comparative essay vce

How To Structure A Comparative Essay (VCE English Tips)

What is a comparative essay.

The comparative essay, in only its second year of being on the VCE English syllabus, is a cause for confusion for many students and teachers alike. Read on for one simple way to structure a comparative essay.

Comparative essay structure

How to write an introduction for a comparative essay.

This can be structured in much the same way as a text response essay. Here, the only difference is that you will need to introduce both texts. Do not forget to make use of comparative language, which is an element of the VCAA criteria, which requires that students discuss "meaningful connections , similarities or differences between the texts”. Your introduction must address your overall contention, specific to the prompt, which should be an idea or concept running through your essay.

How to write a body paragraph for a comparative essay

Aim for around two to four body paragraphs, which should be developed using breadth and a wide scope of ideas. A good way to construct these paragraphs is to base each around a premise or main idea, and you will explore both texts through the lens of this premise.

You can choose either to compare both texts throughout the paragraph, or to go into depth in one text and then transition into exploring the other. No matter which method you choose, make you mention to which extent the two texts are similar or different (it's not enough to say "they are different" or "they are similar").

Relate the end of your body paragraph back to the overall contention, bringing both texts explicitly into focus.

How to write a conclusion for a comparative essay

Like the intro, this can be very similar to a text response conclusion! Make sure to be clear and concise, and sum up your main points from your body paragraphs. Aim to end with a strong, clear point of analysis, shining new meaning on both texts.

Comparative Essay Writing Tips

• Create an Outline: Develop a well-organised outline to keep your essay focused and ensure a logical flow of arguments. This framework serves as a roadmap, guiding you from one point to the next. Always connect your arguments back to your thesis statement for coherence.
• Reference Throughout the Process: Avoid last-minute referencing by incorporating it into your writing process. Cite sources as you go to maintain accuracy and credibility. This practice helps in seamlessly integrating evidence to support your comparisons.
• Highlight Differences and Similarities: Emphasise both differences and similarities between the subjects you're comparing. Provide a clear analysis of how they relate, diverge, or intersect. This enhances the depth of your comparison and adds richness to your essay.
• Utilise Concrete Examples: Enhance the persuasiveness of your writing by using specific examples. Illustrate your points with concrete instances that support your comparisons. This not only reinforces your arguments but also adds clarity to your overall narrative.
• Incorporate Comparative Vocabulary: make sure your essay contains appropriate terminology and comparative words, such as: "On the contrary," "Although," "Furthermore," "Similar to," "Unlike," "In the same way," "Likewise," "Compared to," "In contrast," "Yet," and "On the one hand...on the other hand."
• Collaborate for Improvement: Seek input from others, whether through an English tutor or a study group. Collaborating with peers can provide valuable insights and help refine your work. Different perspectives contribute to a more comprehensive and polished essay.
• Prioritise Drafting: Aim to draft your essay as early as possible. Getting your initial thoughts on paper makes the editing process more manageable. Remember, a first draft is easier to edit than starting with a blank page
• Proofread and Edit: Finally, proofread and edit your essay. Pay attention to grammar, spelling, and overall clarity. A well-polished essay enhances the overall impact of your comparative analysis.

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Study resource – VCE English comparative essay table

In VCE English, students are required to write an essay comparing and contrasting two texts. Known as a “comparative essay”, this involves discussing the similarities and differences between the two assigned texts in areas such as themes, characters, setting, construction, and so on.

Writing comparative essays can be challenging, but it can be made easier with a few simple tools.

One way to set yourself up for success is to use tables like the ones below. These tables can help you revise for your comparative essay in two important ways.

Firstly, the process of filling out the tables structures your revision session in such a way that forces you to spend your time on the most important content. This helps ensure you’re revising smarter, not harder.

Secondly, once these tables are filled out, they’re a great resource to keep coming back to when studying for a SAC or the final exam. No more pausing to flick through hundreds of pages to find the exact passage you need – just glance at your table!

