Outlining a Comparison and Contrast Essay

It is important for writers to outline their essays. Outlines help students organize their ideas. Outlining should only take place after completing a prewriting activity, which is the topic of part one of this series. In addition to organizing ideas, outlines suggest an order in which the ideas will be covered, whether a writer's ideas are covered via the point-by-point or block format.

An outline may be arranged two ways: point-by-point or block.

In a point-by-point outline, a writer will discuss points 1, 2, and 3, under the first heading. For example, if a writer is discussing characters in Kate Chopin's The Awakening and in "The Storm." The first heading will be A Characters, then points 1 and 2 will be underneath Heading A. Point 1 will be The Awakening and Point 2 will be "The Storm." So, the writer will discuss characters in terms of The Awakening and then characters in "The Storm." The writer will find himself or herself switching back and forth, discussing similarities and differences--thus comparing and contrasting, between the characters that appear in The Awakening as well as in "The Storm."

In the block outline, the writer will discuss heading A, The Awakening, in terms of Points 1, 2, and 3. Let's say Point 1 is Edna. Point 2 is Leonce, and point 3 is Robert. After discussing The Awakening in terms of Edna, Leonce, and Robert, then the writer will move on to heading B, which is "The Storm." Points 1, 2, and 3 are Calixta, Alcee, and Bobinot, respectively. The writer will discuss "The Storm" in terms of Calixta, Alcee and Bobinot.

Generally, the more time one puts into his or her essay, one will have a much easier time organizing his or her thoughts when in comes time to compose the body paragraphs. Yes, outlining is time-consuming but makes the writing process go that much more smoothly.

Make sure that as you write that your ideas support--prove or disprove--your thesis statement, which should be the heart of each and every good essay.