Sample Essay Contrasting Two Cities (Comparison – Contrast Essay)

Published by gudwriter on November 23, 2017 November 23, 2017

Compare and contrast essays mean you have to examine the similarities and differences between two or more things. Below is a compare and contrast two cities essay example; New York and Los Angeles, in terms of climate, housing, population, and transportation. Enjoy!

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Comparing two Cities Essay Outline

Introduction.

Thesis: While the cities have some similarities and may be attractive to various people depending on their lifestyles and preferences, New York City and Los Angeles are vastly different, especially in their climate, housing, population, and transportation.

Paragraph 1:

New York City’s (NY) Climate significantly differs with that of Los Angeles (LA).

  • In New York, the winter is glistening and frosty.
  • As such, the atmosphere is classic in the Yuletide season thus making it possible to engage in such activities as snow man assembling and ice skating.
  • In contrast, Los Angeles has winters that are extremely mild and summers that are leisurely and warm.

Paragraph 2:

The cities are different in their housing markets.

  • One would not have a problem finding a good job in either city.
  • They would however have to put up with the expensive nature of the cities’ housing markets.
  • While in Los Angeles people prefer living in a home, New York mostly has apartment dwellers.

Paragraph 3:

NY and LA have populations that have significance differences.

  • “New York is 233% more densely populated than Los Angeles”.
  • New York City has a whopping population of 8,550,405 while that of Los Angles is 3,971,883.
  • It obviously follows that NY has a higher population density than LA. Compared to LA’s 8,475, NY has a population density of 28,259.

Feel free to check out an essay on The Divine Comedy by Dante Aligher written by our team of professionals.

Paragraph 4:

Another major difference between New York City and the city of Los Angeles is public transportation.

  • In LA, there is a huge car culture where almost everybody drives. Most people have their own cars. Although, there is public transportation in the city, few people use it.
  • In New York on the other hand, almost everybody takes some form of public transportation.
  • The most notable form of public transportation in New York is the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) or the “subway” through which one can access anywhere they would like to go within the city.

New York City and Los Angeles have many differences in spite of having some similarities as large cities within the US. The cities are attractive to people from all over the world owing to their different features and characteristics. However, the climate, housing characteristics, population and public transportation spell how vastly different the cities are.

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Compare and Contrast Essay Between Two Cities: New York vs. Los Angeles

New York City (NY) and Los Angeles (LA) are two big cities found within the United States of America. Very large and populous, the cities are found in different states, New York City being in New York while Los Angeles in California. They both attract thousands of visitors in spite of being hugely crowded and costly to live in. While the cities have some similarities and may be attractive to various people depending on their lifestyles and preferences, New York City and Los Angeles are vastly different, especially in their climate, housing, population, and transportation.

New York City’s Climate significantly differs from that of Los Angeles. Halle & Beveridge (2013) note that in New York, the winter is glistening and frosty. As such, the atmosphere is classic in the Yuletide season thus making it possible to engage in such activities as snow man assembling and ice skating. In contrast, Los Angeles has winters that are extremely mild and summers that are leisurely and warm. In New York, the warmest temperatures are usually experienced in the southeastern lowlands. Noteworthy however, people who are conditioned to warm weather would still find the New York environment hospitable despite the snowfall. Los Angeles also has wet weather during winter. The rainy season occurs between November and January.

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Another difference between the two cities, related to cost of living, is the housing markets. One would not have a problem finding a good job in either city. They would however have to put up with the expensive nature of the cities’ housing markets. While in Los Angeles people prefer living in a home, New York mostly has apartment dwellers. On average, one needs $3,900 for rent and $1.4 million to buy a house in New York. Things are entirely different in Los Angeles. In this Californian city, one needs $4,150 per month as the average rent. This is one of the few areas Los Angeles may be more expensive than New York. The average for buying a home is however much less than in New York as one would part with $785,000 (“Major Differences,” 2018). So, it is an outrageous affair to rent in either city. One may however consider owning a home in Los Angeles.

