As in any argumentative paper, your thesis statement will convey the gist of your argument, which necessarily follows from your frame of reference. If you encounter an assignment that fails to provide a frame of reference, you must come up with one on your own. Choose a topic or theme that is interesting to write about and appeals to the reader. It's much better to clarify questions up front than discover you've written the entire essay incorrectly. This method is only recommended for short essays with simplistic subjects that the reader can easily remember as (s)he goes along. You can also write down your main points on sticky notes (or type them, print them, and then cut them out) so that you can arrange and rearrange them before deciding on a final order. I knew what to do but not where to start by myself. We have a tremendous expert that contains a wide range of skills on practically any writing-related questions you may have. Keep in mind that a comparative or any other type of essay must contain a clear thesis statement to guide the writer in the whole writing process. An interesting essay topic motivates the reader to know about the subject. This method is especially recommended for essays where some depth and detail are required. But in a "lens" comparison, in which you spend significantly less time on A (the lens) than on B (the focal text), you almost always organize text-by-text. References This thesis statement, for example, could open a paper on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Surrounded by hard times, racial conflict, and limited opportunities, Julian, Copyright 2021 The President and Fellows of Harvard College, Writing Advice: The Barker Underground Blog, Brief Guides to Writing in the Disciplines. Linking of A and B. In a compare-and contrast, you also need to make links between A and B in the body of your essay if you want your paper to hold together. You can avoid this effect by grouping more than one point together, thereby cutting down on the number of times you alternate from A to B. Last Updated: March 30, 2021 Also, try to avoid complicated topics for your comparative essay. Yes, all our clients are provided with free revisions after receiving their orders. The rest of the paper, whether organized text- by-text or point-by-point, will treat the two theorists' differences. We help them cope with academic assignments such as essays, articles, term and research papers, theses, dissertations, coursework, case studies, PowerPoint presentations, book reviews, etc. Water and oil are both non-renewable resources that our planet is quickly running out of. % of people told us that this article helped them. Are you comparing their uses, their properties or something else? For example: This method is by far the most dangerous, as your comparison can become both one-sided and difficult for the reader to follow. Why these particular fruits? He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. ", comparative writing and has given me the confidence to start on my essay. The Conclusion. Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. The frame of reference may consist of an idea, theme, question, problem, or theory; a group of similar things from which you extract two for special attention; biographical or historical information. Use a traditional outline form if you would like to, but even a simple list of bulleted points in the order that you plan to present them would help. The best place to start is to write a list of things that the items you are comparing have in common as well as differences between them. Be sure you treat each individual the same; each person deserves the same amount of focus-meaning, do not place most of the emphasis on you or the other person. Do you guarantee free revisions to all customers? In this context, to compare is to identify the similarities between the subjects while to contrast is to describe their differences. assessment device for an examination that I am giving. Just as looking through a pair of glasses changes the way you see an object, using A as a framework for understanding B changes the way you see B. How to write a VCE comparative essay Comparative essays are an important part of the VCE English syllabus. If the comparative essay you were assigned to write is not meant to contain research, you should refrain from including it. Saving water, however, should be prioritized as water is the basis for most life on earth. Understand the type of comparison essay you are being asked to write. If you can see a way forward from a problem or dilemma, include that as well. Be sure to check your assignment or prompt. That's because A and B are not strictly comparable: A is merely a tool for helping you discover whether or not B's nature is actually what expectations have led you to believe it is. This relationship is at the heart of any compare-and-contrast paper. So for example: Imagine living in a world without water? But in a compare-and-contrast, the thesis depends on how the two things you've chosen to compare actually relate to one another. A comparative essay about historical events, social issues, or science-related topics are more likely to require research, while a comparison of two works of literature are less likely to require research. Always ask your professor first whether or not one of the below strategies is acceptable. Thus, in a paper comparing how two writers redefine social norms of masculinity, you would be better off quoting a sociologist on the topic of masculinity than spinning out potentially banal-sounding theories of your own. How to write a good comparative essay? Be aware that your various comparisons wont necessarily lend themselves to an obvious conclusion, especially because people value things differently. Looking at the same thing for too long makes your brain fill in what it expects instead of what it sees, leaving you more likely to overlook errors. Your essay will not be your best effort unless you revise it. "This article was particularly useful for me. How to Write a Comparative Politics Paper. How To Write A Comparative Literary Analysis Essay with professional writing and editing assistance. Frame of Reference. But no matter which organizational scheme you choose, you need not give equal time to similarities and differences. Make lists of the subjects' similarities and differences. In general, it has a stable structure consisting of the introduction, a few body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You