essay Topic

7 Best Tips To Choose Compare and Contrast Essay Topics For Your Academic Success  

Writing a compare and contrast essay can be challenging, but selecting the right topic can become an engaging and rewarding experience. We will provide here seven valuable tips to help you choose good compare and contrast essay topics that help you to get the high score.  

1. Understand The Essay Assignment Guidelines  

Before selecting a topic, reading and understanding the essay assignment guidelines is crucial. Moreover, pay close attention to specific requirements or instructions your instructor provides. By understanding the assignment guidelines, you will be able to focus on the specific requirements and choose a suitable topic that meets the academic objectives. Additionally, considering your essay’s purpose, length, formatting guidelines, and other relevant criteria is essential before submitting it to your college. 

2. Identify Your Personal Interest  

Selecting a topic that genuinely interests you is crucial for compelling compare and contrast essays. Furthermore, consider your preferences, hobbies, or areas of expertise. By doing so, you can choose a topic that not only engages you but also allows you to bring your passion and knowledge to the essay. When you choose topics of compare and contrast essays that resonate with you, you are more likely to remain motivated and engaged throughout the writing process. Your enthusiasm for the topic will also reflect in your work, making it more enjoyable for you and your readers. 

3. Research Extensively  

Conduct thorough research on the subjects or themes is essential to find the best compare and contrast essay topic. Moreover, gather information from reliable sources such as books, scholarly articles, reputable websites, and academic databases. Additionally, the more you explore, the better understanding you will gain about the topic you have chosen to write. Furthermore, take notes, highlight key points, and gather evidence to support your comparisons. Additionally, extensive research will provide a solid foundation for selecting a compelling and well-supported topic. 

4. Narrow Down Your Options  

 Once you have conducted in-depth research, it’s time to narrow down your options. Additionally, analyze the information you have gathered and identify topics with ample comparative elements. Moreover, look for subjects that have contrasting characteristics, similarities, or intriguing connections. Furthermore, consider the complexity of the topics and select the ones that offer rich material for analysis and exploration. Doing so lets you focus on developing a comprehensive and well-structured essay by narrowing down your options. 

5. Brainstorm Comparative Elements  

Before making your topic final, it is essential to brainstorm the comparative elements you will explore in your essay. Additionally, identify the aspects, features, or qualities you will compare and contrast between the chosen subjects. Now, create a list of these elements, which will serve as the backbone of your essay. Moreover, it is essential to define the comparative elements clearly. Furthermore, ensure that your essay has a clear and logical structure, making it easier for readers to follow your arguments. 

6. Consider Relevance and Significance  

While choosing a compare and contrast essay topic, consider its relevance and significance. Similarly, choose topics with real-world implications, societal relevance, or academic importance. Also, aim for topics that contribute to existing knowledge or provide new ideas. It will not only engage your readers but also demonstrate your understanding of the subject matter and its broader implications. 

7. Consult With Peers and Tutors  

Seeking feedback and guidance from your peers and tutors can help you to choose the best compare and contrast essay topics. So, discuss your ideas with classmates, friends, or study groups to gain different perspectives and insights. Their input can also help you evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of your compare and contrast essay examples. Additionally, consult with your instructors or expert tutors , who can provide advice and suggest alternative topics that align with your academic goals. 

Write a Winning Compare and Contrast Essay  

Before writing a compare and contrast essay, it’s essential to consider your content and create a roadmap carefully. Also, make the outlines precisely that will explain all the points and also decide the sequence of these pointers.  

To ensure a well-organized essay, it is important to divide it into appropriate sections, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Firstly, in the introduction, provide an overview of your essay and clearly state the purpose for comparing and contrasting the subjects. Then, in dedicated sections of the body paragraphs, delve into the comparison and contrast topics. Additionally, for added structure and organization, divide these sections into subsections that group various categories of similarities and differences. Moreover, maintaining clarity and precision throughout your essay is essential to convey your ideas effectively. 

If you need guidance or support while writing your compare and contrast essay, there is a solution available for students. TutorBin, a reliable academic help platform, can offer the assistance you need to create a winning essay. With TutorBin expertise, you can gain valuable insights, refine your arguments, and improve the overall quality of your work. By utilizing TutorBin services, you can confidently tackle your essay assignment and achieve academic success. 

To strengthen your essay, utilize facts and figures to support your points and lend credibility to your arguments. Also, include the compare and contrast essay examples or stories that illustrate the authenticity of your claims. Similarly, it is crucial to maintain clarity and avoid ambiguous statements. By thoroughly understanding the relationship between the subjects, as well as their similarities and differences, writing a compare and contrast essay will become a straightforward task for you. 

