how to write a comparative essay hsc

Comparative Essay

Pdf download, what is a comparative essay .

A comparative essay usually requires you to complete these three tasks:

Compare and contrast at least two items.
Why does the comparison matter?
What does the comparison suggest about the items?
Sometimes your assignment guidelines will provide a basis for a comparison that sets the criteria.

Even though your professor may call it a “comparison”, it is usually expected that you will discuss both the similarities and the differences between the items.

How to Write a Comparative Essay

1. pick a basis for your comparison.

You need a specific basis for your comparison. Without one, there will be too much information to research.

Your assignment guidelines may already include a scope of focus for you to write about. If not, your basis should be an idea, category, or theme that applies to each of the items you are comparing. To get started, you may need to complete some preliminary research about your topics or speak with your professor to understand the assignment expectations.

2. Identify the Similarities and Differences.

Gather information about the items that you will be comparing. You’ll need to identify the similarities and differences for each of the items.

Remember, your end goal is NOT to list out the similarities and differences between the items. You need to move beyond basic identification to explaining the significance of the similarities and differences.

Writing Tip: Use a graphic organizer to collect the similarities and differences.

Try using a Venn diagram or a chart to organize your ideas.

Venn diagram. Section a - points unique to a. Section AB - points unique to A & B. Section B - points unique to B.

3. Develop a Thesis Statement

Create a thesis statement based on the results of your comparison. Remember, your thesis needs to be arguable and appropriate for your course.

Create an arguable thesis

Go beyond the identification of similarities and differences by explaining their significance. Explain why this comparison matters. Your thesis will become arguable once you add in this portion.

For instance, you might have compared two islands with similar goat overpopulation for a science course. It’s useful to set the context of these islands and the interventions that people used to deal with the goat overpopulation, but your thesis is not arguable if you only state facts. Adjust your thesis to explain why the similarities and differences matter. For instance, you might explain how the differences in the intervention impacted the ecosystem and the island populations. Depending on your assignment guidelines, you could make suggestions about a future intervention that could be effective in handling goat overpopulation on islands.

Try these strategies for creating an arguable thesis:

Cause and Effect : Identify how the differences and similarities lead to an outcome. For instance, you might discuss how the two different endings in Great Expectations affect how readers understand Pip’s relationship with Estella.
Degree of Similarity or Difference : Are there more similarities or more differences between the items you’re comparing? You can create a thesis based on the degree of similarity or difference, but it can become descriptive if you don’t explain why the comparison matters. For example, you could write about the characteristics of Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort from the Harry Potter series. Both characters have similar challenges in their early lives, but the paths they choose lead to different outcomes.

4. Structure your essay

There are two basic structures that are typically used for comparative essays.

Point-by-point method

The point-by-point method alternates between the items. In this style, you pick a common point of comparison and describe the first item and then the second item. Here is an example of a point-by-point method essay outline.

Introduction

Introductory material: Describe the wizarding world of Harry Potter and the key characters in the comparison.

Thesis: Although Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy are both pure-blood wizards, their interactions with other magical creatures reveal the different values in their socialization.

Body 1: Discrimination towards House Elves

Ron’s opinion of House Elves and their role in the wizarding world
Draco’s opinion of House Elves and their role in the wizarding world
Comment upon the origin in the differences in opinion and how the opinions changed through socialization

Body 2: Discrimination towards Giants

Ron’s perception of Hagrid
Draco’s perception of Hagrid

Conclusion

Explain why this comparison between Ron and Draco matters

Block Method

The block method identifies themes to compare and describes all your items together. Here is an example of an essay method outline.

Introductory material : Describe the wizarding world of Harry Potter and the key characters in the comparison.

Thesis : Although Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy are both pure-blood wizards, their interactions with other magical creatures reveal the different values in their socialization.

Block A: Ron Weasley – Discrimination towards magical creatures

Ron’s social context and how he learns about the magical hierarchy
How Ron discriminates against other magical creatures

Block B: Draco Malfoy – Discrimination towards magical creatures

Draco’s social context and how he learns about the magical hierarchy
How Draco discriminates against other magical creatures
Analysis – significance of the similarities and differences between Ron and Draco
Why this comparison matters

More resources for comparative essays

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Module A – Textual Conversations Guide

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Resource Description

Introduction to Mod A Module A: Textual Conversations is somewhat of an evolution of the previous comparative study module. It will most likely be studied after the Common Module, and unlike the other Modules (except C with its short texts), requires you to thoroughly study two texts rather than one. However, the time allocated to this is still the same as the other modules, so that means time is a massive obstacle. The internal tasks can be creatives or hand-in essays, but will most likely be essays under examination conditions. This will be the same for Trials and the HSC exam, as Module A forms 20 marks out of 60 in Paper 2 of English Advanced. One key distinction to make: Textual Conversation Essays are NOT just Comparative Essays. Use the comparative essay structures and conventions as a foundation, but Mod A requires you to develop this further. A textual conversation doesn’t simply compare or contrast ideas and approaches between two texts (though elements of that do exist), but imagine it as the two texts conversing with each other (as the name suggests). This entails studying what the hypertext (the genesis text; the older text that is initially starting the conversation with the newer text) is offering in regards to insights, and how this is developed and responded to by the newer text. Context, Values, and the Composer are vital when initiating and continuing a textual conversation. Keep in mind that this is a one-way conversation – both texts are not responding to each other. Think of it like when you are talking to your crush and they are not interested – those DMs are not a two-way conversation, as much as you’d like to tell yourself that.

Here’s a shoddy and amateur Canva renaissance masterpiece of art: While there are similarities and differences between the texts (and you should explore them in your essay), simply identifying them is insufficient for this module. In a textual conversation, something new is being said – as the rubric says, the conversation shapes new meaning. An easier way to approach essays for this module is to:

1. Identify what’s being said that is new. (Ideas) 2. What is it about the conversation between both texts that results in this being said. (Textual evidence + Context) a. What departures/alignments exist between the texts + why was this active choice made by the composer 3. What does this ultimately say about texts

(Thesis) a. This doesn’t have to be extremely profound or sophisticated; in fact, doing that can be counterintuitive since it corners you into only being prepared to write a specific style of essay. If the question diverges from what you want, it’s going to make everything super toug

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How to craft a Band 6 Mod A Textual Conversations essay

Your Ultimate Guide to writing a comparative band 6 essay for Module A Textual Conversations. Read along as we break down exactly what the markers are looking for from central ideas to essay structure.

3 months ago • 6 min read

Ever wondered what sets a Band 6 essay apart from a 5? Turns out it's not about how fancy your writing sounds. Demonstrating a nuanced understanding of context through a clear structure and strong central themes makes all the difference in crafting the perfect Mod A essay.

What are markers looking for?

In Module A, markers want you to bring your own ‘ considered personal perspective ’ to the texts you study. This involves recognising the influence of two key things:

Resonances , which just refer to themes, motifs, and values that texts share.
And Dissonances , which are places where the ‘child text’ has reframed or reappropriated themes from its ‘parent text’. This also includes places where they’ve diverged completely.

By using this comparative framework to analyse metaphorical ‘textual conversations’ (the way literature interacts), we are then able to make our own judgement on how other texts, contexts, and values enhance our perspectives and shape our compositions.

But where should you start?

A Strong Thesis

Engaging thoroughly with the essay question from the beginning is vital to standing out in the marking centre. This means not memorising one essay word for word. First, distil an original take on your texts by brainstorming a succinct, conceptual thesis. These can be easily moulded to any question type, whilst retaining the ability to get specific enough to dissect the intricacies of a super niche stimulus.

Make this robust by adapting your perspective to different questions, experimenting with arguing ideas in unique ways, and expounding other themes that support your original idea.

Practice creating quick essay plans alongside these, sticking to the keywords from the rubric, and you will make your responses stronger by learning to thoroughly answer the question. You’ll also become more flexible and better at creating well-supported arguments on the go.

Good Analysis

Analysis is the cornerstone of your essay, and good analysis is always embedded in context. So get to know it inside and out! This is because understanding the author’s world is critical to understanding why and how they have portrayed certain themes in specific lights. If you were studying Plath’s ‘Ariel’ alongside Hughes’ ‘Birthday Letters’, for example, you might reflect on the way the context of Postmodernism develops the theme of self-liberation in their poems;

“ …The two perspectives thus resonate in a Postmodernist dissection of self to reveal that Plath could only be liberated from her father and other patriarchal forces through the purging of her physical body, ultimately seen in her death.”

This post-analysis integration of context is fundamental to showing that you have considered the effects of the authors’ worlds on their writing and of your world on your understanding.

Regarding evidence itself, look for and categorise quotes according to their specific theme, value, assumption or perspective. This anchors analysis within its context, but also makes formulating arguments easier. Quotes should have clear literary techniques, demonstrating the impact of form and style, to explicitly show motifs, allusions and intertextuality. Consider how themes are mirrored, aligned, or different in the two texts. Remember, markers prefer well-developed arguments with strong evidence to complex arguments that have no support.

You might like to organise your analysis when drafting your arguments like this:

Divided vs. Integrated Structures

Divided Structures

There are two ways to organise your analysis. The first is a divided structure - using four paragraphs to discuss two themes, making it easier to analyse them in depth. This method often leads to a higher word count, as you need to work harder to make integrated links between texts. Helpfully though, the shorter paragraphs make the structure super clear, and generally, this improves the clarity of your argument.

Here is an example structure that could be used to frame your specific thesis:

Integrated Structures

The second is an integrated structure. This uses three themes to create three paragraphs that include equally weighted evidence from both texts. For most students, this makes framing the directly comparative nature of Module A easier, and allows for a more seamless textual conversation to emerge in support of your thesis. This means you can avoid restating prior arguments, but tackling two texts can still make paragraphs chunky, leading to shallow analysis for the sake of brevity. If you stick to a clear structure like the one below, this won’t be an issue.

Both structures have band six potential, so long as they are packed with quality analysis that is embedded in context, filled with consistent links and interacts with the question.

Don’t stop there! - Edit, Edit, Edit.

Editing is crucial to the essay development process. Any good essay has been carefully drafted, rewritten and reviewed numerous times - but how do you do that?

Once you finish drafts, leave them for about 8 hours (or a solid night’s sleep) and then come back to them with fresh eyes to pick up things you missed.
Read it out loud - this automatically highlights any cohesion or flow issues.
Use words from the rubric - it’s there to help.
Signpost your structure with clear linking and concluding words.
Print out essays and annotate them by hand. Look for sentences that are too long, repeated words or phrases, and any word count-wasting rambling where you’ve lost sight of the question.
Get a second opinion! Have a friend or teacher mark it thoroughly, pointing out areas that could use restructuring or clarity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many words should i be writing in an essay.

Realistically, 40 minutes isn’t tonnes of time to demonstrate everything you’ve learnt in this module, so keep it succinct, and don’t try to do too much. Essays should be between 800-1200 words, depending on your writing speed.

How can I get faster at writing?

One word - practice:

Handwrite your draft analysis and class notes.
Copy pre-written paragraphs for speed.
Write regularly from memory.
Do writing time-tests.
Find a pen that works for you! It makes all the difference.

Are my paragraphs the right length?

Paragraphs should be roughly even to show the breadth of your understanding. The sweet spot is around 4 quotes/250 words (divided) or 5-6 quotes/330 words (integrated). More words means more writing time, so consider cutting down on filler phrases, or restructuring lengthy arguments.

Written by KIS Academics Tutor for HSC English, Maths, Physics, and Chemistry, Waveney Wood. Waveney is currently pursuing a career in medicine and has received stellar reviews from her past KIS academic students. You can view Waveney’s profile here and request her as a tutor.

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Structuring Comparative Essay | HSC English

Structuring comparative essay.

Tegan explains about Structuring Comparative Essay.

About Comparative Essay

Today we will begin to examine the structure of the comparative essay. The structure and purpose of a comparative essay is very different from the thematic essay you are used to writing, and the content of the argument will require a very different approach as well.

You may need to revisit these concepts a few times to gain familiarity with them.

Today we will cover:

Structure of the Introduction
Structure of the Body Paragraph

Example Body Paragraph

Essay Planning

What should the Essay look like?

The introduction:.

A comparative essay takes a little more ‘setting up’ than a thematic essay. In your introduction, you should:

Justify the comparative study and explain the major link between your texts which makes them suitable for intertextual studies. For example, a comparative study might reveal more about each text and create a synergistic understanding of the connections or perspectives being examined. Or, through contrasting the texts, the effect of contextual values on each text may be better understood. You should mesh ideas from the module and elective rubrics here for structuring comparative essay.
Then, your thesis should focus on the best or most important thing that comparative study of these two texts reveals . Try not to simply go for a theme, like ‘attitudes to love’ as this is not a thematic study, and you want your thesis to be broadly appealing for different types of question. You might talk about how considering contextual values is important because it makes the responder wonder how much the time and place they live in shapes their own opinions.

