For example, a literature review involves comparing and contrasting different studies on your topic, and an argumentative essay may involve weighing up the pros and cons of different arguments.Īs the name suggests, comparing and contrasting is about identifying both similarities and differences. One way to approach this essay might be to contrast the situation before the Great Depression with the situation during it, to highlight how large a difference it made.Ĭomparing and contrasting is also used in all kinds of academic contexts where it’s not explicitly prompted. General prompt Discuss the effects of the Great Depression in the United States. Some other prompts may not directly ask you to compare and contrast, but present you with a topic where comparing and contrasting could be a good approach. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach?
Compare and contrast in-class and distance learning.
Many assignments will invite you to make comparisons quite explicitly, as in these prompts.
