Comparing and Contrasting,Purpose of the comparative essay
WebHow to Write a Comparative Analysis. Throughout your academic career, you'll be asked to write papers in which you compare and contrast two things: two texts, two theories, two historical figures, two scientific processes, and so on. "Classic" compare-and-contrast WebWhat is a comparative essay? positions on an issue (e.g., responses to midwifery in Canada and the United States) theories (e.g., capitalism and communism) figures WebJan 3, · Academic Writing: Comparative Writing Analyse and evaluate the relative merits of the Marxist, Feminist and Psychoanalytical interpretations of Shakespeare’s WebFeb 26, · Writing a comparative essay can be difficult, but it is also an opportunity for students to develop their analytical skills. Read more in detail here: how to write a ... read more
Most assignments tell you exactly what the frame of reference should be, and most courses supply sources for constructing it. If you encounter an assignment that fails to provide a frame of reference, you must come up with one on your own. A paper without such a context would have no angle on the material, no focus or frame for the writer to propose a meaningful argument. Grounds for Comparison. Let's say you're writing a paper on global food distribution, and you've chosen to compare apples and oranges. Why these particular fruits? Why not pears and bananas? The rationale behind your choice, the grounds for comparison , lets your reader know why your choice is deliberate and meaningful, not random.
For instance, in a paper asking how the "discourse of domesticity" has been used in the abortion debate, the grounds for comparison are obvious; the issue has two conflicting sides, pro-choice and pro-life. In a paper comparing the effects of acid rain on two forest sites, your choice of sites is less obvious. A paper focusing on similarly aged forest stands in Maine and the Catskills will be set up differently from one comparing a new forest stand in the White Mountains with an old forest in the same region. You need to indicate the reasoning behind your choice. The grounds for comparison anticipates the comparative nature of your thesis.
As in any argumentative paper, your thesis statement will convey the gist of your argument, which necessarily follows from your frame of reference. But in a compare-and-contrast, the thesis depends on how the two things you've chosen to compare actually relate to one another. Do they extend, corroborate, complicate, contradict, correct, or debate one another? In the most common compare-and-contrast paper—one focusing on differences—you can indicate the precise relationship between A and B by using the word "whereas" in your thesis:. Whereas Camus perceives ideology as secondary to the need to address a specific historical moment of colonialism, Fanon perceives a revolutionary ideology as the impetus to reshape Algeria's history in a direction toward independence.
Whether your paper focuses primarily on difference or similarity, you need to make the relationship between A and B clear in your thesis. This relationship is at the heart of any compare-and-contrast paper. Organizational Scheme. Your introduction will include your frame of reference, grounds for comparison, and thesis. There are two basic ways to organize the body of your paper. If you think that B extends A, you'll probably use a text-by-text scheme; if you see A and B engaged in debate, a point-by-point scheme will draw attention to the conflict.
Be aware, however, that the point-by- point scheme can come off as a ping-pong game. You can avoid this effect by grouping more than one point together, thereby cutting down on the number of times you alternate from A to B. But no matter which organizational scheme you choose, you need not give equal time to similarities and differences. In fact, your paper will be more interesting if you get to the heart of your argument as quickly as possible. Thus, a paper on two evolutionary theorists' different interpretations of specific archaeological findings might have as few as two or three sentences in the introduction on similarities and at most a paragraph or two to set up the contrast between the theorists' positions.
The rest of the paper, whether organized text- by-text or point-by-point, will treat the two theorists' differences. You can organize a classic compare-and-contrast paper either text-by-text or point-by-point. But in a "lens" comparison, in which you spend significantly less time on A the lens than on B the focal text , you almost always organize text-by-text. Note that the French and Russian revolutions A and B may be dissimilar rather than similar in the way they affected innovation in any of the three areas of technology, military strategy, and administration.
