Ultimate Guide to Comparative Essay with Free Examples

A comparative essay is a paper where someone compares two or more things. It can be hard to know how to start, but these steps will help you get started.

You will have enough information so that you can develop a thesis statement for your essay.

So let’s get started!

To start any academic paper writing, get the right information. This will lead you to what you should put in your contrast paper. It also helps to know how it relates to the subject being compared.

Keep on reading the blog and explore more about types and examples of a comparative essay.

What is a Comparative Essay?

Comparative means that you will compare two subjects. It might have something in common, or it could be very different.

A comparative essay is a kind of essay where you compare two subjects. For example, you can compare positions, novels, theories, figures, texts, or events.

Moreover, a comparative essay is different from other essays. It talks about how things are alike or different. For example, you can compare the two novels, books, or any subject.

For example, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Red Badge of Courage. But it can also be any subject related to another subject, like comparing a novel to a movie based on the same story.

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Purpose of Comparative Essay

The key purpose of the comparative essay is to:

• Pick what is similar and different about two things and how they are alike and not.
• To help people understand the subject better by providing clarity.
• To show people the advantages and disadvantages of two solutions or possible alternatives.

A comparative essay is also known as a compare and contrast essay. A Venn diagram is a good way to compare two subjects. It shows similarities and differences. You can use it when writing a paper about the points of comparison between two subjects.

Purpose of Comparative Essay

The key purpose of the comparative essay is to:

• Pick what is similar and different about two things and how they are alike and not.
• To help people understand the subject better by providing clarity.
• To show people the advantages and disadvantages of two solutions or possible alternatives.

Basis of Comparison

There are two major basis of comparisons. First, you must know which comparison basis you are adopting to write a comparison essay:

1. Comparison by the Essay Question - The instructor might ask you to compare a figure in Charles Dickens's Great Expectations and Anne Brontë's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. You will compare the personalities, not the books.

2. Comparison Developed by You - You need to compare two novels because the question said so. That means you have to name what is common in both of them, like the theme or the character or something.

Comparative Essay Structure

An essay is about how you put it together. You can write words that readers can easily understand. Then, organize your writing by comparing things that are similar.

There are two main ways of organizing essays:

1. Point by Point Method

What does a point-by-point comparative essay do?

The point-by-point or alternating method helps you compare items. You can list terms of similarities and differences in this method. This is a good way to write an essay about two completely different topics because it makes the writing process easier.

Structure of Point by Point Method

? Introduction

? Body

1. Paragraph 1: Point 1 (Item A and B Comparison)
2. Paragraph 2: Point 2 (Item A and B Comparison)
3. Paragraph 3: Point 3 (Item A and B Comparison)

? Conclusion

2. Block Method

What is subject-by-subject comparison?

In the block method, you divide your information into sections. That way, you can compare one item from different subjects.

The first paragraph differentiates all the items from the one subject, and then a second paragraph compares all the items from a second subject. The block method is best for long or complicated essays because it makes it easier to understand what is being said.

Structure of Block Method

1. ? Introduction
2. ? Body
1. Paragraph 1: Item A (Point 1, Point 2, ..)
2. Paragraph 2: Item B (Point 1, Point 2, ..)
3. ? Conclusion

Therefore, keep these points in mind and devise the conclusion.

Check out the following format to get a better idea.

How to Start a Comparative Essay?

Here are some useful points you must need before getting started to comparative essay:

• Before starting your essay, you need to read the instructions carefully.
• Select a topic that is easy to write, not one that is complicated.
• List similarities and differences between the two subjects. This helps you make an argument for your essay.
• Establish the basis of comparison while comparing two subjects.
• Make sure you do research. Find out information for your subject and cite the sources in the essay.
• You need to create a thesis statement for your essay. It will help you stay on topic.

We hope that the starting process is now clear with all the basic information about the comparative essay. It’s time to let your pen bleed.

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How to Write a Comparative Essay?

Following are the steps to write a comparative essay:

Have a look at its points in detail:

1. Comparative Essay Outline

A comparative essay is about comparing two things. The introduction will say what you are comparing.

The body of your essay will compare the two items you are comparing, and the conclusion will tell if one is better than the other. We will be discussing each point in detail here.

2. Comparative Essay Introduction

The introduction is the foremost part of an essay. You need to make it good. The hook statement is important because it stands out and gets people's attention.

Then, you can talk about the main thing in your essay. Talk about background information, too.

Finally, have a thesis statement at the end that says what you will talk about in your essay for the rest of it.

3. Comparative Essay Body

At this stage, you are just transferring what you had and organizing it in the correct format. The topic sentence should introduce what is going to be discussed in the paragraph.

The discussion of that aspect comes next and then a conclusion about that aspect at the end of the paragraph. Every paragraph should handle one specific comparison or similarity discussion or vice versa.

3. Comparative Essay Conclusion

A conclusion is the part of the essay where you tell what you learned. This means that it is important to review what was said in the body paragraphs.

You should also talk about what was different and the same. The conclusion should be based on your ideas, not your personal preferences.

5. Proofread

Now that you have written your essay, it is time to revise and proofread it. It is a crucial step in producing quality work! Don't skip this step before submitting or publishing the final product; make sure it's as perfect as possible.

Comparative Essay Examples

Looking for an idea on how to write your essay? Try these comparative examples; they’ll give you the perfect direction!

Comparative Essay Topics

Choosing the right topic for your essay is not hard. Check out these possible topics and pick the one you like to write about.

• Relation between technology and education.
• What are the differences between American high schools and English high schools?
• Do you think it is better to save money in high school and college, or should students party?
• What are the benefits of getting a part-time job while in college?
• How does high school compare to college? Is one better than the other?
• Should people go to a public or private university?
• Which type of university offers more opportunities for finding jobs after graduation?
• What are some pros and cons of using eBooks instead of textbooks in class?
• Compare and Contrast: Capitalism vs. communism
• Compare and Contrast: Socialism vs. communism

This was all for the comparative essay. After going through this, you can easily craft a high-scoring comparative essay. However, there are many people who face difficulty in writing quality essays.

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