
Thesis statement: Compared to Charles Dickens, Jane Austen wrote more about women’s lives and gave a more complex picture of gender dynamics. An outline for a five paragraph essay might look like this: Let’s assume you’ve chosen the block method for your essay structure. In your outline, it can be helpful to include your entire topic sentence for each body paragraph. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence that explains the main point you’re trying to make. Be sure to include your thesis statement in the introduction. Now that you’ve chosen a structure, you can write an essay outline with your introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

In academic writing, a thesis statement provides the framework for your essay, letting the reader know what opinion you plan to share and how you’ve structured your argument. Before you begin your outline, you’ll also want to think about what argument you plan to use for your thesis statement. So, you might write a paragraph about how Author 1 uses diction, then follow it with a paragraph about how Author 2 uses diction differently.Īs you decide which structure to use, keep the ideal length of your finished essay in mind. As an example, in a college essay, it’s common to use the point-by-point structure in such a way that each point of comparison receives two paragraphs. Point-by-point structure generally works well for longer essays, since it’s hard to address more than three points of comparison in a five paragraph essay. On the other hand, in an essay with a point-by-point structure, you would address each point of similarity or difference before moving on to the next. Then, you could move on to an optional analysis in which you compare (or contrast) the two, or you may introduce a third subject for comparison. You may include multiple paragraphs about your first subject before moving on to the second subject. If you opt to write a compare and contrast paper with a block structure, also known as a subject-by-subject structure, you’ll discuss one subject at a time in your body paragraphs. Edit your list of descriptions and decide which ones suit your argument best. Decide whether you plan to argue that the subjects have more in common or more that divides them.

Next, look over your Venn diagram and decide what structure you want to use. Step Two: Select an Organizational Structure Nevertheless, before you begin, it’s important to brainstorm as many similarities and differences as you can during the planning phase. These are just a few examples, and you would obviously adjust the descriptions, depending on whether you’re comparing people, paintings, wars, musical recordings, or authors. What are obvious differences and similarities in terms of form, structure, length, size, or tone?.How do the subjects differ in terms of class, race, ethnicity, social status, or goals?.Are there more similarities or differences?.How does language differ between Subject 1 and Subject 2?.What is the time period for the two subjects?.

The following questions may help you to brainstorm: Try to fill the circles with as many descriptions as possible.

Label each circle as one of your subjects, then mark the area where the circles overlap as the similarities between the subjects. Begin by creating a Venn diagram with two (or three) overlapping circles.
