Comparative Essay Writing for Professionals and Beginners

The definition of a comparative essay is simple if not simplistic: the main task here is to compare the items that are wildly different at first sight.

Although this may appear like an effortless journey, there are students who are intimidated by the academic challenge and wish to change the course of the text before it is too late.

They suggest that the task may also imply comparing opinions or issues without being subjective. The issues generally include:

• Figures
• Theories
• Events
• Texts

With the list in mind, one can compose the text that will follow the instructions without altering the original source. We have to point out there is a catch: the essay does not have to state differences only. The instructors naturally expect you to compare and contrast the items, which means that the similarities are just as pivotal. To achieve perfection while performing the task, one has to determine the goal properly and make sure the basis for the composition is created. Come up with the groundwork for the comparison. Do not hesitate to choose the subjects that have previously remained unexplored. This will put you on the next plane of research and definitely make an impression on the board committee.

For instance, popular literature classes love comparing and contrasting fiction heroes without any particular reason. You may be advised to search for similarities in the image of a gentleman from the Victorian period and do the same with the Middle Ages. Regardless of the time or era, you have to be ready to support the position with a valid argument to get even more points. The bottom line can be guessed immediately: comparative essay writing demands concentration and peace of mind. Even if you are requested to draw a parallel between the novels that you seem to have studied meticulously, be careful. Developing a list for the basic work is a tiring process, yet it pays off almost at once. The items you are comparing have to be analyzed productively in order to avoid blunders.

Thesis on Similarities and Differences: Write Now

As soon as the list of the proverbial similarities and contrasts is done, you can move on to the next step. This includes conducting further research and deciding whether similarities prevail over differences. A thesis that is presented in a more complex way explores the differences from a new perspective, giving the readers time to adjust to the author’s tone and way of thinking. You should not underestimate the audience and your peers, for they can evaluate the essay once it is finished.

Contrasting issues do not necessarily have to be positive or negative. Instead, find the balance in writing by watching the process of character growth. The distinction between the subjects is the key to understanding how comparative essay writing works. Those who do not feel confident enough to present their academic status to the admission committee may write drafts for their own amusement or give the copies to fellow students to garner audience response. Either way, the students are asked to alternate between common points and contrasts to make the differences even more impressive. Examine the theme from an academic point and draw conclusions, based on your observation.

Methods on How to Compare and Contrast Better

There are several strategies that can help you with comparative essay writing. For starters, the learners can juxtapose their positions starting with the points that are defined as A and B. After this, you can pick the alternative method and fuse the strategies, depending on the instructions given. However, we would not recommend comparing and contrasting subjects one has no knowledge of. Firstly, it will be a misstep for the point of the essay. Secondly, the composition will be ruined by the lack of an introductory paragraph.

With the method such as block sentences, for example, one can divide the composition into several halves. They all come back to the major concept and develop it accordingly, although this method allows the students to explore their personal point of view, though. We would not like the audience to become distracted while studying the comparative essay. On the contrary, they have to come to terms with their own vision and find points that correspond to their topic. The questions that represent this are the most powerful basis for the comparison that has ever existed. We would like you to pay attention to this and never attempt to analyze the comparative essay without research.

There are two types of questions generally mentioned:

• The direct comparison. If you are asked to compare capitalist goals with communist manifests, there is nothing one can get confused about. You don’t have to go a mile to determine the point of comparison, which is why the topic seems to be crystal clear. Although this is not always the case, the teacher may also like you to expand on the purpose of the essay to make it more coherent.
• The indirect comparison. If you are requested to compare two philosophies, ideologies, or movements, this is also known as an indirect comparison. In the following case, the writers have to create a work basis on their own. The task is considered to be much more difficult than the regular comparison, although it can be infinitely more challenging as well. It allows developing the content of the story without being too dramatic and encourages students to identify the differences faster. Pay attention to the deadline as comparative essay writing takes time and demands you to be extremely focused. Often students would mention that the end version of the composition does not look like the original version simply because they have started developing their own theories in the process. There is nothing to be afraid of: comparative texts have always been unpredictable in terms of relevance and structure.