Compare and Contrast Essay Outlines - Why Do We Use Them?

Compare and Contrast Essay Outlines - Why Do We Use Them?Compare and contrast essay outlines are commonly used to supplement a standard outline. The purpose of an outline is to guide the student through the key topics and concepts covered in the course. By using a different method for this purpose, the student will be better prepared for the questions asked in the class.Comparison and contrast are methods that can be used to explore many areas of a subject. There are many ways to do this, but each method will use the same format in describing the subject. Here are some examples of how they use compare and contrast in different situations.The first method uses compare and contrast essay outlines. In this example, the students are taught about topics that are similar to one another. The topics can be about animals, people, or a variety of other subjects. Then, they are asked to compare these topics.Examples of similarities include: animals with human characteristics, the size of the mo on, or the age of the earth. Examples of differences include: animals with human characteristics, older than the moon, or younger than the earth. Students are then asked to state their opinions about these similarities and differences. A student who disagrees with the ideas presented in the lesson is asked to 'compare and contrast' these similarities and differences.Next, the students are asked to compare and contrast the differences between animals and humans. In this example, the differences include intelligence, or their ability to think for themselves. The similarities include: emotions, thinking for themselves, or developing language skills. Again, students are asked to write their opinions on the topic. They are also asked to 'compare and contrast' these similarities and differences.Finally, students are asked to compare and contrast the differences between humans and animals. In this example, the differences include physical attributes, such as size, speed, or strength. The s imilarities include mental attributes, such as intelligence, thinking for themselves, or developing language skills. Again, students are asked to write their opinions.Now that you have seen what comparisons and contrasts are used for in order to help students with their main purpose of preparing for exams, let's discuss how they can be used in a second writing assignment. In this case, the lesson is about language. Instead of describing similarities and differences, the focus is on communicating ideas.In today's language, that is written for mass consumption, it is necessary to communicate ideas quickly and succinctly. In this case, the student will be required to write a 500 word essay. The essay should be able to show the ideas clearly and concisely. How would the student describe the idea in a sentence? This is where compare and contrast can be used. The key is to find a style that will communicate the ideas clearly.