Although not everyone would agree, comparing is not always bad. Comparing things can also give you a handful of benefits. For instance, there are times in our life where we feel lost. You may not be getting the job that you want or have the sexy body that you have been aiming for a long time now. Then, you happen to cross path with an old friend of yours, who happened to get the job that you always wanted. This scenario may put your self-esteem down, knowing that this friend got what you want, while you didn’t. Or you can choose to look at your friend as an example that your desire is actually attainable. Come up with a plan to achieve your personal development goal. Perhaps, ask for tips from this person or from the people who inspire you. According to the article posted in brit.co, licensed master social worker and therapist Kimberly Hershenson said that comparing yourself to someone successful can be an excellent self-motivation to work on your goals.
Aside from self-improvement, as a researcher, you should know that comparison is an essential method in scientific studies, such as experimental and descriptive research. Through this method, you can uncover the relationship between two or more variables of your project in the form of comparative analysis.
Aiming to compare two or more variables of an experiment project, experts usually apply comparative research in social sciences to compare countries and cultures across a particular area or the entire world. Despite its proven effectiveness, you should keep it in mind that some states have different disciplines in sharing data. Thus, it would help if you consider the affecting factors in gathering specific information.
In comparing variables, the statistical and mathematical data collection, and analysis that quantitative research methodology naturally uses to uncover the correlational connection of the variables, can be essential. Additionally, since quantitative research requires a specific research question, this method can help you can quickly come up with one particular comparative research question.
The goal of comparative research is drawing a solution out of the similarities and differences between the focused variables. Through non-experimental or qualitative research, you can include this type of research method in your comparative research design.
Know more about comparative research by going over the following examples. You can download these zipped documents in PDF and MS Word formats.
If you are going to write an essay for a comparative research paper, this section is for you. You must know that there are inevitable mistakes that students do in essay writing. To avoid those mistakes, follow the following pointers.
One of the mistakes that students do when writing a comparative essay is comparing the artists instead of artworks. Unless your instructor asked you to write a biographical essay, focus your writing on the works of the artists that you choose.
There is broad coverage of information that you can find on the internet for your project. Some students, however, prefer choosing the images randomly. In doing so, you may not create a successful comparative study. Therefore, we recommend you to discuss your selections with your teacher.
It is common for the students to repeat the ideas that they have listed in the comparison part. Keep it in mind that the spaces for this activity have limitations. Thus, it is crucial to reserve each space for more thoroughly debated ideas.
Unless instructed, it would be practical if you only include a few items(artworks). In this way, you can focus on developing well-argued information for your study.
We get it. You are doing this project because your instructor told you so. However, you can make your study more valuable by understanding the goals of doing the project. Know how you can apply this new learning. You should also know the criteria that your teachers use to assess your output. It will give you a chance to maximize the grade that you can get from this project.
Comparing things is one way to know what to improve in various aspects. Whether you are aiming to attain a personal goal or attempting to find a solution to a certain task, you can accomplish it by knowing how to conduct a comparative study. Use this content as a tool to expand your knowledge about this research methodology.