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Organising an outline for contrast and comparison

If you’re contrasting or comparing two things in your essay, you may want to structure your essay in an alternating sort of format. Once again, the outline can be very useful to get the right sequence of paragraphs and get the flow right:

Compare or Contrast Essay

Introduction

Discuss something about thing A

Discuss something about thing B and why it is similar or different to thing A

Discuss something else about thing A

Discuss something about thing B and why it is similar or different to thing A

...

Conclusion

So if I was discussing the differences between life in prehistoric times and now, my essay outline could be something like:

Life Now and Then

Introduction

Hours spent surviving back then

Hunting and gathering food

Building shelter

Hours spent surviving now

Working a job

Accommodation and food

Managing everyday things

Health back then

Rudimentary treatment of minor injuries

Health now

Expensive, extensive treatment

Incurable diseases / viruses

...

Conclusion