How many ways can you organize the supporting paragraphs of a compare and contrast essay?

There are several ways you can organize paragraphs in a compare/contrast essay. One way would be to compare all the similarities, then discuss the contrasting differences. Another way would be to write one paragraph on one point of similarity, then a paragraph contrasting one difference. The essay could then be continued in this alternating fashion. Finally, you could write a point of comparison and a point of contrast within each paragraph. The best way would vary depending on the specific topic.