Effective Tips On Writing A Comparative Essay On E-Books And Paper Books
Regardless of how you feel about technology, E-books have become a popular reading standard that many feel will eventually replace the good old-fashioned paper books. Already, one can feel the effects in bookstore closures, libraries downsizing their space, and more E-book reading tools appearing on the retail shelves each year. When writing a comparative essay on the two items it’s good to be aware of some effective tips that will keep your work credible and in no way a biased argumentative piece. Here’s what you need to know:
Start by listing similarities and differences
One of the most effective tips for writing a comparative essay is to start with a simple list of both the similarities and differences of your subject items. Make two columns – one labeled for E-books and the second labeled for paper books – and come up with at least three instances where the items are similar and three in which they are different. This will help you organize your core argument.
Provide an interesting background for each
Even if you think the two items you’re comparing are well-known, it’s a good idea to start with a brief background where the two items are explained. You don’t’ need to spend more than a few sentences apiece and should generally include this background information in the introductory paragraph. Still focus on interesting points that provide a preview of your main discussion points.
Choose a format style and draft an outline
Unlike other kinds of writing assignments you might want to play around with a few format styles organize your essay in the most logical manner. The two main formatting styles for this kind of work is the point-by-point method where you alternate discussion topics between the two and the item-by-item method where you discuss one item completely before discussing the second.
Keep your discussion topics evenly weighted
No matter which format you decide to use you need to keep your discussion topics evenly weighted throughout. This is where your pre-writing list of similarities and differences comes in handy. Make sure you discuss each point evenly so that it doesn’t appear as though you are trying to sway the reader through a biased analysis.
Draft a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis
Lastly, draft a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis statement by citing all of your major discussion points and showing how you’ve proven why one item is preferable than the other in your opinion. Remember that a comparative essay isn’t persuasive but rather an academic explanation of two or more related items. However, you are allowed a glimpse of your preference assuming you’ve treated both items equally throughout your work.