Essays are about comparing and contrasting views, ideas, concepts and arguments. You can use a single argument or piece of information to write a good essay – you must provide a balanced perspective.
When providing examples, you’ll often need to provide alternative examples. You can only obtain a robust, objective analysis by factoring in multiple viewpoints.
While one argument might be vastly more convincing than another, you must still give both. This might seem tedious, but it’s how academia works in later life too!
Here’s some vocabulary to help you compare and contrast examples with alternatives:
- Despite X
- Y shows that
- While X may be true
- Y shows
- Although
- At the same time
- On the other hand
- Although X makes a good point, Y shows
- Even if X is true, Y shows
- Differing from X, Y states
- In spite of what X shows, Y shows
- In contrast to X, Y shows that
- X contrasts with Y
Most evidence will align or agree on some topics, whereas others are considerably more contentious. Pay attention to the debates surrounding the topic and why they might exist.
If you’re writing about a hotly debated, contentious subject, then be prepared to include plenty of contrasting and alternative arguments.
