Which term describes the action of comparing and contrasting two items or situations?

The term that describes the action of comparing and contrasting two items or situations is indeed "compare and contrast." This phrase captures the essence of examining two or more elements to identify their similarities (compare) as well as their differences (contrast).

In the context of analysis or writing, the process involves taking a closer look at the attributes, features, or scenarios of the items in question to provide a deeper understanding of how they relate to each other. This approach is often used in various academic disciplines to foster critical thinking and a nuanced appreciation of relationships between different entities.

While "summarize," "contrast," and "evaluate" refer to different types of analytical actions—such as summarizing the main points, focusing solely on differences, or assessing value and quality—none of them encapsulate the complete action of both identifying similarities and differences that "compare and contrast" does.