Guide to structuring the Introduction

Introduction for structuring comparative essay.

Address the essay question using keywords and use some words of your thesis to answer it.
Name Text One, with the year it was published in brackets after it.
Indicate the genre, text type and composer of the text.
Give a brief summary of Text One’s cultural context – no more than a sentence.
Name Text Two, with the year it was published in brackets after it.
Give a brief summary of Text Two’s cultural context – no more than a sentence.
Identify why the two texts are to be studied together – mention the most important commentary they have to share that links them etc.
Signpost the main connections/perspectives you are going to discuss, and introduce them in the order they will appear in the body of your essay.

Drafting for Structuring Comparative Essay

Question: take your time in writing an introduction to your essay. you will want to consider:.

The best general thesis that binds all the argument ideas together
The best keywords to broadly sketch the time period and context of your texts.
Whether the texts have a reputation – i.e. are they well known classics?
What can a comparison of these texts really teach us?

Guide to Structuring Body Paragraphs

A comparative essay really requires integrated paragraphs in order to work. Your school may or may not make this mandatory, but it is essential; otherwise you write two mini-essays on each text that just happen to occupy the same page.

You have already encountered a huge part of how to set out body paragraphs in your ‘What Why Fact How’ study paragraphs, so if you have written your study notes properly, most of the work is done for you for structuring comparative essay.

Integrated paragraphs are much longer than the type you are used to in your Area of Study essay, where you might have 8-10 paragraphs in your discovery essay, you will only need 3-4 paragraphs for each comparative essay.

Body Paragraphs:

Topic sentence: introduce the connection/perspective which is in both texts.
What Why and Fact of Text One, explaining how contextual values shape this connection/perspective.
Name a technique and a long quote (2-3 sentences) from Text One to support this.
What Why and Fact of Text Two, explaining how contextual values shape this connection/perspective.
Name a technique and a long quote (2-3 sentences) from Text Two to support this.
Comment on the similarity or difference between the texts, and what has been revealed.
Conclusion sentence: Thus, link that revelation to your question and thesis.

Question: Underline and annotate the structures in this example paragraph based on the guide.

The implicit connection of receiving and giving advice between women permeate Letters to Alice and Pride and Prejudice , highlighting this value as relevant to women’s lives as time progresses, because it allows them to have a secure future. The formal epistolary structure of Letters to Alice provides a means of presenting advice that’s uncommon within contemporary society, and establishes Aunt Fay as representative of her 1980s context.

The mentoring relationship between Alice and Fay is founded through giving advice within letters: “what others say are your faults… may it be carried to the extremes, you strengths, virtues”. Weldon’s juxtaposition of Fay’s advice against criticism of Alice enforces the importance of sharing advice between women as writers in the twentieth century, as she believes it is difficult to obtain meaningful advice and criticism in the 21 st century.

This can also be viewed as the flow of advice moving down the familial social structure based on age, revealing that advice is only allowed to be given by older women – meaning that there is a kind of traditionalist matriarchal structure still present within female communities. Sharing advice between women is also prevalent within Pride and Prejudice , highlighting this as a continuous value relevant to women’s lives.

Letters provide symbolism of the close relationships between characters, as it was more confidential than public speech and not always subject to strict social conduct. The importance of sharing advice between women is seen through this medium of correspondence, and also reflects advice passing down the familial social structure. Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth’s close relationship gives evidence to this facet of women’s lives in Austen’s early Victorian context.

“Lizzy, this must go no farther than yourself, or Jane at most”. Mrs. Gardiner’s instructive tone, acting in her nieces best interests, emphasizes the close nature of their relationship – an exception to social norms, as in Austen’s context, relationships were largely created for the ulterior motive of financial security. Thus the implicit connection of sharing advice is seen to be relevant to women’s lives, past and present, in the study of Pride and Prejudice and Letters to Alice .

Question: Write a dot point plan, and then a full draft, of ONE paragraph of your essay.

You will want to consider the following for structuring comparative essay.

The best quotes to illustrate a particular value.
The best historical fact to illustrate a particular value.
Whether one text may have influenced the other.
The significance of this value to human daily life or achievement.

Make a further list of Techniques and Quotes

There will be some important quotes in each text that you haven’t quite figured out how to pair up yet, or that match with a connection that you already have an existent quote for. Don’t disregard these quotes – they are valuable resources and you will probably use all of them at some point for structuring comparative essay.

For each text, keep a growing list of quotes in a ready-to-use format, like this:

Quote + Technique à contextual value.
(e.g.) ‘Whilst my physicians by their love are grown / Cosmographers, and I their map…As west and east / In all flat maps—and I am one—are one, / So death doth touch the resurrection.’ + Metaphysical conceit. (Means that a map can be folded to bring east and west together – i.e. opposites may have a kind of similarity or union.) à Science of cartography which was developing in the early 1600s.

Sample HSC Comparative Literature Exam

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How To Structure A Comparative Essay (VCE English Tips)

What is a comparative essay.

The comparative essay, in only its second year of being on the VCE English syllabus, is a cause for confusion for many students and teachers alike. Read on for one simple way to structure a comparative essay.

Comparative essay structure

How to write an introduction for a comparative essay.

This can be structured in much the same way as a text response essay. Here, the only difference is that you will need to introduce both texts. Do not forget to make use of comparative language, which is an element of the VCAA criteria, which requires that students discuss "meaningful connections , similarities or differences between the texts”. Your introduction must address your overall contention, specific to the prompt, which should be an idea or concept running through your essay.

How to write a body paragraph for a comparative essay

Aim for around two to four body paragraphs, which should be developed using breadth and a wide scope of ideas. A good way to construct these paragraphs is to base each around a premise or main idea, and you will explore both texts through the lens of this premise.

You can choose either to compare both texts throughout the paragraph, or to go into depth in one text and then transition into exploring the other. No matter which method you choose, make you mention to which extent the two texts are similar or different (it's not enough to say "they are different" or "they are similar").

Relate the end of your body paragraph back to the overall contention, bringing both texts explicitly into focus.

How to write a conclusion for a comparative essay

Like the intro, this can be very similar to a text response conclusion! Make sure to be clear and concise, and sum up your main points from your body paragraphs. Aim to end with a strong, clear point of analysis, shining new meaning on both texts.

Comparative Essay Writing Tips

Create an Outline: Develop a well-organised outline to keep your essay focused and ensure a logical flow of arguments. This framework serves as a roadmap, guiding you from one point to the next. Always connect your arguments back to your thesis statement for coherence.
Reference Throughout the Process: Avoid last-minute referencing by incorporating it into your writing process. Cite sources as you go to maintain accuracy and credibility. This practice helps in seamlessly integrating evidence to support your comparisons.
Highlight Differences and Similarities: Emphasise both differences and similarities between the subjects you're comparing. Provide a clear analysis of how they relate, diverge, or intersect. This enhances the depth of your comparison and adds richness to your essay.
Utilise Concrete Examples: Enhance the persuasiveness of your writing by using specific examples. Illustrate your points with concrete instances that support your comparisons. This not only reinforces your arguments but also adds clarity to your overall narrative.
Incorporate Comparative Vocabulary: make sure your essay contains appropriate terminology and comparative words, such as: "On the contrary," "Although," "Furthermore," "Similar to," "Unlike," "In the same way," "Likewise," "Compared to," "In contrast," "Yet," and "On the one hand...on the other hand."
Collaborate for Improvement: Seek input from others, whether through an English tutor or a study group. Collaborating with peers can provide valuable insights and help refine your work. Different perspectives contribute to a more comprehensive and polished essay.
Prioritise Drafting: Aim to draft your essay as early as possible. Getting your initial thoughts on paper makes the editing process more manageable. Remember, a first draft is easier to edit than starting with a blank page
Proofread and Edit: Finally, proofread and edit your essay. Pay attention to grammar, spelling, and overall clarity. A well-polished essay enhances the overall impact of your comparative analysis.

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Comparative essay structure

UPDATE – September 2014.

Again and again it’s been pointed out at marking conferences and in marking schemes that YOU MUST RESPOND TO THE QUESTION. Stock learned off answers are not being rewarded – and rightfully so! Using what you know to offer your opinion is what counts – agree, disagree, partially agree, partially disagree – it’s doesn’t matter as long as your essay is directly responding to the Q asked throughout and is doing so in a comparative way.

Here’s an extract from the Chief Examiner’s Report

“ examiners were pleased when they saw candidates trust in their own personal response and demonstrate a willingness to challenge the ‘fixed meaning’ of texts. The best answers managed to remain grounded, both in the question asked and in the texts ”.

Examiners complained that students had pre-prepared answers which they refused to adapt to the question asked. Don’t get confused here: in the comparative section you have to have done a lot of preparation prior to the exam. The similarities and differences are unlikely to simply occur to you on the day under exam conditions and the structure of comparing and contrasting, weaving the texts together using linking phrases and illustrating points using key moments is not something you can just DO with no practice. It’s a skill you have to learn. But you MUST be willing to change, adapt, and select from what you know to engage fully with the question asked.

This compliment, followed by a warning, was included in the 2013 report:

“ Many examiners reported genuine engagement with the terms of the questions, combined with a fluid comparative approach. As in previous years, examiners also noted that a significant minority of candidates were hampered by a rigid and formulaic approach “.

At the 2011 marking conference, a huge emphasis was placed on students engaging with the question – and the point was made that all too often they DON’T. You may have a general structure in your head but if this structure doesn’t suit the question that comes up DON’T just doggedly write what you’re prepared anyway. Use what you know to answer the Q. The basic structure will remain (text 1 key moment, link, text 2 km, link, text 3 km, general observation) – it’s not rocket science. But you must prove (if you want a grade above 70% in comparative) that you can engage with the question throughout your answer (not justthrow it in @ beginning and end) and conclude by showing how your essay engaged with the question asked. So the moral of the story is, if you puke up a pre-prepared answer & completely ignore the question, don’t be surprised when you then do badly!

Anyway, you still want to know what the basic comparative structure IS but remember you do not know what you will write until you see the question. Even then, your brain should be on fire non-stop as you write your answer. This is not about ‘remembering’ stuff – this is about knowing it so well, that it’s all there in your brain and you just have to shuffle it about so that it makes sense as a response to whatever question is asked.

Sorry, I don’t intend to scare you – but nor do I want to you be under some illusion that you just write one essay for each comparative mode during the year and that will do. IT WON’T…

UPDATE OVER

Right, here goes…

The quality of your links is REALLY SUPREMELY important. This section of the course is called ‘comparative studies’ for a reason. The more detailed a link is the more marks you’ll get for it. Thus just using the words ‘similarly’ or ‘by contrast’ isn’t really enough. Link individual characters from different texts, establish the ways they or their circumstances are similar but also point out subtle differences. You can extend this comparison throughout your paragraph/section if necessary (in fact this is a good idea) – but don’t simply repeat yourself.

Here’s some general advice on how you might structure your comparative essay, but I repeat, adapt, adapt adapt to the question asked .

Introduction:

Theme or Issue : Address the Q, introduce your theme, then your texts – genre, name, author and mention the central character who you will focus on in your discussion of this theme.

General Vision & Viewpoint : Address the Q, introduce the idea of GV&V (briefly), then your texts – genre, name, author and mention the major emotions you associate with each.

Cultural Context: Address the Q, introduce the idea of cultural context (briefly), then your texts – genre, name, author, plus where and when they are set. You may want to mention the aspects of cultural context you intend to discuss.

Literary Genre: Address the Q, briefly introduce what literary genre means, then introduce your texts – genre, name, author. Outline the aspects of literary genre you will discuss (depends on the Q asked).

Look at the following examples. Imagine the Q is “Exploring a theme or issue can add to our enjoyment of a text”

“I found it fascinating to explore the central theme of plagiarism in my comparative texts. In the novel ‘Old School ‘ (OS) by Tobias Wolff I was intrigued by the narrator’s self delusion after he entered a competition with a short story he had not written. By contrast, I found the film ‘Generous’ (GEN) directed by Frank Faulkner quite disturbing. It explores a young girl’s obsession with becoming famous as she ‘borrows’ outrageous online articles to make her blog more popular. Finally I found the play “IMHO” by Judy Price hilarious. It looks at how we all ‘copy’ ideas from others and pass them off as our own at dinner parties. Thus exploring this theme greatly added to my enjoyment of each text”.

