COMPARISON AND CONTRAST

SAMPLE ESSAY OF POINT-TO-POINT APPROACH IN COMPARISON AND CONTRAST ESSAY

Title: Compare and contrast Malaysia and Singapore Malaysia and Singapore are two neighboring countries which belong to the same geographical grouping, that is, ASEAN. ASEAN is the abbreviation for Association of South East Nations. Although these two countries share several similarities, they are also different in many aspects. A comparison between the two countries based on language, geography and political system make these similarities and differences evident.

           

            From a geographical perspective, both the countries are neighbors and located in South East Asia. Both share a tropical climate. However, they differ greatly in terms of physical geography. Malaysia covers a large land mass area of approximately 330,000 square kilometers. In addition, a sizeable proportion of the country consists of mountain ranges. The highest peak in Malaysia is at Mount Kinabalu, which is approximately 4,100 meters above sea level. In comparison, Singapore is a small island which covers a land area of about 330,000 square kilometers. Unlike Malaysia, it is mostly lowlands and the highest point is approximately 166 meters in Bukit Timah In a nutshell, it can be said that Malaysia is larger and has more highlands than Singapore.

            Next, a comparison between Malaysia and Singapore shows that both are multi lingual. Several languages are spoken and used in both the countries. Although Malay is the national language in both the countries, the official languages are different. Malay is the official language in Malaysia whereas Singapore recognizes Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil as official languages. The dominant languages are also different in

both these countries. In Malaysia, the dominant language is Malay, but in Singapore, the dominant language is either Mandarin or English. So, although Malaysia and Singapore are multilingual, the official and dominant languages are different.

            Finally, the political systems in both the countries share some similarities, but are not entirely the same. Malaysia and Singapore are both democracies. Elected representatives are voted into parliament in a period not exceeding 5 years. The people have a right to vote. However, Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, whereas Singapore is a republic. Malaysia has nine sultans and a King is chosen from among these nine sultans. The position of the King is rotated between the nine sultans. In contrast, Singapore does not have a king, However, unlike Malaysia, Singapore has a president. So, although Malaysia and Singapore are democracies, their political systems are quite different.

            In conclusion, a comparison between Malaysia and Singapore shows that the two neighboring states have several similarities and differences. The comparison here has been limited to geography, language and politics. In all these areas, it has been shown that they have some shared characteristics but several major differences.

TIPS ON WRITING THE COMPARISON AND CONTRAST ESSAY

Tip 1

There are several ways of making comparisons between Malaysia and Singapore. For example, the emphasis could be on the similarities or the differences. In this essay, the similarities and differences are given.

Tip 2

The comparison and contrast between Malaysia and Singapore in this essay is based on a point-by-point approach, In other words, the comparison between Malaysia and Singapore is given in each of the  paragraphs in the body of the essay. For example, in paragraph 2, the comparison is based o a geographical perspective. Initially, the similarities are stated. Both countries are neighbours and located in South East Asia. However, this is followed by the differences in physical geography. For example, Malaysia is bigger than Singapore.

Tip 3

Paragraphs 3 and 4 adopt the sake format. The paragraphs begin with the similarities between the two countries and progress into the differences.

Tip 4

One way of starting the comparison between the two countries is to draw two columns. The similarities between Malaysia and Singapore can be listed first followed by the differences. This will also help you decide whether there are more similarities or differences between Malaysia and Singapore. Areas of comparison are many and might include government, culture, languages, physical geography, historical development, and economics.

Tip 5

Once you have decided on the areas o compare and contrast, you can begin to plan the essay. Decide on the background information which you wish to include in the introduction. The thesis statement should make it clear the areas you wish to compare and contrast in the body of the essay.

Tip 6

When you come to the body of the paragraph, give sufficient examples. The impact of the essay will depend on specific examples. Keep referring to the thesis statement so that the comparisons do not move away from the original purpose of the essay.

Tip 7

The conclusion should indicate that there are similarities and differences between the two countries. It is possible to focus more on the differences rather than the similarities, or vice-versa. This depends on you, and it would be good if you indicate this right from the beginning.