How to Write a Comparative Analysis

Mr. Pletsch

Comparison-and-Contrast Essay Writing

• Comparison illustrates how two or more things are similar

• Contrast illustrates how two or more things are different

• In most academic writing, the two are combined to analyze

• In essence, you will be creating an extended analogy

• An analogy explains one thing by comparing/contrasting it to a more familiar thing

Comparison-and-Contrast Essay Writing

• Essay weighs A and B equally (the two things being compared and contrasted)

• May be about two similar things that have crucial differences

• May be about two similar things that have crucial differences, yet surprising commonalities

Comparison-and-Contrast Essay Writing

• Both things must have enough in common in order to justify the analysis

• Be sure to move beyond the obvious• If the two things are very similar, writing

about the differences may be more enlightening

Brainstorming 1/3/11As a small-group, brainstorm the similarities and differences between Donny and Holden. Using the paper provided, organize your answers into a Venn Diagram. Be sure to write your name on the Venn Diagram. Using any materials pertaining to the activity to construct your answers.

Points for Discussion

• Determine the focus of your piece• Determine if you will focus on the similarities,

the differences, or both• Be sure you treat each text, or thing, the

same; each text deserves the same amount of focus

Comparison-and-Contrast Essay Writing

• In the “lens” or “keyhole” comparison, you weight A less heavily than B

• You use A as a lens through which to view B• Use A as a framework for understanding B in

order to change the way in which B is viewed• Useful for enlightening, critiquing, or

challenging the status quo of the thing before your analysis was done

Comparison-and-Contrast Essay Writing

• Lens comparisons take time into account: earlier texts, events, or historical figures

• The difficulty of comparison-contrast papers is that well-developed ones do not merely state all the similarities of A and B and then the differences

• To write a critically well-developed compare-contrast paper, you must take raw facts (the similarities and differences you’ve observed) and make them cohere into a meaningful argument; next are five elements required to construct an excellent compare-contrast essay

Frame of Reference

• The context within which you place A and B to compare and contrast; in other words, the “umbrella” under which you have grouped them

• Consists of the idea, theme, questions, problem, theory, or group (pair) of similar things which you are exploring

• Can consist of biographical or historical information

Frame of Reference

• Constructed from specific sources, not your thoughts and observations

• Most assignments, especially ours, provides a frame of reference

• An essay without this context would have no perspective on the material, or focus and frame, for the writer to construct a meaningful argument

Grounds for Comparison

• The grounds for comparison is the rationale behind your choosing A and B

• Here, you are arguing the meaningful purpose behind constructing your paper, not merely stating that the course has you do so

• You must indicate the reasoning behind the comparison and contrast

• Ask yourself: What is my paper attempting to accomplish?

Thesis

• Being that it is a comparison-and-contrast essay, there should be a comparative nature to your thesis

• You are writing an argumentative essay, not merely presenting facts

• In a comparison-and-contrast paper, the thesis highlights how A and B actually relate to one another; do they corroborate, complicate, contradict, correct, or debate one another?

Thesis• Identify not only the subjects being compared

and contrasted, but also the overall point you are making by doing so; what is the underlying theme of your piece? In other words, what is your message?

• Also indicate if you will focus on merely the similarities or differences, or both

• What general statement could you make about these two texts? Do the points you listed on your Venn Diagram provide enough support for this general statement?

Thesis

• In the most common (the one you are doing) compare-and-contrast paper (especially one focusing on the differences) you can indicate the precise relationship between A and B by using the word “whereas” in your thesis:

Whereas animal nests can be perceived to be the same as houses where people abide , nests lack a certain ambiance that human families create within their homes.

Thesis

• Whether your paper focuses primarily on difference or similarity, you need to make the relationship between A and B clear in your thesis

• Your introduction consists of a frame of reference, grounds for comparison, and thesis statement

Organizational Scheme

• The two basic ways to organize the body of your paper is in a text-by-text method, where you discuss all of A, then all of B, or in a point-by-point (feature-by-feature) method, where 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

Organizational Scheme

• If you believe A and B are engaged in debate (which for this paper, they are more so) the point-by-point method will draw attention to the conflict

• To be sure this scheme does not turn into a ping-pong game of ideas, group more than one point together, therefore cutting down on the number of times you alternate between A and B

Organizational Scheme• You need not give equal time to similarities and

differences• Your paper will be more interesting if you get to

the heart of the argument sooner than later• Usually in a “lens” comparison, you spend

significantly less time on A (the lens) than on B (the focal point) therefore organizing your paper in a text-by-text fashion; however, this can be implemented into the point-by-point method

• This is because 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

Choose a Method

• Be sure to choose either the point-by-point or text-by-text method and stick with it; we, however, will cover the point-by-point method

• Always, as usual, link your points back to your thesis so that your audience can clearly see how each section logically and systematically advance your argument

• Also, you must link A and B together in order for the paper to be clear, concise, and consistent

Conclusion

• Your conclusion should summarize the main points in your essay, as well as emphasize your thesis statement in new words

• Leave your audience with “food for thought” or enlightening reason for your work

• Be sure your conclusion is not merely your introduction rehashed

• Extend on the main points in your essay

Transitional Phrases

To Compare

Similarly, likewise, in like fashion, in like manner, analogous to, comparatively, accordingly, in the same way, comparative to, as, also, in conjunction with this

Transitional Phrases

To Contrast

On the contrary, contrarily, notwithstanding, but, however, nevertheless, in spite of, in contrast, yet, on one hand, on the other hand, rather, or, nor, conversely, at the same time, while this may be true.

Outline

I. Introduction A. Frame of Reference B. Grounds for Comparison C. Thesis

Outline

II. Body Paragraphs (Point-by-Point Method) A. Main Idea Statement B. Points about A with Evidence C. Points about B with Evidence D. Link A and B E. Concluding Statement

*This continues for as long as necessary

Outline

III. Conclusion A. Summary of Main Points B. Restate Thesis C. Enlightening Statement