Now look at how this changes for a different mode. Imagine the Q is “The general vision & viewpoint of a text often offers the reader both joy & despair”

“ All of my comparative texts took me on a rollercoaster ride through the highs and lows experienced by the central characters . In the novel “Old School” (OS) by Tobias Wolff I experienced the narrator’s joy at the visit of Robert Frost, and his despair when his cheating was uncovered. Similarly, the film “Generous” (GEN) directed by Frank Faulkner begins in elation for Emily as her blog goes viral but ends in complete mental and physical collapse. By contrast, the lighthearted play “IMOH” by Judy Price offers a hilarious look at the falseness of modern dinner parties and the only despair the audience feels is lamenting the complete lack of self-awareness of the central characters. Thus the vision & viewpoint of each text offered me a wide and varied range of emotions from joy to depair”.

Now look at how this changes again: Imagine the Q is: “Characters are often in conflict with the world or culture they inhabit”

“ The novel ‘Old School’ (OS) written by Tobias Wolff is set in an elite American boarding school in the 1960’s and the unnamed narrator certainly comes into conflict with his world. This text explores cultural issues such as social class, ethnic identity and authority figures. Similar issues are explored in the film “Generous” (GEN) directed by Frank Faulkner and set in modern day London as Emily comes into conflict with her parents, peers and teachers. My third text the play “IMOH” by Judy Price set in Celtic Tiger Ireland also looks at the conflicts which occur as a result of people’s social snobbery and their desire to escape their cultural identity and heritage. In this text the major authority figure is Susan, the host of the dinner party, who desperately tries to keep her guests in line. Thus I absolutely agree that these three texts made me more aware of the ways in which people can come into conflict with the world or culture they inhabit”.

Finally look at this literary genre question : “The creation of memorable characters is part of the art of good story-telling” .

The unnamed narrator in Tobias Wolff’s novel ‘Old School’ (OS) is a fascinating and memorable character because he is struggling to come to terms with his own flaws. Similarly, the film ‘Generous’ (GEN) directed by Frank Faulkner has a central character Emily who we emphathise with despite her many flaws. Finally, the play ‘IMHO’ by Judy Price with its emsemble cast creates many memorable characters but for the purposes of this essay I will focus on the dinner party host Susan. These characters live on in our memories because of the writer’s choice of narrative point of view, because of the vivid imagery we associate with them and because the climax of the action revolves around their character.

NEXT you need to think about structuring the essay itself. The most important thing to decide in advance is what aspect you wish to compare for each page/section but this may need to change to adapt to the Q.

For theme or issue you might plan it out like this but at all times focus on answering the Q:

How is this theme introduced? How does this theme affect the central character/characters?
How is this theme developed? Do the central characters embrace or fight against it? How?
Do other characters influence how this theme unfolds?
How does the text end & what are our final impressions of this theme as a result?

Asking the same question of each text allows you to come up with the all important links (similarities & differences).

For general vision & viewpoint you might plan as follows but at all times focus on answering the Q:

What view is offered of humanity (are the main characters likable or deplorable?)
What view is offered of society (is this society largely benign or does it negatively impact on the characters)
How does the text end & what vision are we left with (positive or negative) as a result?

Alternatively you could just take a beginning, middle, end approach but you must at all times focus on whether the vision/feelings/atmosphere is positive or negative and how this impacts on the reader/viewers experience.

For literary genre you must focus on the aspects mentioned in the question – possibly some of these:

Genre – diff between novel/play/film
Narrator / point of view
Characterisation
Chronology – flashback / flashforward
Climax / twist

For cultural context you must decide which of the following issues are most prominent in all three texts – try to find links before you decide. At all times focus on answering the Q asked

Social class / social status
Wealth / poverty
Job opportunities / emigration
Authority figures
Sex / Marriage (attitudes towards)
Gender roles
Stereotypes / Ethnic identity

You may find some overlap between 2 of these – for example social class often influences a person’s wealth or poverty; religion often effects attitudes towards sex and marriage; marriage can often be a financial necessity for those with limited job opportunities (mostly women, so this overlaps with gender roles). Choose your sections carefully so you don’t end up repeating yourself.

You might plan as follows for the example given above but everything depends on the texts & the question.

Social status
Ethnic identity
How does the text end? Do the main characters escape or remain constrained by their cultural context?

Once you’ve decided what sections to include your structure for each goes a little something like this:

STATEMENT – ALL 3 TEXTS e.g. All of the central characters are deeply aware of their social class and wish to ‘climb the ladder’ as it were in the hope that they will achieve recognition, the envy of their peers and ultimately a better life.

STATEMENT – TEXT 1 e.g. In OS, the narrator hides his background (he comes from a broken home) from his wealthier peers.

KEY MOMENT TEXT 1 e.g. This is evident when he discusses how, at school, your social class was defined not just by your clothes but also by how you spent your summers – in his case “working as a dishwasher in the kitchen crew at a YMCA camp” a fact which he vows never to reveal to his classmates.

LINKING PHRASE & STATEMENT TEXT 2 e.g. Similarly, in GEN, Emily comes from a broken home, but it is her family’s absolute impoverishment which she keeps hidden from her classmates. Like the narrator in OS, she fears their pity but unlike him she is already dealing with the harsh reality of being a social outcast at school.

KEY MOMENT TEXT 2 e.g. During one key moment she describes leaning down to tie her shoes, all the while talking, only to look up and find her friends have walked off and are now laughing at her for talking to thin air. Thus her desire to escape the limitations of her background is more urgent than in OS.

LINKING PHRASE & STATEMENT TEXT 3 e.g. By contrast, in IMHO, Jane, Lucy, Joel, Zach & Max all come from upper middle class backgrounds. Their social status is more secure than the narrator in OS or Emily in GEN, yet they are all obsessed with creating the impression that they have links to the aristocracy – or in Zach’s case, royalty.

KEY MOMENT TEXT 3 e.g. Several key moments spring to mind, the funniest of which is when Lucy boasts about the diamond necklace she’s wearing being a family heirloom bequeathed by her Aunt Tess, only to have one of the so-called diamonds fall into her soup. Joel the jeweller then delights in pointing out the evident ‘fake’ in the room (the woman AND the diamond).

STATEMENT ALL 3 & PERSONAL RESPONSE TO QUESTION ASKED e.g. Thus I found it fascinating, tragic and at times hilarious to see how all of these characters were so deeply affected by their obsession with their social status and to observe the conflicts – both internal & external – which resulted.

This all sounds very technical but if you break it down as follows it’s not so complicated (easy for me to say!)

STATEMENT ALL 3 TEXTS

STATEMENT TEXT 1 & KEY MOMENT

LINKING PHRASE & STATEMENT TEXT 2 & KEY MOMENT

LINKING PHRASE & STATEMENT TEXT 3 & KEY MOMENT

STATEMENT ALL 3 & PERSONAL RESPONSE TO QUESTION

Now look at how the paragraph/section flows when you put it all together.

All of the central characters are deeply aware of their social class and wish to ‘climb the ladder’ as it were in the hope that they will achieve recognition, the envy of their peers and ultimately a better life. In OS, the narrator hides his background (he comes from a broken home) from his wealthier peers. This is evident when he discusses how, at school, your social class was defined not just by your clothes but also by how you spent your summers – in his case “working as a dishwasher in the kitchen crew at a YMCA camp” a fact which he vows never to reveal to his classmates. Similarly, in GEN, Emily comes from a broken home, but it is her family’s absolute impoverishment which she keeps hidden from her classmates. Like the narrator in OS, she fears their pity but unlike him she is already dealing with the harsh reality of being a social outcast at school. During one key moment she describes leaning down to tie her shoes at her locker, all the while talking, only to look up and find her friends have walked off and are now laughing at her for talking to thin air. Thus her desire to escape the stigma of her background is more urgent than in OS. By contrast, in IMHO, Jane, Lucy, Joel, Zach & Max all come from upper middle class backgrounds. Their social status is more secure than for narrator in OS or Emily in GEN, yet they are all obsessed with creating the impression that they have links to the aristocracy – or in Zach’s case, royalty. S everal key moments spring to mind, the funniest of which is when Lucy boasts about the diamond necklace she’s wearing being a family heirloom bequeathed by her Aunt Tess, only to have one of the so-called diamonds fall into her soup. Joel the jeweller then delights in pointing out the evident ‘fakes’ in the room (the woman AND the diamond). Thus I found it fascinating, tragic and at times hilarious to see how all of these characters were so deeply affected by their obsession with their social status and to observe the conflicts – both internal & external – which resulted.

This paragraph only establishes that the characters want to hide or improve their social class. You could now look at some of their attempts to improve their social status.

If a paragraph gets too long, break it into two. The linking phrase will make it clear that you’re still talking about the same issue.

For the 30 / 40 marls question just take all of your statements & key moments for Text 1 and put them together, all the while answering the question and offering personal response. This is your 30 marks part.

Then take all of your statements & links for texts 2 & 3 and put them together, all the while answering the question and offering personal response. This is your 40 marks part. You will refer back, in passing, to Text 1 but only when establishing your links.

Also, I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again: the more detailed a link is the more marks you’ll get for it. Thus just using the words ‘similarly’ or ‘by contrast’ isn’t really enough. Link individual characters from different texts, establish the ways they or their circumstances are similar but also point out subtle differences.

This structure applies no matter what the mode – theme or issue / general vision or viewpoint / cultural context / literary genre.

P.S. If you’re wondering why you’ve never heard of the film Generous or the play IMHO, I can explain. I made them up.

65 responses to “ Comparative essay structure ”

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Academic Writing

How to Write a Comparative Essay

Last Updated: May 19, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,684,604 times.

Perhaps you have been assigned a comparative essay in class, or need to write a comprehensive comparative report for work. 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. Once you have that, then you have to find at least two or three points of comparison and use research, facts, and well-organized paragraphs to impress and captivate your readers. Writing the comparative essay is an important skill that you will use many times throughout your scholastic career.

Comparative Essay Outline and Example

How to Develop the Essay Content

Step 1 Analyze the question or essay prompt carefully.

Many comparative essay assignments will signal their purpose by using words such as "compare," "contrast," "similarities," and "differences" in the language of the prompt.
Also see whether there are any limits placed on your topic.

Step 2 Understand the type of comparison essay you are being asked to write.

The assignment will generally ask guiding questions if you are expected to incorporate comparison as part of a larger assignment. For example: "Choose a particular idea or theme, such as love, beauty, death, or time, and consider how two different Renaissance poets approach this idea." This sentence asks you to compare two poets, but it also asks how the poets approach the point of comparison. In other words, you will need to make an evaluative or analytical argument about those approaches.
If you're unclear on what the essay prompt is asking you to do, talk with your instructor. It's much better to clarify questions up front than discover you've written the entire essay incorrectly.

Step 3 List similarities and differences between the items you are comparing.

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. [3] X Research source

Step 4 Evaluate your list to find your argument.

You may want to develop a system such as highlighting different types of similarities in different colors, or use different colours if you are using an electronic device.
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.

Step 5 Establish the basis for your comparison.

The basis for your comparison may be assigned to you. Be sure to check your assignment or prompt.
A basis for comparison may have to do with a theme, characteristics, or details about two different things. [7] X Research source
A basis for comparison may also be known as the “grounds” for comparison or a frame of reference.
Keep in mind that comparing 2 things that are too similar makes it hard to write an effective paper. The goal of a comparison paper is to draw interesting parallels and help the reader realize something interesting about our world. This means your subjects must be different enough to make your argument interesting.

Step 6 Research your subjects of comparison.

Research may not be required or appropriate for your particular assignment. If your comparative essay is not meant to include research, you should avoid including it.
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.
Be sure to cite any research data properly according to the discipline in which you are writing (eg, MLA, APA, or Chicago format).

Your thesis needs to make a claim about your subjects that you will then defend in your essay. It's good for this claim to be a bit controversial or up for interpretation, as this allows you to build a good argument.

How to Organize the Content

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.
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.

The advantages of this structure are that it continually keeps the comparison in the mind of the reader and forces you, the writer, to pay equal attention to each side of the argument.
This method is especially recommended for lengthy essays or complicated subjects where both the writer and reader can easily become lost. For Example: Paragraph 1: Engine power of vehicle X / Engine power of vehicle Y Paragraph 2: Stylishness of vehicle X / Stylishness of vehicle Y Paragraph 3: Safety rating of vehicle X / Safety rating of vehicle Y

Step 3 Alternate the subjects in each paragraph.