To use the alternating method, you just need to have something noteworthy to say about both A and B in each area. Finally, you may certainly include more than three pairs of alternating points: allow the subject matter to determine the number of points you choose to develop in the body of your essay. When do I use the alternating method? Professors often like the alternating system because it generally does a better job of highlighting similarities and differences by juxtaposing your points about A and B. It also tends to produce a more tightly integrated and analytical paper.
Consider the alternating method if you are able to identify clearly related points between A and B. Otherwise, if you attempt to impose the alternating method, you will probably find it counterproductive. Block method: Subject-by-subject pattern In the block method AB , you discuss all of A, then all of B. For example, a comparative essay using the block method on the French and Russian revolutions would address the French Revolution in the first half of the essay and the Russian Revolution in the second half. If you choose the block method, however, do not simply append two disconnected essays to an introductory thesis. The B block, or second half of your essay, should refer to the A block, or first half, and make clear points of comparison whenever comparisons are relevant.
A Paragraphs 1—3 in body How the French Revolution encouraged or thwarted innovation B Paragraphs 4—6 in body How the Russian Revolution encouraged or thwarted innovation When do I use the block method? The block method is particularly useful in the following cases:.
Writing a great comparative essay means highlighting the similarities and differences between two things in a systematic manner. Start by choosing the parameters items to compare, write an outline, and fill in the details for each section. Make sure to have an introduction and conclusion. The comparative essay is one form of document that you will probably be expected to write at some point over the course of your college career. The purpose of this article is to provide you with a thorough overview of the comparative essay. Specific things that will be addressed include:. By the end of this article, you should feel more confident about your own knowledge of what a comparative essay is and the best ways to go about writing one if you haven't decided to buy a comparative essay from Ultius.
The fundamental purpose of a comparative essay is to elaborate the similarities and differences between two things in a systematic manner. An effective comparative essay will leave the reader with much greater clarity about the natures and properties of the things that have been compared. This could potentially serve as a basis for making a decision in favor of one or the other thing. A comparative essay is different from, for example, an argumentative essay in that the comparative essay does not make a case for either of the two things under comparison. Rather, the point is to simply set up the comparison so that the reader will have as much information about the two things as possible. The comparative essay is an important form of document because when you have to make a decision or choose a side in an argument, you will want to know as much as possible about the two options under consideration—and a good comparative essay on the subject can bring out both the similarities and the differences between the options, thereby clarifying the stakes at play.
For example, a comparative essay could address the similarities and differences between any of the following pairs:. By developing a comparative essay on any of these pairs, you can not only understand each item of under comparison is a more thorough way, you can also get closer to figuring out which item you prefer. For example, a solid comparative essay on revolution vs. reformism could not only help you understand what each of these items entails, it can also help you figure out whether you would rather be a revolutionary or a reformist. Likewise, if you only have time to binge watch one show, then a comparative essay could help you figure out whether you would prefer to go with Game of Thrones or Westworld.
When writing a comparative essay, there are several models you can use in order to ensure that you set up your comparison as effectively as possible. The Venn diagram is a classic, and surely, you're familiar with it. This is the model of two overlapping circles, where each circle belongs to one item of comparison: features shared by both items similarities go in the overlapping middle zone, whereas features that are not shared go in the outer areas. For example, here is a Venn diagram that compares humans against gorillas. When using the Venn diagram model, it is important to note that the differences must be symmetrical. In other words, every difference you list on one side of the comparison must be matched by a difference on the other side.
For example, if you were comparing Apple and Amazon, then for the parameter of "founder," you can list "Steve Jobs" in one circle and "Jeff Bezos" in the other. But it wouldn't make sense if you just listed one or the other: you must list something for each of the items of comparisons under the selected parameter of comparison. In the Venn diagram above, the first parameter is "language," so for humans it is listed that we have a capacity of language, whereas for gorillas it is listed that they do not. You don't need to worry about this kind of symmetry when it comes to the similarities, since you will list the same thing for both items of comparison which means you only have to list it once, in the overlapping zone. In the example, above, the fact that both humans and gorillas are mammals is thus listed just once in the middle.
