What is a Comparative Essay?
The word comparison indicates a comparison between two topics or subjects for measuring differences or similarities or both. As a result, a comparative essay requires the writer to compare between two topics that have some connection in relation to differences and similarities. It is important to understand what a comparative essay is before attempting to write it.
These essays are the formation of a few paragraphs aimed at explaining how two things or topics are equal or different from each other. As the name suggests, comparative essays revolve around comparing different parts of the two topics being discussed.
There is no limit to choose from topics. Comparative essays can be written on any subject in this world. The main requirement is that both the subjects should have some connection. The main reason for writing a comparative essay is to explain the similarities and differences between the two objects in a straightforward manner.
Steps in Writing an Effective Comparative Essay
- Identify the Premise of the Comparison
Depending on the given or selected topics, you need to establish a basis for comparison. Usually, the question provides a basis for comparison, but there are cases where the writer needs to build a basis. For example, a question might be asked to write about capitalism and socialism.
This is a question with a clear purpose; therefore, you do not need to think about its basis. In another instance, a question may be asked to analyze any two political philosophies. This is a common question and you need to understand different political philosophies.
At that point, you should point out any two political philosophies you might be knowing about. Such situations require that the writer himself set a basis for comparison.
- Content of the Essay
This section includes identifying what to include in your story. It involves identifying similarities and differences in comparison. You should make a list of ways of how both the subjects are the same and how they are different.
This list will give you the power to build the basic layout of the essay. The list should focus only on the connection points and the less important points should be discarded.
- Prepare a Thesis Statement
To write a comparative essay, there must be a clear statement that can be suggested by the author. This does not have any effect even if the basis for comparison is given by the question or it is set by the writer himself. To create a thesis statement, you must first look at the main points of the comparison.
After that, you have to choose whether the topics will be more comparable or very different. Using this concept, a basic narrative can be created. This statement should be an idea of how topics share similarities and how they differ.
- Build up the Essay Format
Different types of essays have different formats. A comparative essay is not a special case. It must be properly sorted so that the comparisons made can be clearly understood by the reader.
Basic Tips for Proper Arrangement of Text in Essay
We understood the important concept of constructing the content of our comparative essay and choosing the default format to use. Now we are left with writing such an essay. The format of the comparative essay is the same as in any other essay. It should have an introductory section, a few body parts, and a concluding section.
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- Introduction
The introductory section is about giving the reader a brief overview of the essay on the content and it develops a desire to continue reading. It should be very clear and simple. There should be a statement of suggestion stating the reason for the essay. This proposal statement forms the basis for writing a definitive conclusion.
- Body Paragraphs
In this section, you are simply moving forward with the information you had from the beginning. You need to identify the items of the topic you will be having a look at and organize them in the preferred format. The first sentence of the body paragraph should alert the reader to what the essay is about.
Arguments discussion is conducted in the next paragraphs. The last part of the body paragraph should convey a low-level conclusion about the angle examined. The body paragraph should have enough data contained in it.
Too much or too little data can make the whole essay worthless. Each category has to deal with a different perspective, for example, it is very difficult to compare the size of one item with another shade.
- Conclusion
The conclusion section is designed to give the reader a quick outline of every argument in the essay. This includes all the analyses written in the body section and the conclusion about two subjects. The conclusion should be the result of identified and varied differences and not personal preferences.