Comparative Essays

Planning:

A good essay needs to be clear and logically structured.

Before you begin writing, or researching, construct a plan of exactly what kind of information you are looking for and plan how you hope to present it. Try to categorize your research so you can look for the same type of information in both articles being compared. Review your research and search for three to five common attributes or categories that can be compared.

In art works these may be 1. Form (materials, scale, organization, treatment); 2. Content (figures, subject matter); 3. Artist's context (e.g. guild vs. master artist, economy, social position, etc.)

The articles should be similar in kind (e.g. compare a painting with a painting)

Structure:

A comparative essay works best in the following structure:

• Introduction
• Item 1
• Item 2
• Interpretation
• Summary (Implications)

INTRODUCTION

Here is where you share what you set out to prove and how you plan on doing it.

Provide a thesis then outline the method or structure through which you will prove your thesis. You are essentially sharing your essay outline and providing your reader with a road map through your essay.

PRESENT THE DATA

Discuss or critique Item 1 according to ONLY the common categories you have chosen.

Do the same thing next for Item 2.

INTERPRET THE DATA

Interpret the similarities and difference of the evidence you have presented.

Do this by sticking to your comparative categories

SUMMARY /IMPLICATIONS

This is the best part. This is where you can share your opinions, or connections you have made based on the evidence presented. You can draw connections to contemporary examples, making the research relevant to a greater cause or significance.