VCE English comparative text analysis table

For a printable PDF of this study resource, please click here:  VCE English Comparative Essay Table .

Central character study

World of texts

Form & construction of text

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Insight: Engage

Writing a comparative essay.

This week, Insight writer and English teacher Melanie Flower outlines steps you can take to write your best comparative essay.

The comparative essay is still a relatively new element of VCE English, only becoming part of the Study Design in 2016. However, while the Area of Study is new, your essay should still have a clear and largely familiar structure, with an introduction, body and conclusion. Last year every topic in Section B of the VCE English examination included the word ‘compare’, and it is essential to note that the comparison of texts is the central requirement for this response, even if the word does not explicitly appear in the topic.

The comparative essay can be tackled in a variety of ways, and it is worth experimenting with different approaches throughout the semester to find the one that suits your strengths.

Read the topic carefully

Make sure that you understand exactly what the topic is asking you to do. The topic might invite a broad thematic comparison, which requires a thoughtful understanding of the ways a particular theme is explored in both texts. Other topics focus on an aspect of the texts’ construction, such as characterisation or setting, and require you to show an understanding of the texts’ form and genre.

You could also encounter a topic that contains one or two quotes. This type of topic necessitates a very thorough knowledge of your texts, as you need to recognise the context of each quote, identify the key ideas being addressed in each, and understand how these ideas are explored in both texts.

Give roughly equal weight to each text

Each text pairing has been carefully chosen to offer points of comparison, in terms of both similarities and differences. While you may have a preference for one text over the other, it is essential that you do not allow this to limit the scope of your discussion. One easy way to make sure that you are addressing both texts equally is to balance every point, example or quote from one text with an equivalent from the other. This can be done in the planning stages, giving you a wealth of material to use in your essay.

Choose your preferred structure

The broad structure of a comparative essay is already very familiar to you, and consists of an introduction, several body paragraphs and a conclusion. The introduction should include a clear contention that alerts the reader to your response to the topic, as well as the main ideas your essay will explore. It must contain references to both texts. Similarly, your conclusion should summarise the points you have made and leave the reader with a clear understanding of your position on the topic. These elements are common to all analytical text response essays. The difference in a comparative response is in the way the body paragraphs are structured and organised. You essentially have two basic options for the body: the block approach or the woven approach.

• The block approach:  This approach involves devoting a paragraph or two to each text, examining the ways each of them address the ideas raised by the topic. The final body paragraphs pull this material together and discuss the similarities and differences between the texts’ approach to the central ideas explored in the essay. This structure appears straightforward, but it can be challenging to maintain a strong connection between the texts when discussing them in isolation. A careful use of linking words is essential to ensure that the essay is cohesive and the comparison of texts remains at the fore.
• The woven approach:  Using a more sophisticated structure, the woven essay draws evidence from both texts within each body paragraph. Topic sentences focus on an aspect of the ideas raised by the topic rather than on individual texts or characters, leaving you free to explore material from both sources in the paragraph. It can be challenging to move between two texts, although with practice, this will become easier. One useful strategy is to begin your discussion of a particular idea with a sentence addressing text 1. Then start the next sentence with a linking word or phrase that leads to a statement about text 2’s perspective on the same idea. A third sentence links both texts, adding an overall position statement. This approach allows you to move smoothly between the texts while also engaging in deep analysis of their ideas.

Focus on differences as well as similarities

We tend to be very alert to similarities between texts, which are usually relatively simple to identify; however, often the most interesting discussion will devolve from a consideration of the differences. These provide an opportunity to explore contrasting situations and points of view, thus demonstrating your engagement with both the texts and the ideas they present.

Use linking words and phrases

When moving the discussion between texts, regardless of the overall essay structure you have chosen, use appropriate linking words and phrases to maintain fluency and cohesion. These links help your reader to understand the connection between the ideas you are discussing, whether they are similarities or contrasts.

Phrases that you can use to discuss similarities include:

similarly, likewise, in the same way, also, along similar lines, in the same fashion .

