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10 Easy Steps to Writing a Comparative Essay

Step 1: Themes and Issuesa) What are the key themes or issues that you observed in your primary text?

 b) Make a brainstorm web of these “I! I"#$S% &the one that ends up interestin'

you the most wi(( eventua((y beome your topic)*

Step +: Simi(arities and "ifferenes

,ist the simi(arities and differenes that you observe between the two texts that you are

omparin' for your essay* ,ist them in a T-.hart* /ne text wi(( be referred to as “Text

$% the other wi(( be referred to as “Text %*

Text $ Text

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Step 0: $na(ysis

Inorporate your ana(ysis into the omparisons that you have done in Step +* or

examp(e2 if you are inorporatin' a (iterary ritiism2 disuss its presene for the re(evantomparisons* If you are p(annin' on reviewin' arhetypes in your essays2 disuss how

they are re(evant in your omparisons of both texts2 et*

.omparison 1)

.omparison +)

.omparison 0)

.omparison 3)

.omparison 4)

#T.*

Step 3: Theme vs* $na(ysis

5ef(et on how your theme fits into your ana(ysis from Step 0* or examp(e* if yourtheme is “The 6uest for Identity%2 and your (iterary ritiism that you are usin' to

ondut your ana(ysis is “eminist .ritiism%2 then perhaps you ou(d onsider how

soia( norms from the time period of your text p(ay a ro(e in the fema(e harater findin'her femininity and independene: thus2 her identity*

 

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Step 4: rainstorm

.reate a brainstorm web2 to (ist as many ideas as you think you wi(( exp(ore in your

essay* Try not to over-think it* !et your reative-7uies f(owin'8 9ut your “topi% in themidd(e*

Step : !roup

!roup simi(ar ideas to'ether usin' a hi'h(i'hter or p(ae symbo(s beside simi(ar ideas*or examp(e2 if you notie that your ideas are natura((y bein' 'rouped into before2 durin'

or after2 or men2 women and children2 p(ae the same symbo( &;;) or hi'h(i'ht a(( of the

“men% ideas2 then the “women% ideas2 and then the “hi(dren% ideas*

Step <: Method

.hoose your method* $ omparative essay an be strutured in three different ways* =ou

must hoose one* The ,etter represents your text whi(e the number represents yourar'uments*

Method 1: Method +: Method 0:

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9ara'raph 1 - $121 9ara'raph 1 - $1 9ara'raph 1 - $1

9ara'raph + - $+2+ 9ara'raph + - $+ 9ara'raph + - 1

9ara'raph 0 - $020 9ara'raph 0 - $0 9ara'raph 0 - $+9ara'raph 3 - 1 9ara'raph 3 - +

9ara'raph 4 - + 9ara'raph 4 - $0

9ara'raph - 0 9ara'raph - 0Step >: Thesis

.reate a Thesis* This an be broken down into speifi parts to he(p you ome up with a

(ear and onise messa'e for your essay*

Topi &i' Idea):

Stane &=es or o):

,ink &ex@@ beause):

$r'ument A1:

$r'ument A+:

$r'ument A0:

Step B: /ut(ine

.reate an out(ine usin' either a separate sheet of paper or an essay 'raphi or'aniCer*

/ut(ine a(( of your topi sentenes2 then your points and (ast your proof*

 /T#: Important 6uestion: "oes eah topi sentene 95/D# my “I! I"#$% on its

own? $ 'ood topi sentene &$r'ument) and thesis is (ike a mathematia( eEuation*

$r'ument 1 FThesis &Supports thesis or demonstrates that it is true)

9oint 1 G 9roof 1 F $r'ument

9oint + G 9roof + F $r'ument9oint 0 G 9roof 0 F $r'ument

This mode( shou(d exist for eah ar'ument &or your three para'raphs)*

Step 1H: Write8

!o ahead and write your essay* "ont for'et about the sta'es of writin'2 and ensure that

you (eave time for thorou'h editin'8