The dialectical method is important within the discipline of philosophy, and it has been used to great effect by thinkers such as Socrates and Hegel and Kierkegaard. This involves holding two ideas or items in tension with each other, to better clarify not only the ideas themselves but also the dynamic relationship that exist between the ideas. The first idea is called the thesis , and the second idea is called the antithesis. For example, Romanticism could be dialectically compared against the Enlightenment that came before it, because Romanticism was in some ways a rejection of the previous worldview. Need help? Essay writing services from Ultius can help you produce a great sample compare and contrast essay.
So, by setting up a comparison between Romanticism and the Enlightenment, it becomes possible to see both the continuities or similarities between the one and the other, as well as the contradictions or differences between them. Berlin, Isaiah. The Roots of Romanticism. Princeton: Princeton U P, From the table above, it is clear that we are able to understand both Romanticism and the Enlightenment better if we set them up in terms of dialectical contrast. Clearly, they are different in some important ways logic vs. passion, for example , but we can also see that they are in continuity with each other both happened in Western Europe and responded to previous developments.
This comparison also leads one to wonder about whether it would be possible to make a synthesis that takes the best from both the thesis and the antithesis. To analyze your subjects for a comparative essay, you need to identify clear parameters, or axes, in terms of which your two selected items can be compared. For example, in the table above, Romanticism and the Enlightenment were compared along the axis of " epistemology ". But that axis won't be relevant to all subjects. Your job when preparing to write a comparative essay is to identify the specific axes that are relevant for the items that you are comparing. Why is the comparison interesting, and what insights are you trying produce? The answers to those questions will determine how you decide to frame your comparison.
For example, we could compare the Democratic Socialists of America DSA against the Democratic Party in terms of the axis of membership. This would reveal that the DSA has far fewer registered members than does the Democratic Party. We could also compare them on the axis of healthcare policy, where it may be found that the DSA and the Democratic Party agree about the importance of universal coverage. When we look at the axis of economics, though, we may find that the DSA is much more radical in its proposals than the Democratic Party.
In principle, any one thing in the world could be compared with any other thing in the world. For example, you could compare your shoe with the moon, and conclude that one similarity is that they both exist within the Milky Way galaxy. But this would be a meaningless point even if it may make for some interesting poetry. It is important for you to figure out what exactly you are trying to determine through your comparative essay. What is your purpose for writing it? This will help you choose two items where setting up a dialectical contrast between them will produce actual insight, and it will also help you to choose the proper parameters by which to compare those items. For example, suppose that you are running a business, and there are two expansion options open in front of you.
It would be logical for you to compare and contrast these options, since this will help ensure that you are making your decision with as much knowledge and insight as possible. Likewise, one parameter that you are sure to consider is: which option will make your business the most money? If you pick parameters that are meaningless, then you will obtain no real insight that can help you make the important decision. Once you have identified both the two items of comparison and the axes along which they will be compared, you can proceed to analyze the items by applying the axes in the form of a table or rubric.
This is what has been done, for example, in the tables that have been developed above in this article. In the left-most column, list the parameters you have selected in order to compare your items. Then, in the top-most row, list the items. Then go ahead and list the relevant details for each parameter for each of the two items. This will produce a table where you can see how each item measures up against the other for each parameter. The important thing is to be systematic when you are making your comparison: it should not seem random or arbitrary. A strong comparative essay has well-chosen items for comparison, with the comparison producing actual insights of value through the juxtaposition of the two items.
If the items appear to be chosen for no apparent reason, or if the comparison does not in fact produce insight, then the comparative essay would be quite weak or at any rate pointless. The comparative essay is not meant to make an argument in favor of one thing or another, but it is meant to produce knowledge and insight about the two things under comparison. In order to compare and contrast items in an effective way, the two items must be different enough from each other, but they should also not be so different that it just feels absurd to even compare them at all. A good comparative essay not only includes well-selected items of comparison, it also includes well-selected parameters of comparison. Between any two selected items, you could theoretically make an endless number of comparisons.
