Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Many students have surely written compare and contrast essays during their studies. Most of the time, our teachers gave us a task with the specific instructions to follow, so it was not a very difficult thing to do. However, when the time comes to create something on your own, you suddenly feel like there is absolutely nothing to write about.

Don’t worry — we all were in the same situation! Sometimes you may be unsure whether the chosen topic will be interesting enough for the readers. Fortunately, in this article, we are going to help you write a perfect essay. So here are some compare and contrast essay ideas that will help you find a topic you like.

Why should you choose to write compare and contrast essay?

It’s a fact that compare and contrast essay is not the easiest type of paper to write. You have to find and use a lot of sources in order to see the whole picture. Besides, the structure of an essay has to be well-planned so that the reader can easily grasp the main idea. Of course, there are many obstacles on the way to a perfect paper, but all of them are not that difficult to cope with. In your compare and contrast essay, you provide the readers with different views on the same problem or subject, giving them the freedom to decide what they think about the issue after doing the necessary research.

You can compare different historical periods, books, movies, theories, methods, etc. You are not limited in the choice of subject, so you can select any compare and contrast writing topics you are passionate about.

Some tips on how to write a compare and contrast essay

In this article, we will briefly explain how to work on your essay and which structure to use.

First of all, choose a topic; mind that it can be literally anything. Think about what you are interested in and passionate about. There are a great number of good compare and contrast essay topics on the Web, and you just need to find the one you like. Moreover, our paper writing service prepared various compare and contrast essay topics, so you can easily pick the most suitable one.

Secondly, choose a type of structure for your essay. It can be a point-by-point or a block one. You can choose the structure you prefer if it isn’t mentioned in the requirements that you have to use the specific one.  

Writing the introduction, give basic information about the subjects that you are going to compare. The introduction of an essay should also include your thesis statement. The role of this essay part is to encourage a person to continue reading, so you can add an interesting fact or a story from your life that will capture your reader’s attention. You can also ask a provocative question at the beginning of your paper and answer it in the main part.

A thesis statement is the most critical part of the essay. There are several important steps to take in order to make it strong. First of all, develop a thesis that has a purpose. If your topic is too broad, narrow it down, giving your essay a definite direction. For example, if your topic is ‘School vs. College,’ make it more specific by changing it to ‘School vs. College: Main Similarities and Differences.’ After that, start analyzing the information and look for detailed characteristics. Don’t just say ‘School and college are similar, even though they provide different learning experience.’ Instead of this, try to make a specific statement, for example, ‘Both school and college help us find good friends and learn new material, but they have different educational purposes.’

Now it is time for the main part of an essay. In order to support the arguments presented in the paper, you need to provide enough information, including the evidence. Each body paragraph should contain proof and analysis as well as the way it relates to the thesis statement. The tone of your paper depends on a topic you chose; for example, you don’t have to use professional vocabulary writing a paper on funny compare and contrast essay topics, but for many other themes, especially if they are scientific or academic, using specific language is required.

Before writing the body paragraphs, put down all the information related to the subject. Ask yourself what you already know and what requires more research. Review your list from time to time, removing and adding some aspects. If you see that there might be a weak connection between the subjects you are going to discuss, do a little more research. Instead of merely searching for interesting facts, try to find something that might not be known widely. Your readers probably possess some basic knowledge of the topic, so it’s better to prepare something more than just general information. Note that both positive and negative points should be discussed. Remember, that the best thing about compare and contrast essay is that it gives an overview of a problem without convincing anybody that the author’s perspective is right.

A conclusion is the last part of the essay that summarizes the evidence and all of the main points discussed previously in the paper. Its function is also to reiterate the thesis statement and provide readers with some food for thought.

Compare and contrast essay topics on education

Education is an integral part of our lives. We are learning new things not only in school and college but also when we travel, communicate with others, read books, and attend various events. However, the system of education should be constantly developed in order to remain relevant and topical in the modern world. Writing a compare and contrast essay will be a great way to explore different options and ideas about how exactly the education should be changed.

Before writing about education, you should research other articles on the same topic online. Consider different viewpoints, even if you don’t agree with them. You never know when the new ideas will appear.

Discussing the matter with other students or teachers will help you complete the assignment successfully. Ask them what they think about modern education and what changes should be implemented in order to improve it. After that, gather their ideas and create a list of pros and cons of modern education.

Of course, you don’t have to talk about major problems and changes in education if you don’t want to. There are many other persuasive compare and contrast essay topics related to this sphere if you are willing to write about it. You can discuss the importance of different subjects, extracurricular activities, school clubs, etc. 

Here is the list of some compare and contrast essay topics on education:

• Public or private school: which one is better?
• Online education or classroom education: which one is more effective?
• School vs. college: what are the main similarities and differences?
• Boarding schools vs. day schools: what are their advantages and disadvantages?
• SAT or ACT: which one is the best assessment tool of students’ skills and knowledge? 
• Should a person have two or more degrees in the field: what are the benefits?
• Studying abroad vs. taking local courses: what is more advantageous?
• College tests vs. high school exams: which one is more important and difficult?

Easy compare and contrast essay topics

If you are pressed for time, but still have to write a compare and contrast essay, you can use some of the topics presented in this article. However, even though the topic you have chosen is quite easy, it is necessary to make some efforts and write a high-quality paper. Make sure the essay requirements provided by the teacher or professor are met, sources and quotes are cited, and grammar is checked. Here is the list of easy essay topics for your consideration:

• Reading vs. watching: which one is better to get new information?
• Flying or driving: which one is safer?
• Freelance or office work jobs: what working conditions are better?
• Public transportation vs. private transportation: what is the best way to get to work or school?
• City life vs. village life: where does one feel more comfortable?
• The elderly vs. the youth: what are the differences in a lifestyle?
• TV or newspapers: where to get the news from?
• Living in a big family vs. being the only child in the family
• Vacations on the beach or in the mountains? 
•  Coffee vs. tea: which effects do they have on our organism?
•  Computer games vs. board games: which are more entertaining?

