Compare and Contrast Essay Outline: Block and Point-by-Point

To compare is to look at what two things share, and to contrast is to look at how they differ. The UNC Writing Center describes a comparison essay as one that examines "the ways in which certain things or ideas—usually two of them—are similar to" or different from each other, and notes that comparison usually covers similarities while contrast covers differences (UNC Writing Center).

Comparison vs contrast in assignments

Some prompts say "compare" or "contrast" outright. Others are subtler, asking you to "evaluate two theories" or "analyze two poems," where a comparison is one step toward a larger point. Whatever the wording, the meaning of compare and contrast in an essay is the same: a reader should finish knowing what the pairing reveals.

Where an outline helps

A comparison has two subjects to juggle, so it falls apart easily without a plan. A compare and contrast essay outline shows you in advance whether each criterion has a point for both subjects, and whether the ending says something new. If you want a draft built from your own two subjects, the free compare and contrast essay generator drafts a block or point-by-point essay and marks where your evidence belongs.

The best comparison essay outline starts with good subjects. They should belong to the same category and give you something to say. The UNC Writing Center suggests narrowing a long list of similarities and differences by asking what is relevant to the assignment, what is interesting, and what supports your argument. It adds that an obvious shared trait is relevant but "not terribly interesting."

Things to compare and contrast

Strong pairs are close enough to share criteria and different enough to teach something. The table shows pairs that work and pairs that don't. The pairs are invented suggestions, not a list from any course.

Pick criteria before you outline

A criterion is the feature on which you compare the subjects, such as cost, setting or effect. Choose three or four. Fewer than three leaves a thin essay; more than four usually needs a longer assignment. Each criterion must apply to both subjects.

A graphic organizer gets your ideas on paper before you commit to a layout. The UNC Writing Center recommends a Venn diagram or a chart: in a Venn diagram the overlap holds shared traits, and in a chart the criteria run down the side while the subjects run across the top.

Venn diagram

Draw two overlapping circles, one per subject. Put differences in the outer parts and shared traits in the middle. Many of the facts you collect will fall away, so circle the ones that support your thesis. The cards above show a small Venn diagram for a library and a bookstore.

T-chart

Draw a T. Write one subject above each column and list the same criteria in the same order on both sides. Gaps show where you need more evidence. A T-chart turns into a comparison essay outline quickly: each row becomes a body section in a point-by-point layout.

Turn the notes into criteria

Look for the three or four rows that matter most for your thesis. Drop the rest; a comparison that tries to include everything reads like a list.

The thesis tells the reader what the comparison proves. The UNC Writing Center warns that a strong thesis should answer "So what?" and gives a model in which two restaurants have similar prices and ingredients but differ in atmosphere and willingness to deliver. A thesis built on those two halves is easy to outline.

A formula that works

Try "Although [Subject A] and [Subject B] share [likeness], they differ in [difference], which shows [claim]." The version below is invented for this guide.

Although the public library and the campus bookstore both put books in students' hands, only the library serves the whole town, which shows that access, not selection, separates a public service from a shop.

Check the thesis against the outline

Each body section should support one part of the thesis. If the thesis names cost and access, the outline needs sections on both. If a section proves nothing in the thesis, cut it or revise the thesis.

In the block method, you discuss everything about Subject A, then everything about Subject B. The UNC Writing Center cautions that this layout can read like a list, so it needs a strong analytical thesis and a paragraph that ties the two halves together. It often suits short essays with few criteria, or reading one subject through the lens of the other.

Block method outline, invented sample

Thesis: Online and in-person classes both teach the material,
but online classes reward self-discipline while in-person
classes reward participation.

I. Introduction: the two formats and the thesis
II. Online classes
    A. Cost: no commute, fewer campus fees
    B. Flexibility: work on your own schedule
    C. Feedback: written comments, delayed
III. In-person classes
    A. Cost: commute and campus fees
    B. Flexibility: fixed meeting times
    C. Feedback: live questions, immediate
IV. What the two formats suggest together
V. Conclusion: which student each format suits

Build in the link

Notice section IV. In a block outline, the second half has to answer the same criteria in the same order, and a linking section keeps the essay from becoming two separate reports.

