H1 comparative essay

The similarities and differences are unlikely to simply occur to you on the day under exam conditions and the structure of comparing and contrasting, weaving the texts together using linking phrases and illustrating points using key moments is not something you can just DO with no practice. It’s a skill you have to learn.

For instance, in a paper asking how the "discourse of domesticity" has been used in the abortion debate, the grounds for comparison are obvious; the issue has two conflicting sides, pro-choice and pro-life. In a paper comparing the effects of acid rain on two forest sites, your choice of sites is less obvious.

Lots of students find it very difficult to get their heads arounds the Comparative. There are lots of combinations of texts, but have a look at these sample essays to understand what is being asked of you in the Comparative section!

Here’s some general advice on how you might structure your comparative essay, but I repeat, adapt, adapt adapt to the question asked. Theme or Issue: Address the Q, introduce your theme, then your texts – genre, name, author and mention the central character who you will focus on in your discussion of this theme.