Further, NY and LA have populations that have significance differences. The most essential difference in this respect is that “New York is 233% more densely populated than Los Angeles” (Bestplaces.com, 2017). The implication is that NY’s population is well over double that of LA. This has been the trend over the past two decades. Specifically, New York City has a whopping population of 8,550,405 while that of Los Angles is 3,971,883. It obviously follows that NY has a higher population density than LA. Compared to LA’s 8,475, NY has a population density of 28,259. The median age in LA is 1.1 years younger than that in NY. The median age is also higher in NY (35.7) in comparison to LA’s 34.6. In both the cities, the female population is higher than the male population. While NY has a female population of 52.40% and male population of 47.60%, LA has a female population of 50.39% and male population of 49.61% (Bestplaces.net, 2017).

Another major difference between New York City and the city of Los Angeles is public transportation. In LA, there is a huge car culture where almost everybody drives. Most people have their own cars. Although there is public transportation in the city, few people use it. However, there is still traffic snarl up majorly because of the many personal cars. In New York on the other hand, almost everybody takes some form of public transportation. The most notable form of public transportation in the city is the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) or the “subway” through which one can access most places within the city (Fung Bros, 2016). This means that transportation in NY is cheaper than that in LA. This is because unlike in LA where personal cars are the order of the day, one would not need regular fueling and parking fee in NY.

New York City and Los Angeles have many differences in spite of having some similarities as large cities within the US. The cities are attractive to people from all over the world owing to their different features and characteristics. However, the climate, housing characteristics, population and public transportation spell how vastly different the cities are. In terms of transportation, NY is cheaper due to the presence of the MTA. Additionally, the cities may both be densely populated but as has been seen, NY is far much more densely populated than LA. They also have distinct housing characteristics that may inform one’s decision to live in either city or acquire or buy a home in either of them. Read and get an in-depth analysis of Candide from our Candide analysis essay.

Bestplaces.net. (2017). “ Comparison: New York, New York – Los Angeles, California” . Bestplaces.net . Retrieved 20 November 2017, from http://www.bestplaces.net/compare-cities/los_angeles_ca/new_york_ny/housing

Fung Bros. (2016). Differences between LA & New York . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qA_tuWfLvY

Halle, D., & Beveridge, A. A. (2013). New York and Los Angeles: the uncertain future . New York City, NY: OUP USA.  

Major Differences between Living in Los Angeles and New York. (2018). In Nortronics Moving and Storage . Retrieved July 10, 2020 from http://www.nortronics.com/major-differences-living-los-angeles-new-york/

More comparing and contrasting essays to explore ;

  • American Revolutionary war and the Vietnam war comparison essay
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How to Compare Two Cities When Writing an Essay

Start with three items:.

  • Clear understanding of the purpose and audience of your essay
  • Travel brochures or visitor websites for each city
  • Outline of points of comparison

If the assignment is open to your choosing and you need help brainstorming,

  • Frommer’s (https://www.frommers.com/),
  • Rick Steve’s Europe (https://www.ricksteves.com/),
  • and Fodor’s Travel Guides (http://www.fodors.com/world/)

are all trustworthy and up-to-date resources for information on cities around the world. Once you have done a little research, you are ready to write the comparison essay, following the steps below.

Choose the scope for the comparison

Choose the scope for the comparison. For example, you could focus your entire essay on the impacts of similar historical events, or on experiencing the local art and music scene, or on the demographics and political leanings in the two cities.

These examples would lead to a more narrowed comparison, whereas a broader comparison might compare the two cities by:

  • major industries,
  • and religious culture.

Outline your points of Comparison

Outline the order in which you will present your points of comparison, and allot one paragraph to each point. ​​ Write a topic sentence that states your overall opinion of how the two cities compare on a specific point ​​.

Here’s an example:

Austin and Nashville have both long been considered fertile ground for budding musicians, so they are both terrific places to see talented up-and-comers at inexpensive, live music venues.