But still, if you find essay writing challenging, it would be best to avail the support of Instasolving Homework Help USA . With expert help, pen down impressive essays without breaking a sweat would be easy.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

At this point, it might be a good idea to take a sneak peek into the good compare and contrast topics for writing essays. Also, make sure to pick a topic that you can build both sides on. Simply focusing on either comparison or contrast will not solve your purpose. 

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for College Students  

  • E-learning vs. Classroom Learning 
  • School vs. College Writing Center: What’s New? 
  • Students, Who Work vs. Unemployed Students: Who Takes the Best of This Life? 
  • Research Paper and Essay: What Is More Responsible? 
  • Comparing Life with Parents to Living on Campus 
  • Part-Time Jobs vs. Seasonal Jobs 
  • Traditional classes vs. Online Courses 
  • Bachelor’s Degree vs. Associate degree 
  • College vs. Job 
  • Fiction vs. NonFiction 
  • Virtual Reality vs. Augmented Reality
  • Traditional Publishing vs. Self-Publishing
  • Plant-Based Diet vs. Meat-Based Diet
  • Electric Cars vs. Gasoline Cars
  • Online Privacy vs. Security
  • Traditional Banking vs. Digital Banking
  • Classical Music vs. Modern Pop Music
  • Remote Learning vs. Traditional Classroom Learning
  • Freelancing vs. Traditional Employment
  • Urban Living vs. Rural Living
  • Social Media Influencers vs. Traditional Celebrities
  • Home Schooling vs. Public Schooling
  • Renewable Energy vs. Fossil Fuels
  • Modern Art vs. Classical Art
  • Artificial Intelligence vs. Human Intelligence
  • Online Shopping vs. In-Store Shopping
  • Fast Food vs. Home-Cooked Meals
  • Eastern Medicine vs. Western Medicine
  • Streaming Services vs. Traditional Television
  • Climate Change Mitigation vs. Adaptation Strategies
  • Public Transportation vs. Personal Vehicles
  • Introverts vs. Extroverts in the Workplace
  • Veganism vs. Omnivorous Diets
  • 3D Movies vs. 2D Movies
  • Physical Books vs. E-books

Healthcare Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • Free Health Care and Paid Health Care 
  • Vaccination vs. Medication 
  • Compare two different roles in the field (nurse to doctor) 
  • Osteopathic and allopathic medicine: similarities and differences. 
  • Does the city need mobile first aid stations, or are there enough local hospitals 
  • Where is the best possible care for the sick – at home or in the hospital? 
  • Canadian Health Care and American Health Care 
  • Female vs. male doctors 
  • Operations vs. therapeutic cancer curing. 
  • Should Vaccinations be made mandatory? 

Technology Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024   

  • Mac OS vs. Windows 
  • Spotify vs. Apple Music 
  • Social Media: Positive impact or negative impact 
  • Twitter vs. Instagram 
  • Contrasting Features in Different Generations of Intel Processors 
  • Buying things online vs. Buying things at a shopping mall 
  • Video Conference vs. In-person meeting 
  • Apple or Google Pixel 
  • Machine learning or deep learning 
  • Comparison of different cloud services 

Economy Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024   

  • Do I need to study economics for business research or not 
  • Economic growth is important to improve life or not 
  • Importance of understanding economics vs. no need 
  • Economics and Management: Similarities and differences 
  • Economy vs. Economics 
  • Economics or business studies 
  • Economic upliftment vs. better standard of living 
  • Economic growth or per capita income 
  • Rich and poor: differences and similarities 
  • GDP vs. GNP 

History Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • World War I vs. World War II 
  • Ancient Greek Civilization vs. Ancient Roman Civilization 
  • The Cold War vs. The War on Terror 
  • The French Revolution vs. The Russian Revolution 
  • The Renaissance vs. The Enlightenment 
  • The British Empire vs. The Roman Empire 
  • The American Civil War vs. The Spanish Civil War 
  • The Civil Rights Movement vs. The Women’s Suffrage Movement 
  • The Industrial Revolution in Europe vs. The Industrial Revolution in the United States 

Politics Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • Which is better: Free trade or certified trade? 
  • Fascism vs. Nazism 
  • Republicans vs. Democrats 
  • Lincoln vs. Washington 
  • Autocracy vs. Democracy 
  • Oratory or Agenda in Politics 
  • Christian vs. Islamic political thoughts 
  • Use of Technology in Politics 
  • American Government vs. Soviet Government 
  • Socialism vs. communism 