The advantages of this structure are that it allows you to discuss points in greater detail and makes it less jarring to tackle two topics that radically different.
This method is especially recommended for essays where some depth and detail are required. For example: Paragraph 1: Engine power of vehicle X Paragraph 2: Engine power of vehicle Y Paragraph 3: Stylishness of vehicle X Paragraph 4: Stylishness of vehicle Y Paragraph 5: Safety rating of vehicle X Paragraph 6: Safety rating of vehicle Y

Step 4 Cover one subject at a time thoroughly.

This method is by far the most dangerous, as your comparison can become both one-sided and difficult for the reader to follow.
This method is only recommended for short essays with simplistic subjects that the reader can easily remember as (s)he goes along. For example: Paragraph 1: Engine power of vehicle X Paragraph 2: Stylishness of vehicle X Paragraph 3: Safety rating of vehicle X Paragraph 4: Engine power of vehicle Y Paragraph 5: Stylishness of vehicle Y Paragraph 6: Safety rating of vehicle Y

How to Write the Essay

Body paragraphs first . Work through all that information you've been compiling and see what kind of story it tells you. Only when you've worked with your data will you know what the larger point of the paper is.
Conclusion second . Now that you've done all the heavy lifting, the point of your essay should be fresh in your mind. Strike while the iron’s hot. Start your conclusion with a restatement of your thesis.
Intro last . Open your introduction with a "hook" to grab the reader's attention. Since you've already written your essay, choose a hook that reflects what you will talk about, whether it's a quote, statistic, factoid, rhetorical question, or anecdote. Then, write 1-2 sentences about your topic, narrowing down to your thesis statement, which completes your introduction.

Organize your paragraphs using one of the approaches listed in the "Organizing the Content" part below. Once you have defined your points of comparison, choose the structure for the body paragraphs (where your comparisons go) that makes the most sense for your data. To work out all the organizational kinks, it’s recommended that you write an outline as a placeholder.
Be very careful not to address different aspects of each subject. Comparing the color of one thing to the size of another does nothing to help the reader understand how they stack up. [15] X Research source

Be aware that your various comparisons won’t necessarily lend themselves to an obvious conclusion, especially because people value things differently. If necessary, make the parameters of your argument more specific. (Ex. “Though X is more stylish and powerful, Y’s top safety ratings make it a more appropriate family vehicle .”)
When you have two radically different topics, it sometimes helps to point out one similarity they have before concluding. (i.e. "Although X and Y don't seem to have anything in common, in actuality, they both ....”)

Even the best writers know editing is important to produce a good piece. Your essay will not be your best effort unless you revise it.
If possible, find a friend to look over the essay, as he or she may find problems that you missed.
It sometimes helps to increase or decrease the font size while editing to change the visual layout of the paper. 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.

Expert Q&A

The title and introduction really catch the reader's attention and make them read the essay. Make sure you know how to write a catchy essay title . Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 1
Quotes should be used sparingly and must thoroughly complement the point they are being used to exemplify/justify. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 2
The key principle to remember in a comparative paragraph or essay is that you must clarify precisely what you are comparing and keep that comparison alive throughout the essay. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 2

Avoid vague language such as "people," "stuff," "things," etc. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
Avoid, at all costs, the conclusion that the two subjects are "similar, yet different." This commonly found conclusion weakens any comparative essay, because it essentially says nothing about the comparison. Most things are "similar, yet different" in some way. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
Some believe that an "unbalanced" comparison - that is, when the essay focuses predominantly on one of the two issues, and gives less importance to the other - is weaker, and that writers should strive for 50/50 treatment of the texts or issues being examined. Others, however, value emphasis in the essay that reflects the particular demands of the essay's purpose or thesis. One text may simply provide context, or historical/artistic/political reference for the main text, and therefore need not occupy half of the essay's discussion or analysis. A "weak" essay in this context would strive to treat unequal texts equally, rather than strive to appropriately apportion space to the relevant text. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
Beware of the "Frying Pan Conclusion" in which you simply recount everything that was said in the main body of the essay. While your conclusion should include a simple summary of your argument, it should also emphatically state the point in a new and convincing way, one which the reader will remember clearly. If you can see a way forward from a problem or dilemma, include that as well. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1

↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/comparing-and-contrasting/
↑ http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-of-writing/comparative-essay
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/comparing-and-contrasting/
↑ http://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/how-write-comparative-analysis
↑ https://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/style_purpose_strategy/compare_contrast.html
↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/writingforsuccess/chapter/10-7-comparison-and-contrast/
↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/steps_for_revising.html
How to Structure Paragraphs in an Essay

About This Article

To write a comparative essay, start by writing an introduction that introduces the 2 subjects you'll be comparing. You should also include your thesis statement in the introduction, which should state what you've concluded based on your comparisons. Next, write the body of your essay so that each paragraph focuses on one point of comparison between your subjects. Finally, write a conclusion that summarizes your main points and draws a larger conclusion about the two things you compared. To learn how to do research for your essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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4.1: Introduction to Comparison and Contrast Essay

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The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. Comparison and contrast is simply telling how two things are alike or different. The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both. The thesis should focus on comparing, contrasting, or both.

Key Elements of the Compare and Contrast:

A compare-and-contrast essay analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both.
The purpose of writing a comparison or contrast essay is not to state the obvious but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities between two subjects.
The thesis should clearly state the subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both, and it should state what is to be learned from doing so.
Organize by the subjects themselves, one then the other.
Organize by individual points, in which you discuss each subject in relation to each point.
Use phrases of comparison or phrases of contrast to signal to readers how exactly the two subjects are being analyzed.

Objectives: By the end of this unit, you will be able to

Identify compare & contrast relationships in model essays
Construct clearly formulated thesis statements that show compare & contrast relationships
Use pre-writing techniques to brainstorm and organize ideas showing a comparison and/or contrast
Construct an outline for a five-paragraph compare & contrast essay
Write a five-paragraph compare & contrast essay
Use a variety of vocabulary and language structures that express compare & contrast essay relationships

Example Thesis: Organic vegetables may cost more than those that are conventionally grown, but when put to the test, they are definitely worth every extra penny.

Graphic Showing Organization for Comparison Contrast Essay

Sample Paragraph:

Organic grown tomatoes purchased at the farmers’ market are very different from tomatoes that are grown conventionally. To begin with, although tomatoes from both sources will mostly be red, the tomatoes at the farmers’ market are a brighter red than those at a grocery store. That doesn’t mean they are shinier—in fact, grocery store tomatoes are often shinier since they have been waxed. You are likely to see great size variation in tomatoes at the farmers’ market, with tomatoes ranging from only a couple of inches across to eight inches across. By contrast, the tomatoes in a grocery store will be fairly uniform in size. All the visual differences are interesting, but the most important difference is the taste. The farmers’ market tomatoes will be bursting with flavor from ripening on the vine in their own time. However, the grocery store tomatoes are often close to being flavorless. In conclusion, the differences in organic and conventionally grown tomatoes are obvious in color, size and taste.

Comparative Essay

How to Write a Comparative Essay – A Complete Guide

10 min read

What is a Comparative Essay?

A comparative essay is a type of essay in which an essay writer compares at least two or more items. The author compares two subjects with the same relation in terms of similarities and differences depending on the assignment.

The main purpose of the comparative essay is to:

Highlight the similarities and differences in a systematic manner.
Provide great clarity of the subject to the readers.
Analyze two things and describe their advantages and drawbacks.

A comparative essay is also known as compare and contrast essay or a comparison essay. It analyzes two subjects by either comparing them, contrasting them, or both. The Venn diagram is the best tool for writing a paper about the comparison between two subjects.

Moreover, a comparative analysis essay discusses the similarities and differences of themes, items, events, views, places, concepts, etc. For example, you can compare two different novels (e.g., The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Red Badge of Courage).

However, a comparative essay is not limited to specific topics. It covers almost every topic or subject with some relation.

Comparative Essay Structure

A good comparative essay is based on how well you structure your essay. It helps the reader to understand your essay better.

The structure is more important than what you write. This is because it is necessary to organize your essay so that the reader can easily go through the comparisons made in an essay.

The following are the two main methods in which you can organize your comparative essay.

Point-by-Point Method

The point-by-point or alternating method provides a detailed overview of the items that you are comparing. In this method, organize items in terms of similarities and differences.

This method makes the writing phase easy for the writer to handle two completely different essay subjects. It is highly recommended where some depth and detail are required.

Below given is the structure of the point-by-point method.

Block Method

The block method is the easiest as compared to the point-by-point method. In this method, you divide the information in terms of parameters. It means that the first paragraph compares the first subject and all their items, then the second one compares the second, and so on.

However, make sure that you write the subject in the same order. This method is best for lengthy essays and complicated subjects.

Here is the structure of the block method.

Therefore, keep these methods in mind and choose the one according to the chosen subject.

Mixed Paragraphs Method

In this method, one paragraph explains one aspect of the subject. As a writer, you will handle one point at a time and one by one. This method is quite beneficial as it allows you to give equal weightage to each subject and help the readers identify the point of comparison easily.

How to Start a Comparative Essay?

Here, we have gathered some steps that you should follow to start a well-written comparative essay.

Choose a Topic

The foremost step in writing a comparative essay is to choose a suitable topic.

Choose a topic or theme that is interesting to write about and appeals to the reader.

An interesting essay topic motivates the reader to know about the subject. Also, try to avoid complicated topics for your comparative essay.

Develop a List of Similarities and Differences

Create a list of similarities and differences between two subjects that you want to include in the essay. Moreover, this list helps you decide the basis of your comparison by constructing your initial plan.

Evaluate the list and establish your argument and thesis statement .

Establish the Basis for Comparison

The basis for comparison is the ground for you to compare the subjects. In most cases, it is assigned to you, so check your assignment or prompt.

Furthermore, the main goal of the comparison essay is to inform the reader of something interesting. It means that your subject must be unique to make your argument interesting.

Do the Research

In this step, you have to gather information for your subject. If your comparative essay is about social issues, historical events, or science-related topics, you must do in-depth research.

However, make sure that you gather data from credible sources and cite them properly in the essay.

Create an Outline

An essay outline serves as a roadmap for your essay, organizing key elements into a structured format.

With your topic, list of comparisons, basis for comparison, and research in hand, the next step is to create a comprehensive outline.

Here is a standard comparative essay outline:

How to Write a Comparative Essay?

Now that you have the basic information organized in an outline, you can get started on the writing process.

Here are the essential parts of a comparative essay:

Comparative Essay Introduction

Start off by grabbing your reader's attention in the introduction . Use something catchy, like a quote, question, or interesting fact about your subjects.

Then, give a quick background so your reader knows what's going on.

The most important part is your thesis statement, where you state the main argument , the basis for comparison, and why the comparison is significant.

This is what a typical thesis statement for a comparative essay looks like:

Comparative Essay Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs are where you really get into the details of your subjects. Each paragraph should focus on one thing you're comparing.

Start by talking about the first point of comparison. Then, go on to the next points. Make sure to talk about two to three differences to give a good picture.

After that, switch gears and talk about the things they have in common. Just like you discussed three differences, try to cover three similarities.

This way, your essay stays balanced and fair. This approach helps your reader understand both the ways your subjects are different and the ways they are similar. Keep it simple and clear for a strong essay.

Comparative Essay Conclusion

In your conclusion , bring together the key insights from your analysis to create a strong and impactful closing.

Consider the broader context or implications of the subjects' differences and similarities. What do these insights reveal about the broader themes or ideas you're exploring?

Discuss the broader implications of these findings and restate your thesis. Avoid introducing new information and end with a thought-provoking statement that leaves a lasting impression.

Below is the detailed comparative essay template format for you to understand better.

Comparative Essay Format

Comparative Essay Examples

Have a look at these comparative essay examples pdf to get an idea of the perfect essay.

Comparative Essay on Summer and Winter

Comparative Essay on Books vs. Movies

Comparative Essay Sample

Comparative Essay Thesis Example

Comparative Essay on Football vs Cricket

Comparative Essay on Pet and Wild Animals

Comparative Essay Topics

Comparative essay topics are not very difficult or complex. Check this list of essay topics and pick the one that you want to write about.

How do education and employment compare?
Living in a big city or staying in a village.
The school principal or college dean.
New Year vs. Christmas celebration.
Dried Fruit vs. Fresh. Which is better?
Similarities between philosophy and religion.
British colonization and Spanish colonization.
Nuclear power for peace or war?
Bacteria or viruses.
Fast food vs. homemade food.