But a good comparative essay identifies parameters of comparative in terms of salience , or the reasons why anyone would be interested in the comparison in the first place. This can be difficult, because in principle, any comparison could be interesting, depending on the audience of the comparative essay and the intended purpose of the essay. For example, one could use the parameter of zodiac sign to compare Romantic artists against Enlightenment artists. This could be very interesting to people who are very serious about the zodiac, but it would probably seem ridiculous to just about everyone else. But if you were writing for an audience of zodiac fanatics, then this comparison could actually be a success. So, there is no parameter of comparison that is "inherently" bad.
Rather, the point is to find parameters that highlight specific salient aspects of the selected items. For example, when comparing Romanticism against the Enlightenment, core values would be a solid parameter of comparison, because that will surely help produce insights about how worldviews changed from the one paradigm to another. If you want your comparative essay to be a success, then it absolutely must have strong organizational structure. This is because an effective comparison must be easy for your reader to follow.
It can't just jump all over the place at random, which not only be confusing but could also result in the reader forgetting what the point of the comparison was in the first place. In general, there are two ways in which you can organize your comparative essay. In the first format, each of the parameters would be considered in the section for similarities and the section for differences. In the first format the comparative essay is organized in terms of similarities and differences, whereas in the second format the essay is organized in terms of parameters of comparison.
In the second format, both similarities and differences would be considered within each of the parameter sections. Both these are formats are good, and a strong comparative essay could be built around either one. There are steps you can follow in order to ensure that your comparative essay has all the elements that will be required in order to make it great. If you have selected two items for your comparative essay, then you should start by asking yourself why you selected those two items. What is it about the two items that made you think it would be a good idea to compare them? Or if you were assigned the two items, then why do you think those items were selected by your professor?
The point here is that the items selected for a comparative essay are non-random. They are selected because that specific comparison should be able to yield interesting insights unlike research papers. For example, if you are writing a comparative essay on the dogs vs.
Academic Writing: Comparative Writing,Introduction
WebJan 3, · Academic Writing: Comparative Writing Analyse and evaluate the relative merits of the Marxist, Feminist and Psychoanalytical interpretations of Shakespeare’s WebHow to Write a Comparative Analysis. Throughout your academic career, you'll be asked to write papers in which you compare and contrast two things: two texts, two theories, two historical figures, two scientific processes, and so on. "Classic" compare-and-contrast WebFeb 26, · Writing a comparative essay can be difficult, but it is also an opportunity for students to develop their analytical skills. Read more in detail here: how to write a WebWhat is a comparative essay? positions on an issue (e.g., responses to midwifery in Canada and the United States) theories (e.g., capitalism and communism) figures ... read more
You can avoid this effect by grouping more than one point together, thereby cutting down on the number of times you alternate from A to B. In the central area where they overlap, list the traits the two items have in common. Comparing and contrasting is a valuable exercise because it enables you to see familiar things in new ways, to make connections and discover affinities between things. The hints you have noted will act as your essay plan with which you need to develop the content. Consider the alternating method if you are able to identify clearly related points between A and B. For example, here is how an outline could look for a comparative essay on Romanticism vs. Grounds for Comparison.
Likewise, if you only have time to binge watch one show, then a comparative essay could help you figure out whether you would prefer to go with Game of Thrones or Westworld. Otherwise, if you attempt to impose the alternating method, you will probably find it counterproductive, comparative essay writing. Remember, your thesis should be simple and relevant to your essay topic. Is It the Right Career Choice for Aspirants? How to write a comparative essay A step-by-step guide with instructions, comparative essay writing, and samples. But this would be a meaningless point even if it may make for some interesting poetry. In general, there are two ways in which you can organize your comparative essay.
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