SACE Stage 1 English CommunicationsThe Connected Texts Study

Writing Effective Comparative Essays

Using both Comparison and Contrast

General Guidelines on the Style of your Essay, or “How to Write a Comparative Analysis”:[1]

If you pursue a tertiary education, you'll be asked many times to write essays 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 essays, in which you weight A and B equally, may be about two similar things that have crucial differences (two pesticides with different effects on the environment) or two similar things that have crucial differences, yet turn out to have surprising commonalities (two politicians with vastly different world views who voice unexpectedly similar perspectives on sexual harassment).

Faced with a daunting list of seemingly unrelated similarities and differences, you may feel confused about how to construct an essay that isn't just a mechanical exercise in which you first state all the features that A and B have in common, and then state all the ways in which A and B are different. Predictably, the thesis of such an essay is usually an assertion that A and B are very similar yet not so similar after all. To write a good compare-and-contrast essay, you must take your raw data – the similarities and differences you've observed – and make them cohere into a meaningful argument. Here are the five elements required.

Frame of Reference. This is the context within which you place the two texts you plan to compare and contrast; it is the umbrella under which you have grouped them. The frame of reference may consist of an idea, theme, question, problem, or theory; a group of similar things from which you extract two for special attention; biographical or historical information. The best frames of reference are constructed from specific sources rather than your own thoughts or observations. Thus, in an essay comparing how two writers explore the social effects of war, you would be better off quoting a sociologist on the topic of warfare than spinning out potentially banal-sounding theories of your own. It is in the nature of the Connected Texts Study not to tell you exactly what the frame of reference should be, and therefore you must come up with one on your own. An essay without such a context would have no angle on the material, no focus or frame for the writer to propose a meaningful argument. All the previous text study this term (especially comparing Tigerland with The Things They Carried) was designed to assist you in establishing your own ‘frame of reference’ for the Connected Texts Study.

Grounds for Comparison. Let's say you're writing an essay 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 an essay asking how the "language of family values" 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 an essay comparing the effects of ideology in two texts, your choice of texts is less obvious. An essay focusing on the 17th C. play Macbeth and 20th C. novel Animal Farm will be set up differently from one comparing the novel The Things They Carried and film Tigerland. You need to indicate the reasoning behind your choice.

Thesis. The ground for comparison anticipates the comparative nature of your thesis. As in any argumentative essay, 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 (that is confirm or reinforce), complicate, contradict, correct, or debate one another? In the most common compare-and-contrast essay – one focusing on differences – you can indicate the precise relationship between A and B by using the word "whereas" in your thesis:

Whereas Orwell sees ideology as less importantthan the need to address a specific historical moment of political oppression, even by using fable, Shakespeare’s play suggests the ideology of feudal power is a major factorin the corruption of kingship.

Whether your essay 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 essay.

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 essay, but only ONE is really suitable for the CTS.

  • In text-by-text, you discuss all of A, then all of B.
  • In point-by-point, you alternate points about A with comparable points about B.

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 essay will be more interesting if you get to the heart of your argument as quickly as possible. Thus, an essay on two authors’ different responses to the role of masculinity in military culture and warfare 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 authors’ positions. The rest of the essay, whether organized text-by-text or point-by-point, will treat the two writers' differences.

You can organize a classic compare-and-contrast essay either text-by-text or point-by-point. But in a "lens" comparison[2], in which you spend significantly less time on A (the lens) than on B (the focal text), you almost always organize text-by-text. That's because A and B are not strictly comparable: A is merely a tool for helping you discover whether or not B's nature is actually what expectations have led you to believe it is. This inequality of treatment is why the "lens" comparison is inappropriate for the CTS. However, the third shorter text C in our CTS is likely to figure less prominently than A and B.

Linking of A, B and C. All argumentative essays require you to link each point in the argument back to the thesis. Without such links, your reader will be unable to see how new sections logically and systematically advance your argument. In a compare-and-contrast, you also need to make links between A, B and C in the body of your essay if you want your essay to hold together. To make these links, use transitional expressions of comparison and contrast (similarly, moreover, likewise, on the contrary, conversely, on the other hand) and contrastive vocabulary (in the example below, struggling /affluent).

As a disaffected outsiderrebelling against social norms of friendship and patriotism as well as the law, Roland Bozz instigates the film’s re-affirmation of masculine values through conflicts with military authority for the sake of his comrades-in-arms. The literate and sensitive college undergraduateTim O’Brienconverselyexpresses his disaffection with war through confessional, introspective and anti-masculineforms of guilt, fear, anxiety and failure. The G.I. narrator of Lowell’s poemon the other hand, islike an everyman who not only witnesses but takes part in the horror of My Lai on our behalf, the maleness of his language disguised by its ordinary realism, but marked also by contrast with hisfeminised victims of animals, women and one-month-old babies.

Assignment Guidelines

Quoted material should be relevant not only to the essay in general, but to the specific context in which it appears. A quotation ought not to stand on its own; it has to be an integral part of your discussion. Frame every quote, that is, “sandwich” it between your own words. Usually anything longer than a sentence or 25 words would be indented (apart from the body of your own prose), but this should be kept to a minimum, and at least “sandwiched” within a coherent paragraph of your own.

The Essay Itself

Apart from following the above advice on writing a comparative analysis to the letter: have a clearly defined topic – name it in the title, describe it in the introductory paragraph, and develop it through the body of the text. Argue your points with elegance and substantiate your assertions with ably selected quotes. Be persuasive and provocative but never loud, presumptuous, or militant. You want to engage your readers not hit them over the head.