Tips for Writing A Good Comparative Essay

Writing a compelling comparative essay requires thoughtful consideration and strategic planning. Here are some valuable tips to enhance the quality of your comparative essay:

Clearly define what you're comparing, like themes or characters.
Plan your essay structure using methods like point-by-point or block paragraphs.
Craft an introduction that introduces subjects and states your purpose.
Ensure an equal discussion of both similarities and differences.
Use linking words for seamless transitions between paragraphs.
Gather credible information for depth and authenticity.
Use clear and simple language, avoiding unnecessary jargon.
Dedicate each paragraph to a specific point of comparison.
Summarize key points, restate the thesis, and emphasize significance.
Thoroughly check for clarity, coherence, and correct any errors.

Transition Words For Comparative Essays

Transition words are crucial for guiding your reader through the comparative analysis. They help establish connections between ideas and ensure a smooth flow in your essay.

Here are some transition words and phrases to improve the flow of your comparative essay:

Transition Words for Similarities

Correspondingly
In the same vein
In like manner
In a similar fashion
In tandem with

Transition Words for Differences

On the contrary
In contrast
Nevertheless
In spite of
Notwithstanding
On the flip side
In contradistinction

Check out this blog listing more transition words that you can use to enhance your essay’s coherence!

In conclusion, now that you have the important steps and helpful tips to write a good comparative essay, you can start working on your own essay.

However, if you find it tough to begin, you can always hire our college paper writing service .

Our skilled writers can handle any type of essay or assignment you need. So, don't wait—place your order now and make your academic journey easier!

Frequently Asked Question

How long is a comparative essay.

A comparative essay is 4-5 pages long, but it depends on your chosen idea and topic.

How do you end a comparative essay?

Here are some tips that will help you to end the comparative essay.

Restate the thesis statement
Wrap up the entire essay
Highlight the main points

Write Essay Within 60 Seconds!

Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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Comparative essays are a staple of Advanced, Extension I English and throughout Year 7-10, and the rationale behind it makes sense – NESA wants to measure and test your understanding of abstract concepts and ideas across different texts and forms. A comparative essay in layman’s terms is simply an essay which discusses two or more texts in regards to a common (or differing) element, which could involve themes, contextual influence or construction. You’ll encounter these in Module A: Textual Conversations as well as in your elective for Extension I, but similar skills are potentially needed for your Literary Worlds and you’ll even encounter a simplified version of it for short answer responses in Paper 1! As you can tell, this is a seriously handy skill to have.

1. Before you compare

I briefly mentioned three things earlier – themes, contextual influence and construction. Within an essay, you have to explore all three of these in some shape or form.

Themes are the most obvious. To borrow Mod A terminology, themes can either ‘resonate’ or be ‘dissonant’ between texts. A comparative essay would analyse how composers have understood these ideas, and the way they have been represented in their work. For example, for ‘The Tempest’ and ‘Hag-Seed’, you could discuss the concept of isolation. You would write that Shakespeare literally placed Prospero on a island far flung from Milan (physical isolation) whereas Atwood’s protagonist is mentally isolated, being distant and mentally unstable from the rest of society after the death of his loved ones and a bitter betrayal. To see detailed notes of Tempest and Hagseed, click here .

Contextual influence In both your Extension elective and Mod A, and any comparative you do in Year 7-10, this is SUPER important – the world and life of a composer will be reflected in a text through their artistic movement, social values and norms, cultural references and much more. No context is the same between creators, and by analysing them you can get a better understanding of their intent and logic behind the text. This is especially critical when evaluating themes, since different contexts will elucidate different responses. Take Keats’ poetry and ‘Bright Star’ – not only were they made in different millenniums, but their movements, Romanticism and postmodernism respectively, have different objectives and agendas.

Construction could be form, but also style and craft. Different mediums will elicit different responses and their conventions will communicate different ideas more strongly. An obvious example would be that of ‘Frankenstein’ (to see full notes on Frankenstein, click here ) and ‘Metropolis’. In the former Shelley uses prose fiction to reminisce and remember, establishing this unsettling and moody atmosphere. Fritz, with his film on the other hand, makes strong use of visuals to express the tension and anxieties of his time.

When you’re preparing to write an essay, keep those three in mind. Now that you’ve got that, how do we go about structuring it? The truth is that there is not one single way to write an essay. Comparatives only require you to discuss ideas between texts, and as such there is not a prescribed format you must use. However, remember that all texts should be given fair weighting! You don’t want to end up with a response which is biased towards one text. Achieving a balanced comparative essay in Advanced and Extension I are two completely different beasts, and as such we should take a look at each subject separately. That being said, a commonality between the two is the way you write an introduction.

2. Introducing the Comparisons

In the intro, you’ll not only need to introduce the texts and contextualise them, but also reveal your thesis, what it means, and how it’s explored in each text. Use your best friend PEEL here – it will seriously help you reveal insights more coherently and strongly. Let’s start with our opener. Here’s an example of an opening from Mod A:

Between Mrs Dalloway (1925) and The Hours (2002), the texts discuss modernity’s preoccupation of claiming individual choice.

Let’s break this down:

The texts – ‘Mrs Dalloway’ and ‘The Hours’ have been named. A year has been attached to each, and this gives markers a clue as to the disparate contexts between the texts.

The thesis (an overarching argument) has been introduced also, that of “modernity’s preoccupation to claim individual choice”. Get used to making a theory about your texts – write about what you really think about these works. What themes or ideas do they present? What do they make you reconsider or discover? Do they teach you anything? Your personal response to literature is king here; be confident and make a statement! Just make sure it’s backed up with evidence.

Now that the point has been made, we need to explain what it all means.

Though there are common themes, ideas and even characters, the disparities present between Virginia Woolf’s novel and Stephen Daldry’s film are far more revealing of fluctuating social values and changing attitudes. Aside from the difference in form, the contrasting perspectives of Woolf’s Interwar, modernist England and Daldry’s 2000s, postmodern America have caused this pair of texts to be shaped uniquely by their contexts and thus reveal conflicting, even competing, aspirations and anxieties, particularly those regarding modernity and mortality.

We address the question statement “the disparities … are far more revealing of fluctuating social values”. Straight after you make your point you need to answer what the question’s asking and relate that to your texts. That’s revealed when…

We showed the comparison. This explainer mentioned “common themes, ideas and even characters”, which depending on your question might be more important. However, since the question asked for dissonances, we established instead a divide between the two texts – “difference in form” and “contrasting perspectives”.

If you hadn’t already, name the authors and the forms. You could do it in your opening line, but here we’ve chosen to do so here with “Woolf’s novel” and “Daldry’s film”.

We also just showed the contexts – “Interwar, modernist England” and “2000s, postmodern America”. In three words each, we have established a time period, a movement and a location. Be economical and straight to the point like this – you don’t have much time in an exam to waffle on forever.

We also honed into what the thesis means – how the texts reflect “competing, even conflicting aspirations and anxieties” towards “modernity and mortality”.

That second phrase of “modernity and mortality” reveals the key points , and what the body paragraphs will explore further. Depending on how you structure your essay, this might not be needed as your body paragraphs will be dedicated to different texts. But once again, we’ll come back to this.

Now that the explanations have been exhausted, it’s time to probe our texts, which are examples to sustain our thesis .

Dalloway, a seminal modernist text, saw choice as the greatest ideal which the modern world espoused, in that one’s fate must be willed and not determined by proportion. A powerful dissonance arises when the novel is appropriated by The Hours, which took a more skeptical approach towards choice, viewing it simultaneously as liberating and as a parasitic obsession over individuality.

The central idea behind each text is shown. Dalloway “saw choice as the greatest ideal”, while Hours “took a more sceptical approach… viewing it simultaneously as liberating and… parasitic”. In doing so, in your introduction you can show how your texts affirm or diverge in beliefs.

Finally, once you’ve given evidence it is time to link it all back to what you’re writing for in the first place.

Though the resonance of modern people finding fulfilment and freedom from establishments remain, it is in the difference in values that audiences can contemplate upon their own context’s impact on themselves, powerfully evident through the textual conversation between Dalloway and The Hours.

Breaking it down once again:

Note the use of rubric terms . Markers LOVE seeing this. Make sure you read up on the module rubric and identify what exactly you’re supposed to be looking out for while analysing your texts. In this case, “resonance” and “textual conversation” here.

We also talk about audience impact , a big part of HSC English. No essay is complete without evaluating the reception of a text by its readers or viewers. In this case, we discuss how “audiences can contemplate on their own context’s impact on themselves”.

We get more references to the question and thesis in “difference in values” and “finding fulfilment and freedom” respectively. This is a must in your link.

Sounds straightforward, right? Notice how throughout this essay there’s a constant back and forth between texts. This is a very simple way of making direct comparisons, and doing this will help you structure your ideas while also communicating clearly. And even though we’re at the beginning, let’s jump straight to the end! Conclusions are essentially the same in format as introductions, except they’re conclusive. Go figure. Just look above for what elements to look out for, summarise and pull out all your evaluations.

Unfortunately, from here on out things are going to get messy. Depending on your texts and the number of texts, you might find yourself structuring your body paragraphs differently. So, time to split off and look at Advanced and Extension I!

3. Module A: conversations about comparisons

No matter what question you’ll be thrown, you will always have to look at TWO texts – the original and then its appropriation. Markers expect students to answer a question with equal weighting to each text, and as such you need to remember that the inspired text is just as powerful as its inspiration . Knowing that, there is one way you can approach your body paragraphs that will be a sure-fire hit with markers.

Integration .

In this style of writing, you will discuss both texts in relation to a theme or idea. This generally tends to be the preferred style of writing, since it allows for comparisons to be drawn continually and consistently. It is also the way to go for Mod A since the whole point of the module is textual conversation . So, let’s have a look at key lines from a paragraph in that Dalloway and Hours essay:

In order to present disparate conceptions of modernity, Woolf and Daldry manipulated their form with modernist and postmodernist praxis respectively, examining context to invoke contemplation within responders regarding the role of society in affecting personal experience.

And once again our body paragraphs follow a PEEL structure . The opening line establishes the explored theme , reference to context , and the intent . Get used to writing succinctly and bluntly – it will save you time in an exam!

Woolf pioneered stream of consciousness writing, eliminating the Victorian era’s omnipresent narrator as to witness the intrusion of past memories and external stimuli within a world of boisterous flux.

Our little explanation pinpoints the form element and its significance .

Following this in the paragraph, we get evidence from a quote early on in the novel, then the analysis. To wrap off this part we get:

As a result, Woolf alludes to a frantic, broken world which in the aftermath of the Great War feels a sense of loss and disillusionment.

A link is made between the evidence given and the theme , which help explore the thesis established in the introduction. From this insight we get a better understanding of what the composer was trying to communicate – to say to the audience.

Meanwhile, within The Hours Daldry and cinematographer Seamus McGarvey used postmodern disrupted chronology.

Our second text receives the same treatment as the first – the composer is named and we also learn about what form element we are focusing on.

Daldry was more concerned with examining modernity as an era, an epoch in history.

This explanation likewise shows the significance of this form element in relation to the theme.

By doing so, the very reason for these parallelled scenes becomes clear, revealing dissonances between peoples in the same era, and that there is no singular experience.

This insight is drawn after discussing scenes from the film. Another link is made between the theme and evidence .

The two texts clearly demonstrate disparities in tone; Woolf’s modernity ‘mis-en-scène’ articulates a society bewildered by the brave new world they are living within, whereas Daldry is more retrospective, contemplating on the diversity of voices and, questioning the supposed experiential hegemony of the era. Evidently, the two texts have expressed dissonances in the way their composers perceive modernity.

And here is our grand link – we reach a conclusion , make a comparison and reframe what was discussed with regards to the question . The little insights and evaluations throughout the paragraph culminate here and reveal what was learnt from an analysis of the two texts.

You may have noticed a pattern in the paragraph, in that there were mirrors in analysis between the two texts. That’s the powerful simplicity of the PEEL style, it’s naturally conducive to comparative essays. Even though it was more like PEEEELEEEELL there still was a coherent and logical sequence of arguments and ideas, which is something you need to watch out for while writing. Your ideas need to lead to a conclusion. This ‘mirrored’ type of writing is handy when trying to discuss two texts.

Now for some general tips and advice for Mod A comparatives:

Write either two OR four paragraphs. By that, I mean follow an AB AB or A B A B format, with either two chunky bodies or four smaller bite-sized analysis (preferably the latter). No matter which you choose you’ll still end up discussing only two themes, with the only difference being whether the two texts are discussed in the same paragraph or not. Three ideas might be overkill in the space of 40 minutes and should be avoided unless your teacher prefers a 3 body paragraph integrated structure.

