How to write a Comparative Essay

Comparative essays call for a comparison between two things. You may be asked to "discuss", by putting the case for and against something, or you may be asked to "compare" different views, events, people or things. As with other essays, you need you to be extremely clear about the purpose of the piece. The crucial element in ‘how to write a comparative essay’ is to answer the question in an order that makes most sense to a reader. Although there are guidelines for constructing certain essay types, there are no set rules and the writer has discretion.
The following few steps can guide one on how to write a comparative essay. They are;
1. Analyze the question carefully: Do your research and make sure you have a complete understanding of both things being compared. You will benefit from the research when you come to write your essay and can easily compare similar aspects.

2. Write the introduction: Start with a general point which establishes the similarity between the two subjects then move to the specific focus of the essay. The reader must understand which points you will be examining and which points you will not. At the end of the introduction, declare your preference or describe the significance of the two subjects.

3. Organize the sequence of paragraphs in the main body of your essay: Once you have defined the comparison and the basis of the argument you must determine the structure of your essay. It can be any of the following, but not a combination. First, you can discuss each half of the comparison in every paragraph. For example, begin with a paragraph comparing the two situations; each paragraph thereafter should compare a single aspect of both situations until you have completed comparing all the various points. Secondly, you can alternate between the two subjects paragraph by paragraph. That is, the first paragraph of the main body of your essay begins with one side of the argument. The next paragraph deals with the other, and so on. Finally, in the first half of the main body of the essay, you can argue one side of the comparison throughout as many paragraphs as you wish. When you have finished with that side of the comparison, switch and discuss the other side of the comparison.

4. Conclusion: The conclusion should give a brief, general summary of the most important similarities and differences. It should end with a personal statement, your opinion about both things being compared. It should leave the reader feeling that all the different threads of the essay have been drawn together in a cohesive way and they must be certain this is the end. When you have two radically different topics, it sometimes helps to point out one similarity they have before concluding.
5. Revise your writing: If time is not an issue, the best way to revise your work is to leave it for a day. Once you settle down to revise, remember that the two most important things to do when revising are to find problems and to fix them. The key principle to remember in ‘how to write a comparative essay’ is that you must clarify precisely what you are comparing and keep that comparison alive throughout the essay.