Phrases useful for indicating contrast include:

in contrast, on the other hand, unlike (text 1), regardless, however, conversely, on the contrary, nevertheless .

Used purposefully, these words and phrases help guide your reader through your discussion, ensuring that they understand the relationship between the texts and the ideas explored in your response.

Explore a range of elements

To add depth to your response, consider a variety of textual elements in your discussion. While the topic may prompt you to focus on character or theme, your response will have more depth if you are able to draw other aspects of the texts into your discussion. You could note the impact of the narrative voice, reflect on how structure shapes a reader’s responses, consider the influence of genre on the texts’ construction, or acknowledge differences in style or authorial purpose. All of these elements provide you with opportunities to consider the texts as constructs, leading to a more complex and sophisticated analysis.

_____________

The comparative essay is a challenging, but ultimately satisfying, opportunity to explore intertextual connections. By considering the different perspectives offered by carefully paired texts, you can enrich your understanding of both texts and draw new meanings from them. Ultimately, the best way to find an essay style that works for you is to experiment. Try a few different approaches, note the feedback you receive from your teacher, and use this to finetune your approach. Remember that examiners are not looking for a single, standard essay format. They are interested in your ideas and your genuine responses to the texts, and whichever structure best allows you to present these is the most appropriate structure for you.

Need help with your comparative essays? Insight has two Insight Sample Essays for each List 2 text comparison for English. Each high-level essay features annotations with assessor comments identifying the elements of the essay that work and areas for improvement, as well as tips on how to approach the essay topic and appropriate strategies for analysis.

Insight Sample Essays are produced by Insight Publications, an independent Australian educational publisher.

Photo credit: maradon333/shutterstock

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Author Topic: 2017 VCE English - Comparative Essay  (Read 14226 times)  Tweet   Share  

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clarke54321

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Re: 2017 VCE English - Comparative Essay

Hi, I just wanted to create a forum for year 12's in 2017 and beyond as the English Study Design has changed and I cannot find many resources for writing comparative essays (a new implementation in the curriculum). Here we can post bits and pieces about VCE English Units 3 & 4 in 2017, as I find it quite worrying that we are the first year of a new Study Design. 

ayesha2011t

Hi Lilyrosee, I'm also doing English 3/4 in 2017 and am experiencing the exact same difficulty that you are. At the moment, I'm relying mostly on my Year 11 English Insight book which explains the new study design changes in greater detail than my teachers can offer. Which texts has your school chosen for the comparative essay?

We will be doing Montana 1948 and Twelve Angry Men

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For all this time... I thought comparative text analysis is basically a text response...  (or am I right? )

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To an extent...you do write similarly to a text response. Generally you will have a primary text and a secondary text so your essay consists first and foremost of the primary text and then you mention similarities and differences in the primary and secondary texts. It becomes quite difficult when layering in the other text and I hope people can post some examples so we can all see what works and what does not. At my school we began writing comparative essays in year 9 and since then we have only done 2 assessments on them. I have a comparative essay SAC coming up in just under 2 months and the teacher has dedicated a week to learning how to correctly write a comparative essay. It just scares me that I will have only done 4 comparative assessments going into Units 3 & 4 English next year...

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Hi all, I'm doing English in 2017 as well, but I did English Language in Yr 11.  and clarke54321, where did you get the yr 11 English Insights Book? Thanks, Coolaths

Hi Coolaths, I got my year 11 English Insight book from Campion. I'm sure that any other school book company will also have it in stock. 

That sounds good. Our school is doing Twelve Angry Men and the Crucible.

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ENGLISH ARGUMENT ANALYSIS

hey everyone! I need some assistance with argument analysis. I can generally write pretty well when I’m only given one text but for my sac, we are required to write a comparative analysis. I’m a little confused on how I should structure my piece. My plan is to write separate paragraphs analysing both texts and then one paragraph on comparison but then I feel like my analysis will be way too long and I only have an hour to write it. Any advice??

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