You can write two dedicated paragraphs which are dedicated to one text each, but it’s risky. By segregating the two texts you run the danger of discussing them in isolation, which defeats the purpose of comparative essays and Mod A in general! If you decide to take this narrow and rocky path, make sure in your second paragraph that you keep making reference to the ‘original’ text and make your conclusion SUPER focused on drawing links between the pair. But once again, this is definitely not a recommended structure of writing.

4. Comparing your elective world

In Section II of your Extension I exam , you’ll need two prescribed texts and between one to two related texts. The weighting of these texts vary on how many you choose. That being said all texts are relevant and should be treated as such . Unlike Mod A, in Extension English there is a little bit more freedom to play around with essay structure since the style of questions and the sort of analysis they expect from you is far more in-depth and abstract. So, let’s quickly run over what kind of styles you can take:

Option A: Integration . Just like in Mod A, you would be discussing your prescribed and related text(s) in one paragraph. Extension I is the home of chunky paragraphs, so don’t worry about having to split them up for different texts. Once again, just follow PEEL and you’ll be alright. Your opening lines would have to establish the theme , two texts (because let’s be real, you can’t talk about three or four texts at the same time!), intent and significance . If you choose two do two related texts here, make sure you bring each one up only once throughout the essay. If you go over, you might end up giving it undue weight.

Option B: Isolation . In this subject, discussing the texts individually can and has worked. However if you choose to do this, make sure you’ve got a strong thesis and a core theme per text . Take for example this essay from Worlds of Upheaval. Keep an eye out for the thesis, which was that “individuals in confused societies are swept away by revolution”. The paragraphs opened with the following:

Those caught in confusion are denied self-expression as part of a monolithic politic, breeding uncertainty and injustice. An organisation of this nature inevitably becomes dogmatic and demands more of individuals. This, the great insanity of ideology, is responsible for creating a toxic public sphere. One representation of the political paradigm would be Marxism in Metropolis, which unwaveringly condemns it.

Though the uncertainty and injustice of confusion is universal, literary conceptions of Revolution are mixed, contingent from varied political affiliations between composers. Frankenstein is critical of Enlightenment and Romantic inclinations to deify mankind, implicating that confusion and revolution are one and the same — even if the two conflicting ideologies are antithesis to each other.

Against the poles of establishment and insurrection, the individual finds themselves driven towards action and reaction towards their context’s upheaval. Hashino in Persona 5 uses protagonist Ren Amamiya as the player’s means of embracing revolution within Confucian, hierarchical and hyper-capitalistic Japan.

Let’s annotate these:

Each paragraph centred on a different thesis element, text and context. Using the first as an example, “confused society” is the focus for Metropolis, and a quick aside about Marxism in Weimar Germany is made.

We also get an unfolding argument , that is, we compare texts by looking at how they recieve, or judge, the thesis. The second paragraph shows Shelley finds that “confusion and revolution are one and the same”, whereas Hashino in his video game wants players to “embrace revolution”. That shows that central themes are understood and reacted to differently in different contexts – the whole reason as to why you’re writing a comparative to begin with!

And how interesting that we only use one related text . If you choose to write texts in isolation, stick to one. You might have an hour to write an essay, but the level of substance and depth expected in an Extension essay is considerably more than that in Advanced. If you want to hit an E4, keep to three paragraphs. Any more than that would really strain you during the exam.

You might be wondering why you can write in depth about a related text when writing in isolation, but need to be sparse when writing integrated. In integrated paragraphs, you can afford to bring up two related texts. A format of AC BD AB works since if you rearrange these components (AA BB CD) you still get two paragraphs about prescribed texts and one with a related. Four isolated comparative paragraphs of AA BB CC DD are not only a waste of your precious exam time, but throw focus away from the prescribed texts – the balance of analysis is thrown off. So just remember this lesson: one in isolation, one or two get integrated. That being said, don’t do two unless you’re forced to or you’re super keen. One will get the job done!

5. Sharing the Comparing

We’ve been focusing on Mod A and the Extension elective, but they’re not the only places you’ll find comparative essay writing. You might be reading this as a Year 10 or 11 student and have absolutely no idea what a related text is. Don’t sweat! You could be asked to pick two or three texts and analyse them – so pick between integrated or isolated writing based on the question and what you’re comfortable with . Don’t forget the important stuff – context, themes, intent. They are the fundamentals. If you integrate, pick a theme per paragraph and discuss two texts. If you isolate, dedicate a paragraph per text and how they respond to the question, or statement, or thesis.

If you’re a Year 12 student, you might find yourself writing comparative essays in unexpected places. You will write extremely short versions of these for Texts and Human Experiences during Section I of Paper I. To see a full guide for this, click here . Many questions in past exams focused on how two texts explored a central emotion or experience – this is just another theme! Follow the integrated structure. Meanwhile, a critical response might be asked of you for Literary Worlds and you could be given multiple excerpts to analyse. Once again, choose between the two options based on suitability and personal preference. And when you compare, pay attention to literary theory and criticism – use what you’ve learnt in class to inform your discussion.

And that wraps it up! Comparative essays are a versatile and stylish way to investigate different texts – and they are key to success in the HSC.

However, this is not a skill you can perfect overnight. And this is where our tutors step in! Even from Year 7, our english tutors go through comparative studies between texts commonly studied in school (eg Shakespeare) and comprehension exam papers with sample answers for comparative mini-essays, so that students are prepared for any comparative study assessment they face during high school. Contact us to find out how we can help you today!

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Sample HSC English Essay-Belonging

Do you find it difficult to write essays about belonging.

Firstly, read our post on How to write band six essays !

Then, read the following band six response for further guidance, or Download it as a word document

This sample HSC English essay received a mark of 14 out of 15. It is not perfect, but makes some good points and illustrates the structure you should aspire to have in your essays. It refers to the prescribed text As You Like It by William Shakespeare.[separator top=”40″ style=”shadow”]

“Relationships are essential to finding a true sense of belonging”

Discuss with reference to your prescribed text and related text/s

Due to the complex and abstract nature of the concept of belonging, a true sense of belonging can be found in different circumstances for different people. As each individual has their own desires, needs and values, they find their place in the world and a genuine sense of belonging in various avenues. Many individuals find the strongest sense of belonging through relationships, due to the fact that by nature these connections fulfill the human need for social interaction and enrich the lives of the persons involved. Conversely, relationships which do not fit the conventional model of this kind of connection and thus result in negative outcomes for individuals can ultimately lead to a true sense of not belonging and its related notions of isolation and disaffection. Instead, these individuals may attain the same sense that they truly belong outside relationships, though their connections to other ideas such as place and culture, or within themselves. Shakespeare’s As You Like It and Khyenstse Norbu’s Travellers and Magicians are two texts in which an exploration of belonging and its different meanings for individuals ultimately leads to a deeper understanding of the complexity of the concept of belonging and thus that individuals can find a true sense of belonging in a great range of places, not limited to relationships.

Relationships by nature embody ideas of a connection on a psychological level between two people which can fulfill other fundamental human needs such as the need for social interaction, and thus can result in the individuals involved attaining a true sense of belonging. When individuals find meaning and purpose in connections with other people, as they often do in relationships, the need to belong is fulfilled in the greatest sense as the individuals life is enriched by the positive outcomes for their self esteem, security and stability. This idea can be seen in the relationship between Adam and Orlando set up by Shakespeare in As You Like It. Adam promises that he will “follow thee to the last gasp with truth and loyalty” when Orlando decides to go to the forest. By changing the rhyme scheme for Adam’s declaration of commitment to Orlando, Shakespeare effectively emphasizes the lack of superficiality that exists in this relationship as opposed to other relationships he sets up in the play. In their relationship, Orlando finds purpose and stability in his life, knowing he has another person who will always look out for him, just as Adam finds purpose knowing he will always be in the company of Orlando, seen where he states “Fortune cannot recompense me better than to die well and not my master’s debtor.” Through this, Shakespeare communicates that in relationships which are built on trust, loyalty or other solid connections between people, individuals can find meaning, stability, purpose and thus a true sense that they belong. In Travellers and Magicians Norbu inquires into similar ideas which support the value of relationships in the search for a true sense of belonging. In the relationship between Tashi and Deki, Norbu communicates the idea of their deeper connection on all levels through quickly alternating close ups between the expressive eyes of Deki and Tashi, which create the idea that their souls and desires are connecting as their eyes remain fixed on one another. The couple is also often presented on equal terms embracing each other, caring and showing affection through mid shots. Their connection leads Tashi to exclaim “If I never left this place, and died right here with you, I would not die unhappy.” Norbu thus effectively supports the idea that meaning and purpose can be found in real connections with others, and that consequently individuals can find the strongest sense of belonging in relationships such as these. Through this relationship, he also inquires further into the reasons why relationships can lead to a individual feeling that they truly belong. By suggesting that the positive outcomes which the human psyche correlates with attaining a sense of belonging, such as understanding, stability and care manifest themselves in relationships, Norbu advocates and supports the almost inextricable link between belonging and relationships.

Whilst there may be an almost inextricable link between belonging and relationships, not all relationships ultimately lead to individuals finding a genuine sense of belonging which manifests itself in positive outcomes for their lives. Some relationships can be driven by the quest to maintain control, have power and maintain authority over others or by the decisively one sided benefits to one of the individuals involved. In these relationships, it is more likely that individuals find themselves not belonging, isolated and disaffected rather than finding a true sense of belonging. This idea is expanded on by Norbu in Travellers and Magicians. The relationship between Deki and Agay is characterized by Agay’s domination of his young and beautiful wife. This is emphasized through low shots which place the vertically challenged Agay in a position of power over Deki and his statement to Tashi that he makes her live in the isolated hut with him because “We may grow old, but our jealousy stays young.” Deki is thus presented by Norbu as isolated in her relationship; she does not feel the strong connection with Agay that conventional notions of being in the marriage relationship would suggest. Thus through the negative consequences for Deki of being in a relationship with Tashi, and her strong sense of isolation and the feeling she does not truly belong, Norbu communicates the idea that relationships are not always central for individuals trying to find a true sense of belonging. Shakespeare through the representation of a relationship in which love is unrequited similarly challenges the connection between relationships and a true sense of belonging. Whilst Phoebe ends up marrying Silvius, there is a lot of ambiguity in whether she truly loves him and thus has attained a genuine sense of belonging in this relationship. When they marry, all Phoebe comments is “I will not eat my word now thou art mine Thy faith and my fancy to thee doth combine.” A rhyming couplet draws emphasis to this section of the play, where it is not resolved whether Phoebe truly commits her whole self into this relationship, and thus whether Silvius will experience the positive outcomes of the relationship he has desired throughout the play. In this ambiguity, Shakespeare supports the notion that individuals do not always find the greatest sense that they belong in relationships, especially relationships which are unequal and result in negative outcomes for individuals.

Individuals can find a true sense of belonging outside the confines of a relationship in connections to ideas such as culture, place or even within themselves. As each individual is intrinsically different, so are the ways in which they fulfill the fundamental human need to belong. Norbu presents the ideas that individuals can find contentment and fulfill the need to belong through connection to traditional culture and village life. In the first scene, a series of quickly changing mid shots show the activities of daily life in their rural setting. The villagers all wear traditional Gho’s and shrieks of joy emphasized through an echo when practicing archery suggest they are content with these repetitive activities. Essentially, they conform to the expectations of their traditional culture and life and find a true sense of belonging and fulfillment in this connection. Norbu thus demonstrates in this connection that a true sense of belonging and its positive outcomes can be found outside relationships. Duke Senior in As You Like It, can similarly be described as finding a genuine sense of belonging and contentment with his place and environment, the Forest of Arden. He asks Amiens and the audience “Are not these woods More free from peril than the envious court?” In the use of the words “free from peril,” Shakespeare suggests that in this place Duke Senior feels comfortable, content and untroubled and thus has developed a true sense of belonging with this place. The character of Jacques also finds an inner contentment within his meaningless existence.. At the end of the play, Jacques states “I am for other than for dancing measures” and retires to Duke Senior’s “abandoned cave.” He deliberately chooses not to belong in relationships with his comrades, instead he finds his own sense of contentment within himself, and thus Shakespeare demonstrates that a true sense of belonging can be found within an individual.

The complexity of the concept of belonging often means that individuals find belonging in different places to other individuals. Whilst many individuals can attain a true sense of belonging in relationships, due to the nature of these connections and the positive outcomes they have for individuals, there are some relationships in which individuals experience the opposite from truly belonging. Furthermore, there are many circumstances outside the confines of relationships in which individuals can attain a genuine sense of belonging, including culture, place and within themselves. Analysis of a range of texts including As You Like It and Travellers and Magicians inquire into these ideas and foster an appreciation for the need to consider different circumstances and individuals before making assumptions about the multifaceted concept of belonging. Ultimately, relationships are often the connections in which individuals find the truest sense that they belong, but the fulfillment of the fundamental need to belong is not strictly limited to the confines of a relationship.

