How To Develop A Comparative Essay Thesis

December 19, 2022 Martha Simons

by Martha Simons

I’m Martha Simons, a 36-year-old woman from the lovely state of Arkansas in the United States. I have a Master of Philosophy degree, which demonstrates my profound devotion to investigating and comprehending diverse intellectual interests. I have a desire for information and a passion for critical thinking. Read More

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It is easy to define little things based on one major aspect. But when a thing or structure is based on multiple support parts, it is necessary to take into account all the parts and their marginal values. In the case of a comparative essay, the real essence lies in the comparison between the principle and the standard. However, you cannot even think about an essay being complete without a solid thesis statement.

Therein lies the problem with a majority of writers who know how to write a complete essay, around a thousand words, but not a thesis statement that provides a gist for that. In this blog, we will take a look at the definition of comparative essays, the major elements in their composition, and how to develop a thesis statement for one.

What Is A Comparative Essay?

In a nutshell, a comparative essay is what it is – a comparative discourse between two or more things. In a comparative essay, the writer compares two or more things based on their similarities and differences. Many writers take the help of another unit as a standard that is widely accepted in the industry. However, when that is not the case, two things can be compared to each other based on their traits and characteristics.

The structure of a comparative essay is that of a typical essay, with the opening and thesis statement leading to the main body before concluding the whole essay. It is research-intensive and takes more than a simple narrative to make sense to the readers. In many instances, it closely resembles expository essays as many experts consider it to be one of its types.

Elements of A Comparative Essay

As we discussed in the opening paragraph, it is easy for a scholar to understand a thing based on its constituents. Since we are learning about comparative essays, it is necessary to break down a unit essay into defining parts to better understand its nature and scope. In this light, we have dedicated this section to understanding the elements of a comparative essay as students will find the knowledge helpful in writing better essays.

Opening

The opening starts with a hook. A hook is a literary device that writers use to grab the attention of the readers. It can be a question, a statistic, or a bold or shocking statement that can help readers ease into the main content of the essay. After the hook comes the background information on the topic. For instance, if the comparative essay is based on two economies, the writer can provide background information to fill the gaps for the readers. In the closing lines of the opening comes the thesis statement.

Thesis Statement

A thesis statement can also be called the heart and soul of an essay. It provides a gist of what the writer wants to say throughout the whole essay. The placement of the thesis statement is strategic and comes at the closing lines of the introduction where it bridges the section with the main body. It is important to write the thesis statement with utmost care because it should not miss the mark. The best way to do so is by writing a thesis statement at the end of the writing phase to cover all the bases.

Main Body

The main body of any essay takes the most space in terms of word count and content. In a typical 5-paragraph essay, three are dedicated to the main body. In a comparative essay, the writer needs to develop and support his stance in this section. Building on the same example, the writer needs to identify and explain the different things in both economies. For every argument, they need to provide credible references and citations. Otherwise, it is just a discourse with no standing in academia.

Closing

The closing of an essay is as important as its opening, if not more. Experts believe that students should spend time and resources in writing and optimizing their conclusions because this will be the last thing that readers will read about the essay and probably remember. The best way to understand a closing is thinking it in the miniature sense, with its opening, main body, and conclusion. To optimize the closing, writers should rely on one-liners and catchy statements for added effect.

How To Write A Comparative Essay Thesis

There is no way around writing the thesis statement of a comparative essay. It is an essential element of the structure and needs to be in the right place for a better impact. But, before placing a comparative essay thesis, it is important to compose and optimize one. This is where this section helps the students with acing the thesis of their comparative essays. We will cover the whole process of writing a solid thesis for your comparative essay.

Focus On The Central Point

A thesis statement is the summation of the main idea surrounding an essay. It needs to be highlighted and placed in a spot where readers can read and understand it better. The contents of the thesis should be focused on the central point of the essay. This way, it is better emphasized and covered in a short but potent sentence or a paragraph.