Build upon each topic sentence and develop each paragraph

Write and develop each paragraph by building upon each topic sentence. Write a sentence or two detailing how the topic sentence is true for City A. Next, write a sentence or two detailing how the topic sentence is true for City B.

For example, if your topic sentence introduces the similarities of 18th-century architectural sites in both Philadelphia and Dublin, you might develop the paragraph with a description of Philadelphia’s panoptical Eastern State Penitentiary and next with a description of the Dublin’s panoptical Kilmainham Gaol.

Conclude each paragraph with a sentence that sums up the importance of this particular comparison.

Proofread your essay three times

Proofread your essay three times.

  • Read the paper through once with fresh eyes to ensure that the information would make sense to you if you were reading the essay for the first time.
  • Read through a second time to polish any sentences that would sound better with different words, phrases, or sentence structures.
  • A third and final read—especially if you read it out loud—will help you catch any final misspellings or missing words.

Many cities have local newspapers that report on the less touristy goings-on in town. Examples include the “Portland Mercury” (https://www.portlandmercury.com/), “Phoenix New Times” (https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/) and Philadelphia’s “City Paper” (https://www.citypaper.net/). Consulting one of these will give you an insider’s perspective and might even make your essay sound better.

Remember to cite your sources

Give credit where credit is due. . If you have used statistics, figures or quotations, make sure to include a citation (as a footnote or in parentheses at the end of the respective sentence or paragraph) and a reference list.

The person assigning the essay may have specified the style (e.g., MLA, APA or Chicago) to follow when formatting your citations. Ask for clarification if you are unsure of how to properly cite your sources. Not citing is considered plagiarism.

  • OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab
  • Eastern State Penitentiary
  • Many cities have local newspapers that report on the less touristy goings-on in town. Examples include the "Portland Mercury" (http://www.portlandmercury.com/), "Phoenix New Times" (http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/) and Philadelphia's "City Paper" (http://www.citypaper.net/). Consulting one of these will give you an insider's perspective and might even make your essay sound better.
  • Give credit where credit is due. Remember to cite your sources. If you have used statistics, figures or quotations, make sure to include a citation (as a footnote or in parentheses at the end of the respective sentence or paragraph) and a reference list. The person assigning the essay may have specified the style (e.g., MLA, APA or Chicago) to follow when formatting your citations. Ask for clarification if you are unsure of how to properly cite your sources. Not citing is considered plagiarism.

Maddie Maloy is a junior at Indiana University (IU) studying journalism and minoring in marketing and public and environmental affairs. She is passionate about advancing social justice globally through communication and storytelling. At IU, she works as a reporter for the Arnolt Center of Investigative Journalism. She also serve as the vice president and philanthropy chair for Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc.

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15.8 Compare-and-Contrast Essay

Learning objective.

  • Read an example of the compare-and-contrast rhetorical mode.

Comparing and Contrasting London and Washington, DC

Both Washington, DC, and London are capital cities of English-speaking countries, and yet they offer vastly different experiences to their residents and visitors. Comparing and contrasting the two cities based on their history, their culture, and their residents show how different and similar the two are.

Both cities are rich in world and national history, though they developed on very different time lines. London, for example, has a history that dates back over two thousand years. It was part of the Roman Empire and known by the similar name, Londinium. It was not only one of the northernmost points of the Roman Empire but also the epicenter of the British Empire where it held significant global influence from the early sixteenth century on through the early twentieth century. Washington, DC, on the other hand, has only formally existed since the late eighteenth century. Though Native Americans inhabited the land several thousand years earlier, and settlers inhabited the land as early as the sixteenth century, the city did not become the capital of the United States until the 1790s. From that point onward to today, however, Washington, DC, has increasingly maintained significant global influence. Even though both cities have different histories, they have both held, and continue to hold, significant social influence in the economic and cultural global spheres.

