Essay guide: Planning Comparative study

Your essay question:

STEP 1: Introduction

1. Construction sentences: Provides your broad understanding of the texts: a general outline
of a) the title of the texts, year of publication and author, b) some social, historical and
cultural context and c) a broad statement of the author’s intent in writing/producing the
texts
2. Bridging sentence: moves your introduction from general background and
context to the specific themes and ideas of the essay topic/question.
3. Essay map: Signposts your three arguments/ideas you
are going to present to answer the essay topic and support
your contention.
4. Contention: Provide a
direct answer to the essay
question/ response to the
essay topic.

Your construction sentence can be pre-planned and should be engaging to read as well as doing those things listed
in the triangle above. Write out your pre-planned construction sentence below:

Construction sentence:

STEP 2: Use the ideas from analysis, similarities/ differences and essay question to plan your essay material.

Paragraph 1 (blended) Details

 T - Topic sentence – introduce the first point/ idea
to be compared (e.g., humour)
 E - Explain – it may be necessary to further explain
 the topic sentence
 E – Evidence - First text– discussion of the point/
idea – be sure to give considered and significant
textual detail (such as quotes and techniques) to
support the points you are making
 (Use an appropriate linking word or phrase
between texts) Second text – discussion of the
point/ idea & make comparisons with the first text –
give considered and significant quotes/ examples
from the texts to support the points you are making.
 L - Concluding sentence – link back to the point/
idea and the overall point of view of the essay or
lead into next paragraph.
Paragraph 2 (blended) Details
 T - Topic sentence – introduce the second point/
idea to be compared
 E - Explain – it may be necessary to further explain
the topic sentence
 E - First text – discussion of the point/ idea – be sure
to give considered and significant textual detail from
the text [such as quotes and techniques] to support
the points you are making
 (Use an appropriate linking word or phrase between
texts) Second text - discussion of the point/ idea &
make comparisons with the first text – give
considered and significant quotes/ examples from
the texts to support the points you are making.
 L - Concluding sentence – link back to the point/
idea and the overall point of view of the essay or
lead into next paragraph.

Paragraph 3 (blended) Details

 T - Topic sentence – introduce the third point/ idea
to be compared
 E - Explain – it may be necessary to further explain
the topic sentence
 E - First text – discussion of the point/ idea – be
sure to give considered and significant detail from
the text (such as quotes and examples) to support
the points you are making
(Use an appropriate linking word or phrase
between texts) Second text – discussion of the
point/ idea & make comparisons with the first text –
give considered and significant quotes/ examples
from the texts to support the points you are making.
 L - Concluding sentence – link back to the point/
idea and the overall point of view of the essay or
lead into next paragraph.

STEP 3: Conclusion
Concluding remarks/authorial intention.

What do you think both poets are trying to say, in relation to your essay topic? What is their message to the
audience, or their point of view? Write something in the box below.

Please note: The discussion should be balanced between the two texts, not writing more on one than the other. Aim
for a logical progression of ideas and clear links between paragraphs.

Here is a list of words and phrases for a comparative Sentence Starters

paragraph, which you may find useful.
 There are many ways in which … and … are similar
 The similarity between … and … can be seen in  There are many ways in which … and … are
… different and these include
 There are obvious similarities between … and …  A very obvious difference between … and … is …
 There are many points of comparison between  Whilst there are a few similarities between … and
… and … …, there are more differences.
 There are obvious/ minor/ subtle/ significant/  Whilst … and …appear quite similar, they are, in
major difference/ similarities between the fact quite different.
Praise Song for the Day and The Hill We Climb  Another feature that the two … have in common is
 In contrast to Praise Song for the Day, The Hill
We Climb….
 Just as Praise Song for the Day…. so too does Some commonly used transitions
The Hill We Climb
 A very obvious difference is the ….  alike, like, just like
 Another feature that the two texts have in  in contrast to
common is the …  in spite of this
  differs from
Here are some ways to introduce your evidence:  both
 all cases
 For example, …  even though
 We can see this when …  in the same way
 We can see this in …  on the contrary
 An example of this is …  along the same lines
 This point can be seen in the way that …  likewise
 This point is reflected in …  similarly
 Evidence of this is …  conversely
 For instance …  regardless
 whereas
 on the other hand
 even though
 while
 in contrast
 Yet