comparable products(cell phones) , car shopping(hybrid vs conventional) , switching majors, shopping(online or store).

1) Choose your topic
A) List as many similarities as possible (comparing).
B) List as many differences about your topic as possible.(contrasting)

2) Focus
A) State the point of the paragraph(essay) in one sentence.
B) Consider your audience and purpose

3) Purpose
A) To make judgments about two things. (i.e. 2 restaurants)
B) To describe or understand two familiar things.( 2 stories).

4) Writing
A) The Topic Sentence(Thesis Statement)- should indicate what you are comparing or contrasting and the controlling idea.

5) Patterns
A) Point by Point
**Present one point(Topic A)
** then one more point ( Topic B)

B) Topic by Topic
** Present all points : Topic A
*Then present all points: topic B