Compare and contrast essays ask the writer to find similarities and differences between two ideas, objects, or things to highlight subtle ways they are connected or surprising ways they are different. Many types of magazine and online articles are forms of compare and contrast writing.
These types of essays are regularly assigned to students because they promote research skills and critical thinking. They are more complicated to write than a descriptive essay, but also allow for a more in-depth analysis than simpler forms of writing.
Anything can be the subject of a compare and contrast essay but it is best to choose two things that are at least similar in some ways so there are things to compare. Learning to write a good compare and contrast essay allows you to enhance your analytical skills as well as communication skills. Here's a collection of excellent compare and contrast essay samples for analysis.