Both Washington, DC, and London offer a wide array of museums that harbor many of the world’s most prized treasures. While Washington, DC, has the National Gallery of Art and several other Smithsonian galleries, London’s art scene and galleries have a definite edge in this category. From the Tate Modern to the British National Gallery, London’s art ranks among the world’s best. This difference and advantage has much to do with London and Britain’s historical depth compared to that of the United States. London has a much richer past than Washington, DC, and consequently has a lot more material to pull from when arranging its collections. Both cities have thriving theater districts, but again, London wins this comparison, too, both in quantity and quality of theater choices. With regard to other cultural places like restaurants, pubs, and bars, both cities are very comparable. Both have a wide selection of expensive, elegant restaurants as well as a similar amount of global and national chains. While London may be better known for its pubs and taste in beer, DC offers a different bar-going experience. With clubs and pubs that tend to stay open later than their British counterparts, the DC night life tend to be less reserved overall.

Both cities also share and differ in cultural diversity and cost of living. Both cities share a very expensive cost of living—both in terms of housing and shopping. A downtown one-bedroom apartment in DC can easily cost $1,800 per month, and a similar “flat” in London may double that amount. These high costs create socioeconomic disparity among the residents. Although both cities’ residents are predominantly wealthy, both have a significantly large population of poor and homeless. Perhaps the most significant difference between the resident demographics is the racial makeup. Washington, DC, is a “minority majority” city, which means the majority of its citizens are races other than white. In 2009, according to the US Census, 55 percent of DC residents were classified as “Black or African American” and 35 percent of its residents were classified as “white.” London, by contrast, has very few minorities—in 2006, 70 percent of its population was “white,” while only 10 percent was “black.” The racial demographic differences between the cities is drastic.

Even though Washington, DC, and London are major capital cities of English-speaking countries in the Western world, they have many differences along with their similarities. They have vastly different histories, art cultures, and racial demographics, but they remain similar in their cost of living and socioeconomic disparity.

Online Compare-and-Contrast Essay Alternatives

Ellen Laird compares and contrasts traditional and distance education in I’m Your Teacher, Not Your Internet-Service Provider :

  • http://celt.cui.edu/celt/webct_for_instructors/Laird_Article.htm

Deborah Tannen compares and contrasts conversation styles in Sex, Lies and Conversation: Why Is It So Hard for Men and Women to Talk to Each Other?

  • https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5523ffe4e4b012b2c4ebd8fc/t/5627dc4de4b00c9587e32fa0/1445452877014/Sex%2C+Lies+and+Conversation.PDF

Alex Wright examines communication patterns, old and new, in Friending, Ancient or Otherwise :

  • http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/weekinreview/02wright.html

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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comparing 2 cities essay

Sao Paulo and New York

       Two of the biggest, most famous cities in the world are Sao Paulo, Brazil and New York, New York. They are busy cities with cultural, and historical importance. They are also business centers in their respective countries. They differ from each other in many ways. These cities are on opposite hemispheres and have different languages, food, and culltures. Their climates and economies are also very distinct from one another. With all of these obvious differences, you may be surprised that there are also many similarities that these two large cities share. Both cities have a lot of immigration, attract many tourists, and have a high cost of living.

       One similarity between Sao Paulo and New York is that they both have many immigrants. There are various reasons why both New York and Sao Paulo receive many immigrants. The first reason many immigrants go to these cities is to find more work opportunities. Since Sao Paulo and New York both have large, international companies that require many employees, it is easier to get a job in these cities than in smaller cities or rural areas. It is also easier to get a job there because in large cities with large populations, there are many people who need to go shopping, go to restaurants, travel, and so forth. Each of these businesses needs many employees to meet the needs of the population. The second reason that immigrants go to these cities is for education. Schools are easier to access in large cities that host universities and job training programs. For these reasons, immigrants go to Sao Paulo and New York.