In the process of writing it is entirely possible that your ideas may evolve in a way that contradicts your thesis. Were that to happen, go back to your thesis and re-formulate it. Never lose sight of your goals so as not to find that your point has disappeared after pages of prose.

Some Useful Advice

  1. Avoid summaries of plot, characters, history, lectures, etc... which means: stay clear of what is obvious. You may need to re-tell a particular point in the plot -that is OK-, but do not make recounting the novel the purpose of your essay!
  2. Avoid collages. Do not run from one idea to the other. Not everything goes together. Run a tight ship with regards to your thoughts. One well argued keen intuition is worth more than twenty ill connected notions.
  3. Do not write as if you, your classmates, and I were the only readers in the universe. Your paper should be a readable experience for educated human beings outside the context of SACE English. TIP: Have someone who is not enrolled in English Communications read your essay before handing it in.
  4. Avoid idiomatic expressions and conversational “style”. (“The kind of stuff that creeps into your paper, if you know what I mean”: i.e. “granted”, “impact” (used as a verb.), “bogus” (used as a slang term), “sort of...”, “right?”, “ditto”, etc.) This is covered in the assessment criteria as “appropriate … register”.
  5. Avoid impressionistic language: “Shakespeare is a great writer...”, “Macbeth is an awful man...” , “War is hell” etc. These types of statement are “opinions” or “impressions” and add little or nothing to the presentation of well thought ideas.
  6. DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO, BUT DO NOT TELL ME ABOUT IT IN THE PROCESS OF DOING IT. Unless your essay deals with highly intricate developments in literary theory there is no need to spell out your plan of attack: i.e. “In this essay I will first...” Remember that this essay is a relatively short piece and not an extended essay. As Nike, the sports gear manufacturer preaches: “Just do it!” Present your thesis in the introductory paragraph and dive into its development. If you do this in an organized and eloquent way – as described above in “How to Write a Comparative Analysis” – an educated reader will never lose your train of thought.
  7. Do not hand in your paper without:

a) Re-reading it and proofreading it.

b) Stapling all the pages.

c) Carefully numbering each page if you have not done so already before printing it.

  1. Check and double-check for grammatical mistakes, spelling errors, and style. TIP: It doesn't hurt to have someone else help you proof-read your work before handing it in.

RULES ON PLAGIARISM WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED. Refer to the SSABSA Guidelines. Be careful when paraphrasing others' thoughts. Paraphrases ALSO have to be acknowledged. Document your sources fully.

Here is a summary of how to write an effective comparative essay:[3]

  1. Know what organizational style you are using (in this case, the point-by-point arrangement) – you should be able to identify it. Being able to identify your organization will not only help you in the organization of your own writing, but it will also help your reader follow the points you make.
  2. State your organization.The "straight line of development" that is essential to the classic essay structure requires that you "tell your audience what you are going to tell them; then tell them; then tell them what you told them." An important objective in academic writing is clarity, and stating your organization always contributes to clarity. Err on the side of clarity!
  3. Keep your audience in mind. Be sure your reader can relate to your topic. After you finish writing, read your essay from the perspective of your audience. How will they respond to your ideas? Will they understand what you have written? Will they agree with your main point? Will the support appear logical to them?

Here is an American student’s example of a point-by-point five paragraph comparative essay on the musical progression of the band Radiohead:

From The Bends to Hail to the Thief by Roberto Sanchez

Nowadays, it is almost impossible to define a music style because of the numerous combinations of others that combine to form new ones. I think this is what happens to Radiohead, which is considered by the critics as one of the best bands in the world of modern music. They have released several studio albums, singles, and live recordings. In this essay I am going to compare and contrast “The Bends (1995)” and “Hail to the Thief (2003)” in regard to the instruments used, the accomplishments with each album, and the lyrics’ content.

“The Bends” was Radiohead’s second studio album. The instruments used in it are electric and acoustic guitars, electric bass, drums, and vocals. You could say that the traditional rock instruments were used as opposed to the newer resources available today. In their sixth studio album “Hail to the Thief,” besides the instruments used in “The Bends,” they used some other sources, such as electronic devices and new sounds programmed in computers.

The accomplishments they succeeded with these two albums are different. In their beginnings, if someone had the idea that they were a one hit wonder band, with “The Bends” this idea was quickly dismissed. Furthermore, the recording of this album was full of expectations that were successfully completed. For example, their recording company was expecting a far better album than the first one (“Pablo Honey”). While they were on tour with “The Bends,” they were the ideal opening band. What they got from their last album was their consolidation as an important band and a radical shift in their music. If the past studio album (“Amnesiac”) was very good, with “Hail to the Thief” they excelled, and the sound they have now is not that experimental but more mature.

In “Hail to the Thief,” the lyrics express a feeling of nonconformity and repulsion towards George Bush, global violence, wars, and terrorism. In their second album they express the problems of human existence, emotions, and contradictions. It is concerned more in the interior of the self rather than the world in which we live.

Radiohead is a clear example of the maturity a band can reach through the years. There is an enormous difference between the sound of their second album compared to their sixth album in many aspects, including the lyrics’ content. They have achieved different goals with each of them, and now they belong to the icons of modern music.

[1]This section is based on copyright material by Kerry Walk for the WritingCenter at HarvardUniversity, 1998.

[2]Just as looking through a pair of glasses changes the way you see an object, using A as a framework for understanding B changes the way you see B. Lens comparisons are useful for illuminating, critiquing, or challenging the stability of a thing that, before the analysis, seemed perfectly understood. Often, lens comparisons take time into account: earlier texts, events, or historical figures may illuminate later ones, and vice versa.

[3]From