Comparative Analysis

Classic" compare-and-contrast papers, 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

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

Keyhole/Lens Comparision 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 Lens comparisons take time into account: earlier texts, events, or historical figures In the "lens" (or "keyhole") comparison, in which you weight A less heavily than B, you use A as a lens through which to view B. 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

How to Write Good Comparison 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 Organization Types of Information Grouping of information Specific sources Provides context 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 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 Why are you comparing these two things? 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 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? 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? 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? 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? Make relationship b/w two subjects clear in your thesis

x Organization 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 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 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

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.