HOW TO WRITE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Throughout your academic career, you'll be asked to write papers in which you compare
and contrast two things: two texts, two theories, two historical figures, two scientific processes,
and so on. "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 (two politicians with vastly different world views who voice unexpectedly similar
perspectives on sexual harassment).

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.

Faced with a daunting list of seemingly unrelated similarities and differences, you may
feel confused about how to construct a paper that isn't just a mechanical exercise in which you
first state all the features that A and B have in common, and then state all the ways in which A
and B are different. Predictably, the thesis of such a paper is usually an assertion that A and B
are very similar yet not so similar after all. To write a good compare-and-contrast paper, you
must take your raw data—the similarities and differences you've observed—and make them
cohere into a meaningful argument. Here are the five elements required.

Frame of Reference. This is the context within which you place the two things you plan to
compare and contrast; it is the umbrella under which you have grouped them.

The frame of reference may consist of an idea, theme, question, problem, or theory; a group of
similar things from which you extract two for special attention; biographical or historical
information. The best frames of reference are constructed from specific sources rather than
your own thoughts or observations. Thus, in a paper comparing how two writers redefine social
norms of masculinity, you would be better off quoting a sociologist on the topic of masculinity
than spinning out potentially banal-sounding theories of your own. Most assignments tell you
exactly what the frame of reference should be, and most courses supply sources for constructing
it. If you encounter an assignment that fails to provide a frame of reference, you must come up
with one on your own.  A paper without such a context would have no angle on the material, no
focus or frame for the writer to propose a meaningful argument.

Grounds for Comparison. Let's say you're writing a paper on global food distribution, and
you've chosen to compare apples and oranges. Why these particular fruits? Why not pears and
bananas? The rationale behind your choice, the grounds for comparison, lets your reader know
why your choice is deliberate and meaningful, not random.
 Example:

A. 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.

B. In a paper comparing the effects of acid rain on two forest sites, your choice of sites is
less obvious. A paper focusing on similarly aged forest stands in Maine and the
Catskills will be set up differently from one comparing a new forest stand in the White
Mountains with an old forest in the same region. You need to indicate the reasoning
behind your choice.

Thesis. The grounds for comparison anticipates the comparative nature of your thesis. As in any
argumentative paper, your thesis statement will convey the gist of your argument, which
necessarily follows from your frame of reference. But in a compare-and-contrast, the thesis
depends on how the two things you've chosen to compare actually relate to one another. Do they
extend, corroborate, complicate, contradict, correct, or debate one another? In the most
common compare-and-contrast paper—one focusing on differences—you can indicate the
precise relationship between A and B by using the word "whereas" in your thesis:

Whereas Camus perceives ideology as secondary to the need to address a specific

historical moment of colonialism, Fanon perceives a revolutionary ideology as the impetus to
reshape Algeria's history in a direction toward independence.
Whether your paper focuses primarily on difference or similarity, you need to make the
relationship between A and B clear in your thesis. This relationship is at the heart of any
compare-and-contrast paper.

Organizational Scheme. Your introduction will include your frame of reference, grounds for
comparison, and thesis. There are two basic ways to organize the body of your paper.

 In text-by-text, you discuss all of A, then all of B.

 In point-by-point, 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 see A and B
engaged in debate, a point-by-point scheme will draw attention to the conflict. Be aware,
however, that the point-by- point scheme can come off as a ping-pong game. You can avoid this
effect by grouping more than one point together, thereby cutting down on the number of times
you alternate from A to B. But no matter which organizational scheme you choose, you need not
give equal time to similarities and differences. In fact, your paper will be more interesting if you
get to the heart of your argument as quickly as possible. Thus, a paper on two evolutionary
theorists' different interpretations of specific archaeological findings might have as few as two or
three sentences in the introduction on similarities and at most a paragraph or two to set up the
contrast between the theorists' positions. The rest of the paper, whether organized text- by-text
or point-by-point, will treat the two theorists' differences.
You can organize a classic compare-and-contrast paper either text-by-text or point-by-point. But
in a "lens" comparison, in which you spend significantly less time on A (the lens) than on B
(the focal text), you almost always organize text-by-text. That's because A and B are not strictly
comparable: A is merely a tool for helping you discover whether or not B's nature is actually
what expectations have led you to believe it is.