may have a great idea for a paper in your head, but if it doesn't perfectly match the prompt, you may not create the product your instructor has asked for. This article was a great intro to, "Very helpful. However, you can make the comparison without using the word "than," as you can see in these example sentences: Jill is faster than Todd. Still, successful and effective comparative writing defines the comparative parameters in terms of importance for you as a writer and of your target audience. In general (but depending on the length and topic of the essay), there should be 3-4 points of comparison. "Although X and Y don't seem to have anything in common, in actuality, they both .). To write a good compare-and-contrast paper, you must take your raw datathe similarities and differences you've observedand make them cohere into a meaningful argument. Can I start my introduction with the hook? For example: Organize your paragraphs using one of the approaches listed in the "Organizing the Content" part below. Here are the five elements required. FAQ answered How To Write An Intro For A Comparative Essay for How To Write An Intro For A Comparative Essay your perfect essay. A "weak" essay in this context would strive to treat unequal texts equally, rather than strive to appropriately apportion space to the relevant text. Discuss them in your essay. If you think that B extends A, you'll probably use a text-by-text scheme; if you see A and B engaged in debate, a point-by-point scheme will draw attention to the conflict. In order to write a stellar comparative essay, you have to start off by picking two subjects that have enough similarities and differences to be compared in a meaningful way, such as two sports teams or two systems of government. Be aware, however, that the point-by- point scheme can come off as a ping-pong game. The comparative essay is difficult, fulfilling, freedom to investigate intertextual associations. You might be tall, but I am taller. POINTS FOR DISCUSSION Determine the focus of your piece. This fact is especially true if the comparative The comparative paper conclusion ties together the main components of the essay. Learning how to write a comparative essay is a major as well as basic task of colleges and universities alike. All argumentative papers require you to link each point in the argument back to the thesis. For a text, Read it several times.Ensure that you have identified the Thus, a paper on two evolutionary theorists' different interpretations of specific archaeological findings might have as few as two or three sentences in the introduction on similarities and at most a paragraph or two to set up the contrast between the theorists' positions. To write a comparative essay, start by writing an introduction that introduces the 2 subjects you'll be comparing. [1] X Research source Look over the prompt (and rubric, if you have one) carefully and underline key phrases. A basis for comparison may have to do with a theme, characteristics, or details about two different things. The grounds for comparison anticipates the comparative nature of your thesis. Your introduction will include your frame of reference, grounds for comparison, and thesis. The second step is to clear two different specific topics between which you have to compare. As a team of well-versed professionals dedicated to helping students to achieve their academic goals, we ensure that every order is completed by the deadline, all instructions are met, and the quality corresponds to the highest How To Write A Comparative Essay About Two Art Pieces academic standards. Quotes should be used sparingly and must thoroughly complement the point they are being used to exemplify/justify. For instance, in a paper asking how the "discourse of domesticity" has been used in the abortion debate, the grounds for comparison are obvious; the issue has two conflicting sides, pro-choice and pro-life. They are not limited to specific topics; they can cover Others, however, value emphasis in the essay that reflects the particular demands of the essay's purpose or thesis. Even the best writers know editing is important to produce a good piece. What is a good thesis statement? To learn how to do research for your essay, read on! Which one is worse? For example, if you are comparing two novels, you may want to highlight similarities in characters in pink, settings in blue, and themes or messages in green. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. That's exactly what you should do! Whether your paper focuses primarily on difference or similarity, you need to make the relationship between A and B clear in your thesis. You could start by defining the terms and talk about how the two different types function in society. Make sure you understand each topic clearly. Also, be sure to make a strong thesis statement. Provide a very brief overview of the similarities and differences outlined in the main A paper focusing on similarly aged forest stands in Maine and the Catskills will be set up differently from one comparing a new forest stand in the White Mountains with an old forest in the same region. Faced with a daunting list of seemingly unrelated similarities and differences, you may feel confused about how to construct a paper that isn't just a mechanical exercise in which you first state all the features that A and B have in common, and then state all the ways in which A and B are different. Transition words and phrases allow you to easily guide the reader from one point to another without leaving them hanging. 1. Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. Next, write the body of your essay so that each paragraph focuses on one point of comparison between your subjects. By using our site, you agree to our. This really helped. ", "I had no clue how to write a comparative essay, but thanks to wikiHow, I do now. The article is descriptive, contains robust content, and was clear and concise in its explanations. All delivered papers are samples meant to be used only for research purposes. Throughout your academic career, you'll be asked to write papers in which you compare and contrast two things: two texts, two theories, two historical figures, two scientific processes, and so on. Therefore, it is essential to consider your target audience and also be If you are in doubt about how to write an effective comparative essay, at that point we are here to help. 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