Education Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024   

  • Ebooks vs. Paper Textbooks 
  • Facts vs. Truth 
  • Manual Writing Or Essay Generator  
  • Modern and Ancient Philosophers 
  • Homework help online or home tuition 
  • Indian vs. American education system 
  • Difference Between Ph.D. and Master’s Degree 
  • Oral learning vs. written learning 
  • After-school job or internship 
  • Vocational education vs. academic education 
  • Biology vs. Chemistry 

Sports Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • Chess vs. Checkers 
  • Aikido vs. Judo 
  • Roger Fedrer or Rafel Nadal 
  • Ice climbing vs. Traditional climbing 
  • Early morning workout vs. late night workout 
  • Ballet vs. Breakdance 
  • American soccer vs. basketball 
  • Ronaldo vs. Messi 
  • Gymming vs. sports 
  • Indigenous sports or modern sports 

Science Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • Renewable Energy vs. Fossil Fuels 
  • Evolution vs. Intelligent Design 
  • Classical Physics vs. Quantum Physics 
  • Nature Conservation vs. Economic Development 
  • Genetic Engineering vs. Natural Selection 
  • Space Exploration vs. Ocean Exploration 
  • Traditional Medicine vs. Modern Medicine 
  • Animal Testing vs. Alternative Methods 
  • Climate Change: Natural Causes vs. Human Causes 
  • Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) vs. Organic Farming 
  • Nature vs. Nurture: The Influence of Genetics and Environment

Natural Sciences Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • Similarities between Jupiter and Saturn 
  • Physics vs. anatomy 
  • Fossil & nuclear energy 
  • The correlation between science and technology 
  • Disputable scientific claims 
  • The difference between the sun & moon 
  • Is it possible to live on other planets? 
  • Are hurricanes more dangerous than tornadoes? 
  • Can people apply theories in physics to interpret every life aspect? 
  • Which type of natural disaster does more harm: earthquake vs. tsunami 

Teenagers Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • University or College: Which is better? 
  • Life in high school vs. life in college 
  • Online tuition or home tuition 
  • Acting vs. Lying 
  • Parental Control vs. Complete Freedom 
  • Spending money on education vs. spending money on fun 
  • Math vs. English: which class is easier? 
  • Childhood vs. Adulthood 
  • Extracurricular activities vs. academics 
  • Boys vs. girls: differences in behavior 

Literature & Language Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • Classic vs. Modern Literature 
  • Shakespearean Comedies vs. Tragedies 
  • Poetry vs. Prose 
  • British English vs. American English 
  • Novels vs. Movies 

Subjects Specific Compare and Contrast Essay Topics:  

Social sciences compare and contrast essay topics for 2024  .

  • Nature vs. Nurture 
  • Capitalism vs. Socialism 
  • Traditional Family vs. Modern Family 
  • Urban Life vs. Rural Life 
  • Online Shopping vs. Brick-and-Mortar Retail 

Arts and Culture Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • Renaissance Art vs. Baroque Art 
  • Pop Music vs. Classical Music 
  • Impressionism vs. Cubism 
  • Contemporary Dance vs. Traditional Ballet 
  • Hollywood Movies vs. Bollywood Movies 

Science & Mathematics Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • Chemistry vs. Biology 
  • Newtonian Physics vs. Quantum Mechanics 
  • Arithmetic vs. Algebra 
  • Psychology vs. Sociology 
  • Climate Change vs. Global Warming 

Social Justice & Equality Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024   

  • Gender Equality vs. Gender Equity 
  • Racial Discrimination vs. Systemic Racism 
  • LGBTQ+ Rights vs. Heteronormativity 
  • Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Appreciation 
  • Immigration vs. Nationalism 

Environmental Sustainability Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • Sustainable Transportation vs. Conventional Transportation 
  • Organic Farming vs. Conventional Farming 
  • Renewable Energy vs. Non-Renewable Energy 
  • Deforestation vs. Afforestation 
  • Plastic Pollution vs. Zero-Waste Movement 

Other Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for 2024  

  • Virtual friends vs. real friends 
  • Judaism vs. Christianity 
  • The way how people live in: Asia vs. Europe 
  • Steve Jobs vs. Bill Gates 
  • Are aliens real or not? 
  • Pizza or Burger? 
  • Comic books vs. Tv shows 
  • Netflix vs. Amazon Prime 
  • Harry Potter: Book vs. Movie 
  • Summer vs. Winter 

Do's and Don'ts of Compare and Contrast Essay Writing:

Still Need Help To Choose Among Good Compare and Contrast Essay Topics!  

