Comparative essay structure
The organisation of essays comparing two or more texts, involving sustained juxtaposition, identification of similarities and differences, and integrated analysis rather than separate treatment.
Real World
Literary critics comparing Sylvia Plath's 'The Bell Jar' with Susanna Kaysen's 'Girl, Interrupted' weave both texts into single analytical sentences rather than summarising each book in separate paragraphs.
Exam Focus
Use a comparative connective ('whereas', 'similarly', 'by contrast') in every paragraph's topic sentence to signal sustained integration from the outset.
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