       Another similarity between the two cities is their tourism. New York and Sao Paulo have both attracted many tourists from all parts of the world. When visiting these cities, people can choose from many fun activities to do with friends or as a family. They can go shopping, visit famous museums, attend cultural entertainment events, and so forth. Tourists in New York often want to experience famous places like Broadway, Times Square, The Rockefeller Center, and the Statue of Liberty. People plan trips and vacations around these places because they are so famous. Tourists in Sao Paulo also have many famous sites they can visit, like the Sao Paulo Museum of Art, Paulista Avenue, and Ibirapuera Park. These fascinating places encourage many tourists to visit Sao Paulo. Both cities are home to aquariums, zoos, and restaurants that encourage trouism within these countries as well. With all of the notable attractions in both cities, it is easy to see that they are similar in tourism.

       The high cost of living is a final way that these two cities are similar. Because many people want to live in these cities, there is a lot of competition for housing and food, which increases the cost of living there. It can be more expensive to rent a tiny apartment in New York than it is to rent an entire house in a suburb away from the city. Shopping in Sao Paulo makes it very apparent that there are many people in competition for the commodities there. Even though the cost of living is so high, salaries do not always match this increased cost because there are so many people willing to work in these cities that companies can pay their employees less. Many workers in both cities have to work multiple jobs to earn enough money to support their families. The high cost of living is very comparable between Sao Paulo and New York.

       Due to the high cost of living, the tourism, and immigration, Sao Paulo and New York are two cities that are very similar to each other. There are differences that are easy to identify, but these cities are more similar than people might think initially. A visitor to one city may be able to feel that she has already experienced the other city because they share so many traits, even though the people in each city are speaking a different language, eating different food, and are used to different weather. 

Exercise 1: Analyze an essay

Read one of the two Process Example Essays on the following pages to complete this exercise.

  • Label the introduction paragraph, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion paragraph.
  • Circle the hook.
  • What is the general topic of the essay?
  • Underline the thesis.
  • Underline each of the topic sentences.
  • Do each of the topic sentences support the thesis?
  • Does the conclusion paragraph start by restating the thesis?

This content is provided to you freely by EdTech Books.

Access it online or download it at https://edtechbooks.org/academic_a_writing/comparison_essay_exaw .

  • Writing for Success: Compare/Contrast

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This section will help you determine the purpose and structure of comparison/contrast in writing.

The Purpose of Compare/Contrast in Writing

Comparison in writing discusses elements that are similar, while contrast in writing discusses elements that are different. A compare-and-contrast essay, then, analyzes two subjects by comparing them, contrasting them, or both.

The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. The purpose of conducting the comparison or contrast is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities. For example, if you wanted to focus on contrasting two subjects you would not pick apples and oranges; rather, you might choose to compare and contrast two types of oranges or two types of apples to highlight subtle differences. For example, Red Delicious apples are sweet, while Granny Smiths are tart and acidic. Drawing distinctions between elements in a similar category will increase the audience’s understanding of that category, which is the purpose of the compare-and-contrast essay.

Similarly, to focus on comparison, choose two subjects that seem at first to be unrelated. For a comparison essay, you likely would not choose two apples or two oranges because they share so many of the same properties already. Rather, you might try to compare how apples and oranges are quite similar. The more divergent the two subjects initially seem, the more interesting a comparison essay will be.

The Structure of a Compare/Contrast Essay

The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both and the reason for doing so. The thesis could lean more toward comparing, contrasting, or both. Remember, the point of comparing and contrasting is to provide useful knowledge to the reader. Take the following thesis as an example that leans more toward contrasting:

Thesis Statement: Organic vegetables may cost more than those that are conventionally grown, but when put to the test, they are definitely worth every extra penny.

Here the thesis sets up the two subjects to be compared and contrasted (organic versus conventional vegetables), and it makes a claim about the results that might prove useful to the reader.

You may organize compare-and-contrast essays in one of the following two ways:

  • According to the subjects themselves, discussing one then the other
  • According to individual points, discussing each subject in relation to each point

The organizational structure you choose depends on the nature of the topic, your purpose, and your audience.

Given that compare-and-contrast essays analyze the relationship between two subjects, it is helpful to have some phrases on hand that will cue the reader to such analysis.