This blog has explored an extensive list of the top 100 compare and contrast essay topics for 2024. These topics also cover a wide range of subjects, providing ample options based on your interests and academic requirements. Whether you’re fascinated by history, science, literature, or contemporary issues, there is a topic that will captivate your curiosity and engage your critical thinking skills. 

However, we understand that selecting the right topic can still be daunting, even with many options. Moreover, if you find yourself overwhelmed or uncertain, don’t fret! TutorBin is here to assist you. Furthermore, our expert essay writers possess profound knowledge across various subjects and are ready to help you overcome any writing challenges. Additionally, simply submit your queries, and our dedicated team will provide you with the guidance as well as support you need. 

By seeking essay writing help from TutorBin, you can rest assured that your compare and contrast essays will be of highest quality. Moreover, our skilled writers will deliver exceptional essays on the chosen topics, ensuring you meet your deadlines and achieve outstanding grades. 

So, don’t let the stress of essay writing hold you back. Embrace the challenge, select an intriguing topic from our list.  

Most Popular FAQs on Compare and Contrast Essay Topics   

How to write a compare and contrast essay   .

To write a compare and contrast essay, select subjects, identify key points of comparison, and structure your essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, as well as a conclusion. Also, support your arguments with evidence and ensure a clear flow throughout.  

How to start a compare and contrast essay?   

Start a compare and contrast essay with an engaging introduction that introduces the subjects as well as ends with a strong thesis statement highlighting the main points of comparison.  

What are the main parts of compare and contrast essays?   

Compare and contrast essays develop critical thinking skills and enhance understanding of subjects. It also demonstrates the writer’s ability to present a balanced argument and make meaningful connections between ideas.  

How to find an original compare and contrast essay topic?   

Find an original compare and contrast essay topic by considering your interests, brainstorming ideas, conducting research, and exploring unique angles as well as perspectives. Also, seek inspiration from real-life situations, personal experiences, or pop culture. 

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IMAGES

  1. How to Write a Compare & Contrast Essay

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  2. 127 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

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  3. Essential Points of Compare and Contrast Essay

    which topic is suitable for a comparison and contrast essay

  4. Strong Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

    which topic is suitable for a comparison and contrast essay

  5. Strong Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

    which topic is suitable for a comparison and contrast essay

  6. Compare and Contrast Essay: Definition, Outline and Useful Examples • 7ESL

    which topic is suitable for a comparison and contrast essay

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  1. Comparison and Contrast Essay

  2. Writing a Comparison Contrast Essay

  3. Compare and Contrast Essay in Urdu/ Hindi

  4. Writing Academic English _ Chapter 7 _ Comparison and Contrast Essays

  5. Week 2: Compare OR Contrast Essay

  6. Comparison & Contrast: Traditional Media & New Media (School purpose only)

COMMENTS

  1. 127 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

    127 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics. Crafting a compare and contrast essay is typically much more interesting and fun than working on a dissertation. With this piece of writing, a student gets his chance to be creative. Besides, one doesn't have to re-invent the bicycle: these essays already have a purpose and a topic.

  2. 101 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

    Recycling vs. Landfill. Motorcycle vs. Bicycle. Halogen vs. Incandescent. Newton vs. Einstein. Go on vacation vs. Staycation. Rock vs. Scissors. Cite this Article. These compare and contrast essay topics provide teachers and students with great and fun ideas for home and class work.

  3. 50 College-Level Compare and Contrast Topics for an Essay

    8. Voting rights in the past and today. 9. Immigration to the U.S. in the past and today (compare and contrast the reasons for immigration, its prevalence, requirements of the state, etc.) 10. Communism versus libertarianism. 11. The role of religion in creating legislation in different countries/cultures. 12.

  4. Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

    Making effective comparisons. As the name suggests, comparing and contrasting is about identifying both similarities and differences. You might focus on contrasting quite different subjects or comparing subjects with a lot in common—but there must be some grounds for comparison in the first place. For example, you might contrast French ...

  5. 100+ Interesting Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

    Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Students - 2022 Ideas. A compare and contrast essay is an important academic assignment for school or college students. An essential point that you must keep in mind when choosing a compare and contrast essay topic is to go for the subjects that belong to the same category. For instance, you can't choose ...

  6. Compare and Contrast Essay: Topics, Outline, Examples

    Compare and contrast essays are academic papers in which a student analyses two or more subjects with each other. To compare means to explore similarities between subjects, while to contrast means to look at their differences. Both subjects of the comparison are usually in the same category, although they have their differences.

  7. 34 Compelling Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

    Next, the body includes paragraphs that explore the similarities and differences. Finally, a concluding paragraph restates the thesis, draws any necessary inferences, and asks any remaining questions. A compare and contrast essay example can be an opinion piece comparing two things and making a conclusion about which is better. For example ...