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Being able to define a thesis statement is an imperative skill in the HSC. The success of your English essay almost entirely hinges on how good your THESIS is. Your essay should be understood as an extended exposition of your thesis, with every point being a further piece of evidence in favour of it. All our…

The HSC English Exams

Yes you read that correctly, not only is English compulsory but it also is allowed to put you through the agony of two exams. Each exam tests different things so make sure you are prepared for the right exam on the right day! The Board of Studies is a very creative bunch, so the two…

introduction is way to long

Where did they lose the 1 mark from?

nice! Learn to use the word ‘thus’ properly though haha

Duly noted dfghjk, thanks.

not vey good structure. need to have more quotes, and evidence of how relationships strengthen or limit belonging. intro and conclusion were too long, i don’t know how this got 14. i would give it a 10, it lacks depth and tends to retell the story.

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Comparative Analysis

What It Is and Why It's Useful

Comparative analysis asks writers to make an argument about the relationship between two or more texts. Beyond that, there's a lot of variation, but three overarching kinds of comparative analysis stand out:

Coordinate (A ↔ B): In this kind of analysis, two (or more) texts are being read against each other in terms of a shared element, e.g., a memoir and a novel, both by Jesmyn Ward; two sets of data for the same experiment; a few op-ed responses to the same event; two YA books written in Chicago in the 2000s; a film adaption of a play; etc.
Subordinate (A → B) or (B → A ): Using a theoretical text (as a "lens") to explain a case study or work of art (e.g., how Anthony Jack's The Privileged Poor can help explain divergent experiences among students at elite four-year private colleges who are coming from similar socio-economic backgrounds) or using a work of art or case study (i.e., as a "test" of) a theory's usefulness or limitations (e.g., using coverage of recent incidents of gun violence or legislation un the U.S. to confirm or question the currency of Carol Anderson's The Second ).
Hybrid [A → (B ↔ C)] or [(B ↔ C) → A] , i.e., using coordinate and subordinate analysis together. For example, using Jack to compare or contrast the experiences of students at elite four-year institutions with students at state universities and/or community colleges; or looking at gun culture in other countries and/or other timeframes to contextualize or generalize Anderson's main points about the role of the Second Amendment in U.S. history.

"In the wild," these three kinds of comparative analysis represent increasingly complex—and scholarly—modes of comparison. Students can of course compare two poems in terms of imagery or two data sets in terms of methods, but in each case the analysis will eventually be richer if the students have had a chance to encounter other people's ideas about how imagery or methods work. At that point, we're getting into a hybrid kind of reading (or even into research essays), especially if we start introducing different approaches to imagery or methods that are themselves being compared along with a couple (or few) poems or data sets.

Why It's Useful

In the context of a particular course, each kind of comparative analysis has its place and can be a useful step up from single-source analysis. Intellectually, comparative analysis helps overcome the "n of 1" problem that can face single-source analysis. That is, a writer drawing broad conclusions about the influence of the Iranian New Wave based on one film is relying entirely—and almost certainly too much—on that film to support those findings. In the context of even just one more film, though, the analysis is suddenly more likely to arrive at one of the best features of any comparative approach: both films will be more richly experienced than they would have been in isolation, and the themes or questions in terms of which they're being explored (here the general question of the influence of the Iranian New Wave) will arrive at conclusions that are less at-risk of oversimplification.

For scholars working in comparative fields or through comparative approaches, these features of comparative analysis animate their work. To borrow from a stock example in Western epistemology, our concept of "green" isn't based on a single encounter with something we intuit or are told is "green." Not at all. Our concept of "green" is derived from a complex set of experiences of what others say is green or what's labeled green or what seems to be something that's neither blue nor yellow but kind of both, etc. Comparative analysis essays offer us the chance to engage with that process—even if only enough to help us see where a more in-depth exploration with a higher and/or more diverse "n" might lead—and in that sense, from the standpoint of the subject matter students are exploring through writing as well the complexity of the genre of writing they're using to explore it—comparative analysis forms a bridge of sorts between single-source analysis and research essays.

Typical learning objectives for single-sources essays: formulate analytical questions and an arguable thesis, establish stakes of an argument, summarize sources accurately, choose evidence effectively, analyze evidence effectively, define key terms, organize argument logically, acknowledge and respond to counterargument, cite sources properly, and present ideas in clear prose.

Common types of comparative analysis essays and related types: two works in the same genre, two works from the same period (but in different places or in different cultures), a work adapted into a different genre or medium, two theories treating the same topic; a theory and a case study or other object, etc.

How to Teach It: Framing + Practice

Framing multi-source writing assignments (comparative analysis, research essays, multi-modal projects) is likely to overlap a great deal with "Why It's Useful" (see above), because the range of reasons why we might use these kinds of writing in academic or non-academic settings is itself the reason why they so often appear later in courses. In many courses, they're the best vehicles for exploring the complex questions that arise once we've been introduced to the course's main themes, core content, leading protagonists, and central debates.

For comparative analysis in particular, it's helpful to frame assignment's process and how it will help students successfully navigate the challenges and pitfalls presented by the genre. Ideally, this will mean students have time to identify what each text seems to be doing, take note of apparent points of connection between different texts, and start to imagine how those points of connection (or the absence thereof)

complicates or upends their own expectations or assumptions about the texts
complicates or refutes the expectations or assumptions about the texts presented by a scholar
confirms and/or nuances expectations and assumptions they themselves hold or scholars have presented
presents entirely unforeseen ways of understanding the texts

—and all with implications for the texts themselves or for the axes along which the comparative analysis took place. If students know that this is where their ideas will be heading, they'll be ready to develop those ideas and engage with the challenges that comparative analysis presents in terms of structure (See "Tips" and "Common Pitfalls" below for more on these elements of framing).

Like single-source analyses, comparative essays have several moving parts, and giving students practice here means adapting the sample sequence laid out at the " Formative Writing Assignments " page. Three areas that have already been mentioned above are worth noting:

Gathering evidence : Depending on what your assignment is asking students to compare (or in terms of what), students will benefit greatly from structured opportunities to create inventories or data sets of the motifs, examples, trajectories, etc., shared (or not shared) by the texts they'll be comparing. See the sample exercises below for a basic example of what this might look like.
Why it Matters: Moving beyond "x is like y but also different" or even "x is more like y than we might think at first" is what moves an essay from being "compare/contrast" to being a comparative analysis . It's also a move that can be hard to make and that will often evolve over the course of an assignment. A great way to get feedback from students about where they're at on this front? Ask them to start considering early on why their argument "matters" to different kinds of imagined audiences (while they're just gathering evidence) and again as they develop their thesis and again as they're drafting their essays. ( Cover letters , for example, are a great place to ask writers to imagine how a reader might be affected by reading an their argument.)
Structure: Having two texts on stage at the same time can suddenly feel a lot more complicated for any writer who's used to having just one at a time. Giving students a sense of what the most common patterns (AAA / BBB, ABABAB, etc.) are likely to be can help them imagine, even if provisionally, how their argument might unfold over a series of pages. See "Tips" and "Common Pitfalls" below for more information on this front.

Sample Exercises and Links to Other Resources

Common Pitfalls
Advice on Timing
Try to keep students from thinking of a proposed thesis as a commitment. Instead, help them see it as more of a hypothesis that has emerged out of readings and discussion and analytical questions and that they'll now test through an experiment, namely, writing their essay. When students see writing as part of the process of inquiry—rather than just the result—and when that process is committed to acknowledging and adapting itself to evidence, it makes writing assignments more scientific, more ethical, and more authentic.
Have students create an inventory of touch points between the two texts early in the process.
Ask students to make the case—early on and at points throughout the process—for the significance of the claim they're making about the relationship between the texts they're comparing.
For coordinate kinds of comparative analysis, a common pitfall is tied to thesis and evidence. Basically, it's a thesis that tells the reader that there are "similarities and differences" between two texts, without telling the reader why it matters that these two texts have or don't have these particular features in common. This kind of thesis is stuck at the level of description or positivism, and it's not uncommon when a writer is grappling with the complexity that can in fact accompany the "taking inventory" stage of comparative analysis. The solution is to make the "taking inventory" stage part of the process of the assignment. When this stage comes before students have formulated a thesis, that formulation is then able to emerge out of a comparative data set, rather than the data set emerging in terms of their thesis (which can lead to confirmation bias, or frequency illusion, or—just for the sake of streamlining the process of gathering evidence—cherry picking).
For subordinate kinds of comparative analysis , a common pitfall is tied to how much weight is given to each source. Having students apply a theory (in a "lens" essay) or weigh the pros and cons of a theory against case studies (in a "test a theory") essay can be a great way to help them explore the assumptions, implications, and real-world usefulness of theoretical approaches. The pitfall of these approaches is that they can quickly lead to the same biases we saw here above. Making sure that students know they should engage with counterevidence and counterargument, and that "lens" / "test a theory" approaches often balance each other out in any real-world application of theory is a good way to get out in front of this pitfall.
For any kind of comparative analysis, a common pitfall is structure. Every comparative analysis asks writers to move back and forth between texts, and that can pose a number of challenges, including: what pattern the back and forth should follow and how to use transitions and other signposting to make sure readers can follow the overarching argument as the back and forth is taking place. Here's some advice from an experienced writing instructor to students about how to think about these considerations:

a quick note on STRUCTURE

Most of us have encountered the question of whether to adopt what we might term the “A→A→A→B→B→B” structure or the “A→B→A→B→A→B” structure. Do we make all of our points about text A before moving on to text B? Or do we go back and forth between A and B as the essay proceeds? As always, the answers to our questions about structure depend on our goals in the essay as a whole. In a “similarities in spite of differences” essay, for instance, readers will need to encounter the differences between A and B before we offer them the similarities (A d →B d →A s →B s ). If, rather than subordinating differences to similarities you are subordinating text A to text B (using A as a point of comparison that reveals B’s originality, say), you may be well served by the “A→A→A→B→B→B” structure.

Ultimately, you need to ask yourself how many “A→B” moves you have in you. Is each one identical? If so, you may wish to make the transition from A to B only once (“A→A→A→B→B→B”), because if each “A→B” move is identical, the “A→B→A→B→A→B” structure will appear to involve nothing more than directionless oscillation and repetition. If each is increasingly complex, however—if each AB pair yields a new and progressively more complex idea about your subject—you may be well served by the “A→B→A→B→A→B” structure, because in this case it will be visible to readers as a progressively developing argument.

As we discussed in "Advice on Timing" at the page on single-source analysis, that timeline itself roughly follows the "Sample Sequence of Formative Assignments for a 'Typical' Essay" outlined under " Formative Writing Assignments, " and it spans about 5–6 steps or 2–4 weeks.

Comparative analysis assignments have a lot of the same DNA as single-source essays, but they potentially bring more reading into play and ask students to engage in more complicated acts of analysis and synthesis during the drafting stages. With that in mind, closer to 4 weeks is probably a good baseline for many single-source analysis assignments. For sections that meet once per week, the timeline will either probably need to expand—ideally—a little past the 4-week side of things, or some of the steps will need to be combined or done asynchronously.

What It Can Build Up To

Comparative analyses can build up to other kinds of writing in a number of ways. For example:

They can build toward other kinds of comparative analysis, e.g., student can be asked to choose an additional source to complicate their conclusions from a previous analysis, or they can be asked to revisit an analysis using a different axis of comparison, such as race instead of class. (These approaches are akin to moving from a coordinate or subordinate analysis to more of a hybrid approach.)
They can scaffold up to research essays, which in many instances are an extension of a "hybrid comparative analysis."
Like single-source analysis, in a course where students will take a "deep dive" into a source or topic for their capstone, they can allow students to "try on" a theoretical approach or genre or time period to see if it's indeed something they want to research more fully.
DIY Guides for Analytical Writing Assignments

For Teaching Fellows & Teaching Assistants

Types of Assignments
Unpacking the Elements of Writing Prompts
Formative Writing Assignments
Single-Source Analysis
Research Essays
Multi-Modal or Creative Projects
Giving Feedback to Students

Assignment Decoder

What Is a Capstone Project vs. Thesis

As students near the end of their academic journey, they encounter a crucial project called the capstone – a culmination of all they've learned. But what exactly is a capstone project?

This article aims to demystify capstone projects, explaining what they are, why they matter, and what you can expect when you embark on this final academic endeavor.