Linking of A and B. All argumentative papers require you to link each point in the argument
back to the thesis. Without such links, your reader will be unable to see how new sections
logically and systematically advance your argument. In a compare-and contrast, you also need to
make links between A and B in the body of your essay if you want your paper to hold together.
To make these links, use transitional expressions of comparison and contrast (similarly,
moreover, likewise, on the contrary, conversely, on the other hand) and contrastive
vocabulary (in the example below, Southerner/Northerner).

As a girl raised in the faded glory of the Old South, amid mystical tales of magnolias and
moonlight, the mother remains part of a dying generation. Surrounded by hard times, racial
conflict, and limited opportunities, Julian,  on the other hand, feels repelled by the provincial
nature of home, and represents a new Southerner, one who sees his native land through a
condescending Northerner's eyes.
Reference: Kerry Walk (1988). Writing Center at Harvard University
URL: https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/how-write-comparative-analysis
Revising your Draft for your Comparative Study into Topic Proposal
1. Read the article How to Write a Comparative Analysis by Kerry Walk (1988). See this
URL or click the attachment.
2. Based on the article, revise your Comparative Study draft following the format
below.
Comparative Study Proposal for an Argumentative Paper
A. Frame of reference: The Idea of Ideology of two writers: Camus and Fanon (10 pts)
B. Grounds for comparison: Both writers wrote about French Algeria, their colonial
experience and the philosophy of revolt (15 pts)
C. Thesis: Whereas Camus perceives ideology as secondary to the need to address a
specific historical moment of colonialism, Fanon perceives a revolutionary ideology as
the impetus to reshape Algeria's history in a direction toward independence. (25 pts)
D. Organizational Scheme. (Give at least 3 categories/sub-topics.) (30 pts)
Chapter 1: The Colonial Identities of Camus and Fanon
Bullet the content for this category.
Chapter 2: Resistance and Rebellion
Bullet the content for this category.
 Chapter 3: A Dialogue Among the Deaf in Algeria
Bullet the content for this category.
Conclusion: Camus, Fanon, and Postcolonialism. State your tentative conclusion in
sentence form. (20 pts.)
TOTAL: 100
3. Note that this proposal is your summative assignment. Please be guided by the assigned
points above which will be transposed into rubrics. This task will be posted on Canvas
Assignments before April 10. You will be given 10 days to accomplish this task formt he
time of posting.

COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT

Philosophy “The theory of the Communists may Democracy is the government “of the
be summed up in the single people, by the people, and for the
sentence: Abolition of private people” -Abraham Lincoln
property” -Karl Marx

Key Elements Centralized government, common Free elections, Ruled by Majority,

ownership, 1-party system, planned Suffrage
economy.

Effect on There is no distinction of There are three main socio-political

Socio-political sociopolitical classes. Everyone is structures: a. Lower class, b. Middle
classes both the owners of the means of class, and c. Upper class.
production and their own
employees.

Economic Organized production to provide for There is a free-market economy, and

system human needs without the use of are controlled by policies that were
money. set by the government

Private Private properties are abolished. Private properties are permitted by

Property the government.

Religion The idea of religion is rejected. Freedom to establish religion are

permitted.

Right to The state’s rulers make economic Individuals have the right to choose
choose and political decisions for everyone. for themselves.
 Political Government is the agent of change; Voting is the major key role.
change change can be swift or slow,
depending on change in ideology.

Disadvantages Looking back, most communist Majorities could abuse minorities.

government falls to corruption and Capitalists could monopolize
abuse of power by its dictator. production of goods.