Phrases of Comparison and Contrast

Writing an Compare/Contrast Essay

First choose whether you want to compare seemingly disparate subjects, contrast seemingly similar subjects, or compare and contrast subjects. Once you have decided on a topic, introduce it with an engaging opening paragraph. Your thesis should come at the end of the introduction, and it should establish the subjects you will compare, contrast, or both as well as state what can be learned from doing so.

The body of the essay can be organized in one of two ways: by subject or by individual points. The organizing strategy that you choose will depend on, as always, your audience and your purpose. You may also consider your particular approach to the subjects as well as the nature of the subjects themselves; some subjects might better lend themselves to one structure or the other. Make sure to use comparison and contrast phrases to cue the reader to the ways in which you are analyzing the relationship between the subjects.

After you finish analyzing the subjects, write a conclusion that summarizes the main points of the essay and reinforces your thesis.

Compare/Contrast Essay Example

Comparing and Contrasting London and Washington, DC

By Scott McLean in Writing for Success

Both Washington, DC, and London are capital cities of English-speaking countries, and yet they offer vastly different experiences to their residents and visitors. Comparing and contrasting the two cities based on their history, their culture, and their residents show how different and similar the two are.

Both cities are rich in world and national history, though they developed on very different time lines. London, for example, has a history that dates back over two thousand years. It was part of the Roman Empire and known by the similar name, Londinium. It was not only one of the northernmost points of the Roman Empire but also the epicenter of the British Empire where it held significant global influence from the early sixteenth century on through the early twentieth century. Washington, DC, on the other hand, has only formally existed since the late eighteenth century. Though Native Americans inhabited the land several thousand years earlier, and settlers inhabited the land as early as the sixteenth century, the city did not become the capital of the United States until the 1790s. From that point onward to today, however, Washington, DC, has increasingly maintained significant global influence. Even though both cities have different histories, they have both held, and continue to hold, significant social influence in the economic and cultural global spheres.

Both Washington, DC, and London offer a wide array of museums that harbor many of the world’s most prized treasures. While Washington, DC, has the National Gallery of Art and several other Smithsonian galleries, London’s art scene and galleries have a definite edge in this category. From the Tate Modern to the British National Gallery, London’s art ranks among the world’s best. This difference and advantage has much to do with London and Britain’s historical depth compared to that of the United States. London has a much richer past than Washington, DC, and consequently has a lot more material to pull from when arranging its collections. Both cities have thriving theater districts, but again, London wins this comparison, too, both in quantity and quality of theater choices. With regard to other cultural places like restaurants, pubs, and bars, both cities are very comparable. Both have a wide selection of expensive, elegant restaurants as well as a similar amount of global and national chains. While London may be better known for its pubs and taste in beer, DC offers a different bar-going experience. With clubs and pubs that tend to stay open later than their British counterparts, the DC night life tend to be less reserved overall.

Both cities also share and differ in cultural diversity and cost of living. Both cities share a very expensive cost of living—both in terms of housing and shopping. A downtown one-bedroom apartment in DC can easily cost $1,800 per month, and a similar “flat” in London may double that amount. These high costs create socioeconomic disparity among the residents. Although both cities’ residents are predominantly wealthy, both have a significantly large population of poor and homeless. Perhaps the most significant difference between the resident demographics is the racial makeup. Washington, DC, is a “minority majority” city, which means the majority of its citizens are races other than white. In 2009, according to the US Census, 55 percent of DC residents were classified as “Black or African American” and 35 percent of its residents were classified as “white.” London, by contrast, has very few minorities—in 2006, 70 percent of its population was “white,” while only 10 percent was “black.” The racial demographic differences between the cities is drastic.