Highlight The Main Idea

Every essay revolves around a certain topic or premise. Each major section or element of an essay exists around either developing or highlighting it through its contents. While writing a thesis, students need to highlight the main idea by showcasing the main stance. This shows the specific direction and scope of the problem and its application in the context.

Compose A Bold & Brief Statement

The thesis statement is called a statement for a reason. When a writer has arrived at a certain hypothesis or conjecture, it is necessary to turn it into a workable thesis. The best time to work on a thesis statement is after finishing the essay. This way, it is easy to make a compact and bold statement to identify the essay with.

Best Comparative Essay Topics For Students

To help students with writing their essays, we have come up with a short list of comparative essay topics. Since choosing the right topic is the first step in the right direction, it will be a stepping stone for them to move further:

Differences between paid and unpaid healthcare
Comparison between vaccination and medication
A face-off between the roles of nurses and doctors
Similarities and differences between osteopathic and allopathic
Need for mobile first aid stations or local hospitals in cities
Canadian Healthcare and American Healthcare
Making vaccination mandatory in the post-COVID-19 era
Comparison between male and female doctors

Starting A Good Comparative Essay

Since it is writing, there is more than one best way to open a comparative essay. One thing is certain – writers need to be on point right from the beginning to ensure that readers are aware of their leanings and understandings. In this section, we will take a look at a simple guide on how to introduce a comparative essay.

Open With A Hook

Not many students are aware of the term but a hook is an essential part of an essay’s opening. It is a literary term that is used to grab the reader’s attention, right from the beginning. A hook can be a question, a statistic, or a bold statement that covers the premise of the problem while connecting it with something universal.

Provide Context

The introduction or opening of an essay is called so for a reason. The most important part of the section is to introduce the problem, the issue, or the topic in place for the readers. Once it is done, writers should provide some background information to the readers to ease them into the main topic. This will help them in connecting both sides easily.

Showcase Thesis

The thesis of an essay is a summation of its main idea, especially the stance of the writer. The placement of the thesis and its composition is important because it connects with the readers and ensures that everything is right on the mark. In expository essays, such as a comparative ones, it is possible to open the essay with a thesis.

F.A.Q

What is the best way to write a thesis statement for a comparative essay?

We have highlighted the whole process of developing a thesis statement for a comparative essay in this blog. In short, you need to highlight the main idea in a simple and succinct sentence or a short paragraph.

Does a comparative essay need a thesis?

Every essay needs a thesis statement. It is a summary of the main premise or stance of the writer, packed in a bold and brief sentence. No essay is complete with this and it should be written with care.

How do you start a comparative thesis?

The best way to start a comparative thesis is to introduce the problem first and then provide the background in the body. A thesis statement should be bold and brief without being over the top in its contents.

Does a thesis statement need to be a single sentence?

It is not necessary to have a thesis statement in a single sentence. If an essay is lengthy, it is possible to stretch the thesis statement into a short paragraph. But it should be focused and directed toward the main premise.

What is an example of the thesis statement?

Students can understand the nature and scope of a thesis statement by going through the essays written by professional writers. They are necessary for novice writers to understand the dynamics and mechanics of thesis statements.

What makes a good comparison thesis statement?

The following are the characteristics of a good comparison thesis statement:

It should be focused and to the point
It can be a compact form of the whole essay
It should be placed in the introduction – ideally in the closing lines
Expository, comparative, essays can be opened with a thesis statement

Summing Up The Discussion

A comparative essay is a type of expository essay where a writer compares two subjects, based on their physical and chemical traits. Since it is an expository essay, it needs to have a definitive tone and voice, whereas the contents of the essay should reflect an objective take. In this resource, we have shared a simple, yet effective, guide on how to write a comparative essay. We have also shared some of the topics with students to practice on or even pick as they are to write their essays. We hope that novice writers and students will find it helpful in composing winning comparative essays.

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