Capstone Project Meaning

A capstone project is a comprehensive, culminating academic endeavor undertaken by students typically in their final year of study.

It synthesizes their learning experiences, requiring students to apply the knowledge, skills, and competencies gained throughout their academic journey. A capstone project aims to address a real-world problem or explore a topic of interest in depth.

As interdisciplinary papers, capstone projects encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. They allow students to showcase their mastery of their field of study and demonstrate their readiness for future academic or professional pursuits.

Now that we’ve defined what is a capstone project, let’s discuss its importance in the academic landscape. In case you have short-form compositions to handle, simply say, ‘ do my essay for me ,’ and our writers will take care of your workload.

Why Is a Capstone Project Important

A capstone project is crucial because it allows students to combine everything they've learned in school and apply it to real-life situations or big problems.

It's like the ultimate test of what they know and can do. By working on these projects, students get hands-on experience, learn to think critically and figure out how to solve tough problems.

Plus, it's a chance to show off their skills and prove they're ready for whatever comes next, whether that's starting a career or going on to more schooling.

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What Is the Purpose of a Capstone Project

Here are three key purposes of a capstone project:

Integration of Knowledge and Skills

Capstones often require students to draw upon the knowledge and skills they have acquired throughout their academic program. The importance of capstone project lies in helping students synthesize what they have learned and apply it to a real-world problem or project.

This integration helps students demonstrate their proficiency and readiness for graduation or entry into their chosen profession.

Culmination of Learning

Capstone projects culminate a student's academic journey, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios.

tackling a significant project or problem, students demonstrate their understanding of concepts and their ability to translate them into practical solutions, reinforcing their learning journey.

Professional Development

Capstone projects allow students to develop skills relevant to their future careers. These projects can also be tangible examples of their capabilities to potential employers or graduate programs.

Whether it's conducting research, presenting findings, or collaborating with peers, students gain valuable experience that enhances their professional readiness.

Types of Capstone Projects

Capstones vary widely depending on the academic discipline, institution, and specific program requirements. Here are some common types:

What Is the Difference Between a Thesis and a Capstone Project

Here's a breakdown of the key differences between a thesis and a capstone project:

How to Write a Capstone Project

Let's dive into the specifics with actionable and meaningful steps for writing a capstone project:

1. Select a Pertinent Topic

Identify a topic that aligns with your academic interests, program requirements, and real-world relevance. Consider issues or challenges within your field that merit further exploration or solution.

Conduct thorough research to ensure the topic is both feasible and significant. Here are some brilliant capstone ideas for your inspiration.

2. Define Clear Objectives

Clearly articulate the objectives of your capstone project. What specific outcomes do you aim to achieve?

Whether it's solving a problem, answering a research question, or developing a product, ensure your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

3. Conduct Comprehensive Research

Dive deep into existing literature, theories, and empirical evidence related to your chosen topic. Identify gaps, controversies, or areas for further investigation.

Synthesize relevant findings and insights to inform the development of your project and provide a solid foundation for your analysis or implementation.

4. Develop a Structured Plan

What is a capstone project in college without a rigid structure? Outline a comprehensive plan for your capstone project, including key milestones, tasks, and deadlines.

Break down the project into manageable phases, such as literature review, data collection, analysis, and presentation. Establish clear criteria for success and regularly monitor progress to stay on track.

5. Implement Methodological Rigor

If your project involves research, ensure methodological rigor by selecting appropriate research methods, tools, and techniques.

Develop a detailed research design or project plan that addresses key methodological considerations, such as sampling, data collection, analysis, and validity. Adhere to ethical guidelines and best practices throughout the research process.

6. Analyze and Interpret Findings

Analyze your data or findings using appropriate analytical techniques and tools. Interpret the results in relation to your research questions or objectives, highlighting key patterns, trends, or insights.

Critically evaluate the significance and implications of your findings within the broader context of your field or industry.

7. Communicate Effectively

Present your capstone project clearly, concisely, and compellingly. Whether it's a written report, presentation, or multimedia deliverable, tailor your communication style to your target audience. Clearly articulate your research questions, methodology, findings, and conclusions.

Use visuals, examples, and real-world applications to enhance understanding and engagement. Be prepared to defend your project and answer questions from peers, faculty, or stakeholders.

In wrapping up, what is a capstone project? It’s like the grand finale of your academic journey, where all the knowledge and skills you've acquired come together in one big project.

It's not just about passing a test or getting a grade – it's about proving you've got what it takes to make a real difference in the world. So, if you ever need capstone project help , our writers will gladly lend you a hand in no time.

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What Is a Capstone Project in College?

How to do a capstone project, how long does a capstone project take to complete.

Annie Lambert

specializes in creating authoritative content on marketing, business, and finance, with a versatile ability to handle any essay type and dissertations. With a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a passion for social issues, her writing not only educates but also inspires action. On EssayPro blog, Annie delivers detailed guides and thought-provoking discussions on pressing economic and social topics. When not writing, she’s a guest speaker at various business seminars.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

T. (2023, June 16). What Is a Capstone Project? National University. https://www.nu.edu/blog/what-is-a-capstone-project/
Lukins, S. (2024, May 12). What is a capstone project? And why is it important? Top Universities. https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/careers-advice-articles/what-capstone-project-why-it-important
Capstone Project vs. Thesis: What’s the Difference? (2021, December 9). UAGC. https://www.uagc.edu/blog/capstone-project-vs-thesis-whats-difference

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How To Write A Comparative Essay
In this article, we will teach you how to write a comparative essay, including Y12 Module A Textual Conversations requirements, different comparative essay structures, dos and don'ts, and an exemplar paragraph of both structures.
Comparative Essay
How to Write a Comparative Essay. 1. Pick a basis for your comparison. You need a specific basis for your comparison. Without one, there will be too much information to research. Your assignment guidelines may already include a scope of focus for you to write about. If not, your basis should be an idea, category, or theme that applies to each ...
HSC Module A: 20/20 Essay notes for The Tempest and Hagseed
The essay introduced the idea of cultural relativism: the concept that human behaviour is a product of culture and as such cannot be judged by those without this cultural context. These endeavours to colonise the non-European world included the institution of European governance systems in conquered territories and often resulted in the unjust ...
Module A
This will be the same for Trials and the HSC exam, as Module A forms 20 marks out of 60 in Paper 2 of English Advanced. One key distinction to make: Textual Conversation Essays are NOT just Comparative Essays. Use the comparative essay structures and conventions as a foundation, but Mod A requires you to develop this further.
How to craft a Band 6 Mod A Textual Conversations essay
Your Ultimate Guide to writing a comparative band 6 essay for Module A Textual Conversations. Read along as we break down exactly what the markers are looking for from central ideas to essay structure. ... Written by KIS Academics Tutor for HSC English, Maths, Physics, and Chemistry, Waveney Wood. Waveney is currently pursuing a career in ...
How to Write a Kickass Band 6 HSC English Essay
Step 4: Write Your Body Paragraphs. Now, before you get straight into writing your body paragraphs and using various paragraph structures, you need to understand the purpose of a topic sentence and how they'll back up your thesis and inform the rest of your paragraphs.
Structuring Comparative Essay
Introduction for Structuring Comparative Essay. Address the essay question using keywords and use some words of your thesis to answer it. Name Text One, with the year it was published in brackets after it. Indicate the genre, text type and composer of the text. Give a brief summary of Text One's cultural context - no more than a sentence.
How To Structure A Comparative Essay (VCE English Tips)
Comparative Essay Writing Tips. Create an Outline: Develop a well-organised outline to keep your essay focused and ensure a logical flow of arguments. This framework serves as a roadmap, guiding you from one point to the next. Always connect your arguments back to your thesis statement for coherence. Reference Throughout the Process: Avoid last ...
Comparative essay structure
Here's some general advice on how you might structure your comparative essay, but I repeat, adapt, adapt adapt to the question asked. Introduction: Theme or Issue: Address the Q, introduce your theme, then your texts - genre, name, author and mention the central character who you will focus on in your discussion of this theme.
How to Write a Comparative Essay (with Pictures)
2. Use a mixed paragraphs method. Address both halves of the comparison in each paragraph. This means that the first paragraph will compare the first aspect of each subject, the second will compare the second, and so on, making sure to always address the subjects in the same order.
How to Write a Comparative Essay on Mrs Dalloway and The Hours
In this article, we explain how to write a comparative essay on Mrs Dalloway and The Hours for Module A that will score you a Band 6! Download a free exemplar essay. ...
HSC Advanced English: The Ultimate Guide to Getting a Band 6!
How to Write a Band 6 HSC English Essay. If you want to brush up on your thesis writing skills, that is, crafting a unique argument to any question, you may want to check out the article below: ... Textual Conversations is a comparative study between two of your prescribed texts from the module and how they may share or re-imagine common issues ...
4.1: Introduction to Comparison and Contrast Essay
The key to a good compare-and-contrast essay is to choose two or more subjects that connect in a meaningful way. Comparison and contrast is simply telling how two things are alike or different. The compare-and-contrast essay starts with a thesis that clearly states the two subjects that are to be compared, contrasted, or both.
Comparative Essay
The foremost step in writing a comparative essay is to choose a suitable topic. Choose a topic or theme that is interesting to write about and appeals to the reader. An interesting essay topic motivates the reader to know about the subject. Also, try to avoid complicated topics for your comparative essay. Develop a List of Similarities and ...
State Ranker Guide: How to Write a Comparative Essay (Module A
Comparative essays are a staple of Advanced, Extension I English and throughout Year 7-10, and the rationale behind it makes sense - NESA wants to measure and test your understanding of abstract concepts and ideas across different texts and forms. A comparative essay in layman's terms is simply an essay…
Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay
Making effective comparisons. As the name suggests, comparing and contrasting is about identifying both similarities and differences. You might focus on contrasting quite different subjects or comparing subjects with a lot in common—but there must be some grounds for comparison in the first place. For example, you might contrast French ...
HSC English Frequently Asked Questions
For every essay you have to write under time limits I recommend doing at least 2 practice essays with the same time constraints. It'll teach you how to manage time and show you how fast you can write, so if you really can't finish in time you can start cutting down, rather than just leaving a whole paragraph off the end of your essay.
Sample HSC English Essay-Belonging
Then, read the following band six response for further guidance, or Download it as a word document. This sample HSC English essay received a mark of 14 out of 15. It is not perfect, but makes some good points and illustrates the structure you should aspire to have in your essays. It refers to the prescribed text As You Like It by William ...
How to Write a HSC Visual Arts Essay Using a Scaffold
Step 1: Reiterate the first idea you signposted. Restate the idea from your last paragraph but this time focus on how it links to your second artist. You may want to throw in some simple comparative language as well to begin the contrasting between your two artists, such as "on the other hand", "in contrast to", etc.
Comparative Analysis
Comparative analyses can build up to other kinds of writing in a number of ways. For example: They can build toward other kinds of comparative analysis, e.g., student can be asked to choose an additional source to complicate their conclusions from a previous analysis, or they can be asked to revisit an analysis using a different axis of comparison, such as race instead of class.
How To Write A Year 11 Comparative Essay
Need to write a year 11 comparative essay? We'll explain exactly what makes a good comparative essay and how you can knock out the Year 11 English syllabus outcomes. There's even a free Comparative Essay Template for you at the end!
What Is a Capstone Project: Definition, Types, Writing Steps
A capstone project is a comprehensive, culminating academic endeavor undertaken by students typically in their final year of study. It synthesizes their learning experiences, requiring students to apply the knowledge, skills, and competencies gained throughout their academic journey. A capstone project aims to address a real-world problem or ...

Comparative Essay

How to Write a Comparative Essay

2. Identify the Similarities and Differences.

3. Develop a Thesis Statement

Create an arguable thesis

4. Structure your essay

Point-by-point method

Introduction

Body 1: Discrimination towards House Elves

Body 2: Discrimination towards Giants

Conclusion

Block Method

Block A: Ron Weasley – Discrimination towards magical creatures

Block B: Draco Malfoy – Discrimination towards magical creatures

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Structuring Comparative Essay | HSC English

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4.1: Introduction to Comparison and Contrast Essay

Key Elements of the Compare and Contrast:

How to Write a Comparative Essay – A Complete Guide

What is a Comparative Essay?

Comparative Essay Structure

How to Start a Comparative Essay?

Choose a Topic

Develop a List of Similarities and Differences

Establish the Basis for Comparison

Do the Research

Create an Outline

How to Write a Comparative Essay?

Comparative Essay Introduction

Comparative Essay Body Paragraphs