In the point-by-point method, you take one criterion at a time and discuss both subjects within it. The UNC Writing Center notes that instructors usually want a direct comparison and advises ending with the point you most want the reader to remember. Many teachers prefer it for longer essays because the comparison happens in every section.

Point-by-point method outline, invented sample

Thesis: Online and in-person classes both teach the material,
but online classes reward self-discipline while in-person
classes reward participation.

I. Introduction: the two formats and the thesis
II. Cost
    A. Online: no commute, fewer campus fees
    B. In person: commute and campus fees
III. Flexibility
    A. Online: work on your own schedule
    B. In person: fixed meeting times
IV. Feedback (the point to remember)
    A. Online: written comments, delayed
    B. In person: live questions, immediate
V. Conclusion: which student each format suits

Which outline layout should you choose?

Use the table above. If your thesis is about one big contrast, block can feel natural. If it depends on three or four criteria, the point-by-point layout keeps both subjects side by side. This outline format also makes transitions easier to place.

Both layouts can work for the same material, so choose by purpose and length. The table compares the block method for compare and contrast with the point-by-point method on the features that usually decide the choice.

A quick rule of thumb

If you aren't sure, try the point-by-point layout. Most comparison essay outlines for college courses use it because the comparison runs through the whole paper. Ask your instructor if one method is required, and follow the assignment sheet if it says so.

Transitions tell the reader whether a sentence is about a likeness or a difference. The UNC Writing Center lists cue words such as "similarly," "in contrast," "however," and "on the one hand … on the other hand," and adds that strong topic sentences also help readers track your structure.

Words that signal likeness

Use similarly, likewise, in the same way, both and also. Place them at the start of the sentence where you move from Subject A to a trait Subject B shares.

Words that signal difference

Use in contrast, however, on the other hand, unlike, whereas and although. The block method for compare and contrast needs these most at the start of the second half, where you turn back to the criteria you already covered.

Where to note them in your outline

Add a short cue beside each section, for example "II. Cost (in contrast...)". The free transition words finder sorts transitions by purpose and shows how to punctuate each one, which helps when you revise.

Here is one body paragraph from the point-by-point outline above, written for this guide. It follows the pattern of topic sentence, Subject A, Subject B, and a judging sentence.

Cost shows the biggest gap between the two formats. Online students save the commute and skip some campus fees, so the price of a class is mostly tuition. In contrast, in-person students add transportation and campus fees to every course, which can raise the real price well above the posted rate. The difference matters most for students who work, because for them an online class costs not only less money but also less time.

What makes it work

The first sentence names the criterion. The next two sentences cover each subject with a concrete point and a cue word. The last sentence says why the contrast matters, which ties the paragraph to the thesis.

The conclusion should answer "So what?" instead of repeating your outline. State what the comparison shows, then widen the view by saying who should care or what follows.

Three moves for the last paragraph

First, restate the thesis in fresh words. Second, name the most important point, ideally the criterion you saved for last. Third, finish with an implication, such as which student each format suits.

What to skip

Skip "In conclusion, I compared..." and skip new evidence. If the last paragraph could be pasted onto any comparison, rewrite it with your own subjects.

Most weak comparisons fail in the outline stage. Look for these before you draft.

Only listing

An outline that lists likenesses and differences without a claim becomes a catalog. Give every section a purpose that supports the thesis.

Uneven treatment

If Subject A gets four points and Subject B gets one, the comparison tilts. Balance the outline so each criterion has a point for each subject.

Choosing the wrong layout

A long essay with only the block method forces the reader to remember too much. A very short essay with many tiny point-by-point sections feels choppy. Match the layout to the length.

Forgetting the format rules

A comparison essay still follows your class's page rules. Check whether your instructor wants MLA or APA, and see the guides to MLA heading and APA format guidelines. For another outline style, see the APA outline format guide.

Next steps

Once your compare and contrast essay outline is settled, draft one paragraph per section. The compare and contrast essay generator can turn your outline into a first draft, and you can browse every topic in the student writing guides.