Legal topics for compare and contrast essay

Compare and contrast essays on legal studies are pretty popular, so many students choose this topic for their papers. The reason is quite simple: there are always debates about legal matters, and it’s interesting to discuss them. Also, there are lots of available resources to use while writing your essay, so there should not be any problem with doing your research.

There is a variety of interesting compare and contrast essay topics you can choose from; you can describe laws you would like to create or offer some changes to already existing ones. You can also write about controversial issues and laws that spark numerous debates in society.

Here are great compare and contrast topics related to law:

• Cigarettes or marijuana: what should be outlawed?
• Higher vs. lower drinking age: which one is appropriate?
• Criminal vs. civil justice: what is the difference?
• Law system of past centuries vs. modern law system: what are the main differences and which one worked more effectively?
• Pro-Choice vs. pro-life: should abortion be legalized?
• Should parents be responsible for their children’s crimes?

List of compare and contrast essay topics on morality and ethics

Essays on moral and ethical topics are one of the most popular ones among college students. There is a great number of topics available, for example, animal testing and the freedom of speech.

Many of the topics still spark numerous debates since everybody has a different opinion of what should be considered as right or wrong. Some of these topics may be related to the judicial field; for example, the death penalty or abortion legalization.

When you write an essay on moral topics, describe the problem from different points of view, showing different sides of the same issue.

Make sure that you don’t let your emotions take over your mind. You have to remain reserved, and if you are willing to express your opinion in the essay, don’t mock an opposite viewpoint.

• Death penalty vs. life imprisonment: what is the best way to do justice?
• Volunteer work vs. paid work: what gives more benefits?
• Freedom of speech vs. hate speech: where should we draw the line?
• Child labor: how to fight against slavery and work that deprives children of their childhood?
• Meat-eating vs. vegetarianism: is it ethical to eat animals?
• Pro-Choice vs. pro-life: what is the right decision?
• Should prostitution be legalized?
• Dermatological testing vs. animal testing: should we abandon animal testing and use the alternatives?
• Traditional vs. alternative energy sources: what is the cost of both and which one causes less pollution?

Deep compare and contrast essay topics

Sometimes you want to go below the surface and discover a deeper meaning of some simple things. It is a great chance to use your ideas and write a compare and contrast essay on philosophical topics.

Philosophical topics might be controversial since a lot of things can be explained from different perspectives; therefore, it is not so easy to determine the truth. It is critical to use some outside sources to find out more about the issue you are going to discuss because collecting diverse information will help you greatly. Search essays on the subject you picked to see how other writers consider this problem.

Here are some unique compare and contrast essay topics on philosophy:

• Life and death: philosophical views
• Animals vs. humans: are we more similar to animals than we think?
• Physical vs. mental needs of humans: what is more important to us?
• Selfishness vs. altruism: which one drives human evolution?
• Is happiness derived from helping others or from getting material goods?
• Wisdom vs. intelligence: what is the difference?
• Is it better to be a realist or a dreamer?
• Music vs. poetry: do they affect us in the same way?
• Friends or enemies: who can be more dangerous?
• Childhood vs. adulthood: how does life change when you get more responsibilities?

Compare and contrast essay topics for college students

Compare and contrast essay is a common task in college, so you will probably get it assigned to you at some point. Here are some great compare and contrast essay topics college-level institutions will find suitable:

• Research paper vs. essay: which one is more difficult to write?
• Comparing two different political leaders (for example, Donald Trump vs. Margaret Thatcher).
• Communism vs. capitalism.
• Theory vs. practice: which one gives a better learning experience?
• British vs. American education systems: which one is more efficient?

Best compare and contrast essay topics about politics and history

As the link between politics and history is strong, writing about these subjects means doing a lot of research. Make sure to study as much information as possible to cover the topic.

You should use only reliable and academic resources for your essay to avoid presenting inaccurate information. Here we have the list of interesting topics on Politics and History:

• American government vs. Soviet government: how different were they? (you can also compare two other governments)
• North and South before the Civil War in the US.
• Fascism vs. Nazism: are they different or the same?
• Karl Max vs. Adam Smith: how are their ideas connected?
• Republicans vs. Democrats: what do these parties stand for?
• Maya vs. Aztecs civilizations: how similar were they?
• Renaissance vs. Baroque epoch: what are the key differences between them?
• Lincoln vs. Washington: compare their ideas.
• The Great Depression vs. The Great Recession.

Compare and contrast essay topics for high school students

Compare and contrast essay is also a popular type of essay in high school. From time to time, teachers might ask their students to work on this kind of assignment.

It is not a difficult task, but it is better to make sure that the teacher’s instructions are followed.

Here is a list of popular compare and contrast essay topics for high school students:

• Compare book and movie characters.
• European history vs. US history.
• Poetry vs. prose: how do both genres influence literature?
• Social networks: pick two social networks and compare their advantages and disadvantages.
• Online courses vs. traditional courses: what are the pros and cons of both?
• Reading a paper book or an e-book: what are the benefits of both?
• Gender roles in different parts of the world (for example, the Western world vs. Eastern world).
• Compare two different genres of music.
• Fiction vs. non-fiction: what is the main difference?

Final Thoughts

So, as you have come to the end of this article, you can see that there are many compare and contrast essay topics you can choose from.

The only thing you have to remember about picking the topic is that it has to be interesting for you. When you write about something that you are passionate about, it is more probable that people will appreciate your efforts. Do your research, learn more about grammar and punctuation, practice daily, and, most importantly, believe in yourself and you will succeed!