  8. Tips for Writing a Compare and Contrast Essay

    Summarize the main similarities and differences you have identified. Make a point regarding the relationship between your subjects. 4. Things to Remember. Here are some important tips to keep in mind when writing your compare and contrast essay: Ensure you are comparing or contrasting the same criteria between each subject.

  9. How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

    1. Begin by Brainstorming With a Venn Diagram. The best compare and contrast essays demonstrate a high level of analysis. This means you will need to brainstorm before you begin writing. A Venn diagram is a great visual tool for brainstorming compare and contrast essay topics.

  10. 70 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics to Help You Get Started

    There are infinite possibilities when it comes to choosing from compare and contrast essay topics about culture and society. The trick here is to pick a topic that is very specific and interesting. Here are some ideas. 57. Korean concept of beauty vs. American concept of beauty.

  11. 75 Dynamic Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

    Whether you're in middle school, high school, or college, these compare and contrast essay ideas will help you get inspired to write some great work.

  12. 300 Amazing Compare and Contrast Essay Topics & Prompts

    Choosing Suitable Compare and Contrast Essay Ideas Academically suitable compare contrast essay topics should be stimulating as well as attention-grabbing. USA professors and teachers usually advise you to stay away from mainstream ideas. Be creative. First, your paper subject should be relevant to the academic material you are studying.

  13. 4.2: Comparison and Contrast Essays

    Writing a Comparison-and-Contrast Essay. First, choose whether you want to compare seemingly disparate subjects, contrast seemingly similar subjects, or compare and contrast subjects. Once you have decided on a topic, introduce it with an engaging opening paragraph. Your thesis should come at the end of the introduction, and it should establish ...

  14. How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

    In this activity, students will draft three paragraphs for a compare-and-contrast essay using the point-by-point structure. To do this, they will use the traditional five-paragraph essay structure as follows: Paragraph 1: Introduction. Paragraphs 2, 3, & 4: Body Paragraphs. Paragraph 5: Conclusion.

  15. 80 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Kids and Teens

    Learning to read vs. learning to write. The importance of any two school subjects. Wearing glasses vs. having braces. You and your best friend. Friendship vs. romantic love. Group work and individual work. Only child vs. having siblings. Nature vs. nurture. Anxiety and depression.

  16. Compare and Contrast Essay Topics: 83+ Best Ideas to Use

    Professors in college and university also prefer to give such tasks because they can easily estimate the authors' skills of analyzing and critical thinking. The task is called contrast or compare essay. The writer needs 2 subjects to describe in the paper. It could be similarities, differences, and both of them at the same time.

  17. 4.1: Introduction to Comparison and Contrast Essay

    Key Elements of the Compare and Contrast: The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. Comparison and contrast is simply telling how two things are alike or different. The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be ...

  18. 465 Best Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Students

    465 Best Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Students. by Place4Papers. Apr 16, 2024. 23 min. Students of all levels may find the compare and contrast essay creation challenging. You need to understand the difference between the point-by-point and subject-by-subject paper types. Besides, the topic selection and writing requirements can also ...

  19. 5 Compare and Contrast Essay Examples (Full Text)

    Here they are explained below: 1. Essay Planning. First, I recommend using my compare and contrast worksheet, which acts like a Venn Diagram, walking you through the steps of comparing the similarities and differences of the concepts or items you're comparing. I recommend selecting 3-5 features that can be compared, as shown in the worksheet:

  20. 260 Best Compare and Contrast Essay Topics for Students

    Scientific Topics for Compare and Contrast Essays. Microwave vs Oven. Chemistry vs Physics. Andromeda and Milky Way. What are the differences between Mars and Earth. Differences and similarities of the two moon missions. DaVinci vs Thomas Jefferson. Tsunami vs Earthquakes - what's the worse natural phenomenon.

  21. Top 100 Best Compare and Contrast Essays Topics for 2024

    This blog presents an extensive list of the top 100 best compare and contrast essay topics for 2024. With the help of these essay ideas, students can improve their critical thinking, analytical prowess, and communication skills significantly. Also, students gain a deeper understanding of the topics by identifying similarities and differences ...

  22. Which topic is suitable for a comparison-and-contrast essay? A. the gas

    A suitable topic for a comparison-and-contrast essay would be option D: Differences between gasoline motors and electric motors.A comparison-and-contrast essay examines the similarities and differences between two things. ... By exploring the similarities and differences between these two types of motors, you can write an effective comparison ...