How might I structure an essay in which I compare two texts?

A clear, well-thought-out essay structure is just as important as the content of your essay! Not only does it make it easier to write the essay, but it also makes your ideas easier to follow for your examiner. Of course, it is always important to have a clear introduction, in which you lay out your argument, and a conclusion, in which you pull your argument together, and maybe open the ideas explored up a little further. For the body of your essay, you have a few ideas to consider:- You might want to use three main sections, where you examine the question/theme in Text A, then Text B, before comparing the two in a third paragraph. This is relatively clear and straightforward, and allows you to organise your ideas easily.- You might wish to organise your essay thematically, which if done well, feels sophisticated and reads quite smoothly. If addressing the theme of marriage in two texts, for example, you might choose to identify ideas within this, such as gender, property, and commitment. A paragraph on gender and marriage in two texts might present one text, then the other, and then examine the two together.- If the question takes the form of a statement to be proved or disproved, you might wish to format the essay as a thesis, an antithesis, and synthesis.

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