Even though Washington, DC, and London are major capital cities of English-speaking countries in the Western world, they have many differences along with their similarities. They have vastly different histories, art cultures, and racial demographics, but they remain similar in their cost of living and socioeconomic disparity.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • A compare-and-contrast essay analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both.
  • The purpose of writing a comparison or contrast essay is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities between two subjects.
  • The thesis should clearly state the subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both, and it should state what is to be learned from doing so.
  • There are two main organizing strategies for compare-and-contrast essays.
  • Organize by the subjects themselves, one then the other.
  • Organize by individual points, in which you discuss each subject in relation to each point.
  • Use phrases of comparison or phrases of contrast to signal to readers how exactly the two subjects are being analyzed.
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  • Successful Writing. Provided by : Anonymous. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/s14-07-comparison-and-contrast.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
  • Comparing and Contrasting London and Washington, DC. Authored by : Scott McLean. Located at : http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/successful-writing/s14-07-comparison-and-contrast.html . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
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  • Overview of Instructor Resources

An Overview of the Writing Process

  • Introduction to the Writing Process
  • Introduction to Writing
  • Your Role as a Learner
  • What is an Essay?
  • Reading to Write
  • Defining the Writing Process
  • Videos: Prewriting Techniques
  • Thesis Statements
  • Organizing an Essay
  • Creating Paragraphs
  • Conclusions
  • Editing and Proofreading
  • Matters of Grammar, Mechanics, and Style
  • Peer Review Checklist
  • Comparative Chart of Writing Strategies

Using Sources

  • Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Avoiding Plagiarism
  • Formatting the Works Cited Page (MLA)
  • Citing Paraphrases and Summaries (APA)
  • APA Citation Style, 6th edition: General Style Guidelines

Definition Essay

  • Definitional Argument Essay
  • How to Write a Definition Essay
  • Critical Thinking
  • Video: Thesis Explained
  • Effective Thesis Statements
  • Student Sample: Definition Essay

Narrative Essay

  • Introduction to Narrative Essay
  • Student Sample: Narrative Essay
  • "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell
  • "Sixty-nine Cents" by Gary Shteyngart
  • Video: The Danger of a Single Story
  • How to Write an Annotation
  • How to Write a Summary
  • Writing for Success: Narration

Illustration/Example Essay

  • Introduction to Illustration/Example Essay
  • "She's Your Basic L.O.L. in N.A.D" by Perri Klass
  • "April & Paris" by David Sedaris
  • Writing for Success: Illustration/Example
  • Student Sample: Illustration/Example Essay

Compare/Contrast Essay

  • Introduction to Compare/Contrast Essay
  • "Disability" by Nancy Mairs
  • "Friending, Ancient or Otherwise" by Alex Wright
  • "A South African Storm" by Allison Howard
  • Student Sample: Compare/Contrast Essay

Cause-and-Effect Essay

  • Introduction to Cause-and-Effect Essay
  • "Cultural Baggage" by Barbara Ehrenreich
  • "Women in Science" by K.C. Cole
  • Writing for Success: Cause and Effect
  • Student Sample: Cause-and-Effect Essay

Argument Essay

  • Introduction to Argument Essay
  • Rogerian Argument
  • "The Case Against Torture," by Alisa Soloman
  • "The Case for Torture" by Michael Levin
  • How to Write a Summary by Paraphrasing Source Material
  • Writing for Success: Argument
  • Student Sample: Argument Essay
  • Grammar/Mechanics Mini-lessons
  • Mini-lesson: Subjects and Verbs, Irregular Verbs, Subject Verb Agreement
  • Mini-lesson: Sentence Types
  • Mini-lesson: Fragments I
  • Mini-lesson: Run-ons and Comma Splices I
  • Mini-lesson: Comma Usage
  • Mini-lesson: Parallelism
  • Mini-lesson: The Apostrophe
  • Mini-lesson: Capital Letters
  • Grammar Practice - Interactive Quizzes
  • De Copia - Demonstration of the Variety of Language
  • Style Exercise: Voice

Home / Essay Samples / World / Cities / Comparing Two Cities: Exploring Contrasts and Similarities

Comparing Two Cities: Exploring Contrasts and Similarities

  • Category: World
  • Topic: Cities

Pages: 1 (480 words)

  • Downloads: -->

Introduction

New york city: features and characteristics, paris: features and characteristics, cultural offerings.

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