In academic settings, essays that ask the writer to compare and contrast ideas, texts, events, and so on are very common. Writing a solid compare and contrast thesis statement, which will then set the tone for the rest of the essay, can be one of the more difficult aspects of such an essay. However, there are several ways to write a solid thesis statement. To begin, carefully read the question and determine which aspects of the topic are critical and must be included in the essay. The thesis statement will be guided this step.
A good essay writer will think about what the person who asked the question is hoping to hear. Because these types of essays are common in college, the question will almost always be posed a professor. Consider what the professor will be looking for as you read the question: an understanding of the main ideas, an analysis of complex relationships, and so on. This may appear difficult, but the goal is to capture what the question is asking and analyze your response to it. If the question asks the writer to compare and contrast a high-calorie diet with a low-calorie diet, for example, the writer should first learn about the benefits and drawbacks of each. After that, the writer must decide what is most important.
This is an example of a compare and contrast thesis statement that considers both sides of the argument while still providing specifics:
“While a high-calorie diet may be appropriate for athletes or people whose jobs and daily lives necessitate prolonged physical exertion, a low-calorie diet is sufficient for the vast majority of people and can, in fact, improve health and prevent disease.”
While, as a key word in a good compare and contrast thesis statement, the above thesis statement lends credence to both sides of the argument. This conditional word informs the reader that the statement is divided into two parts, with the writer outlining specific arguments for one or both. While, whereas, although, or even though are words that can convey this idea.
The writer must include specifics without becoming overly verbose, just like any other thesis statement. A compare and contrast thesis statement should be no more than one sentence long, but it is critical to avoid being too broad; the more specific the thesis statement, the easier it will be to support that thesis.