A comparative review may, e.g., require you to examine two schools of thought, two issues, or the positions taken by two persons. You may create a hierarchy of issues and sub-issues to compare and contrast, as suggested by the following general plan.
This model lists 3 options for structuring the body of the review. In all cases, you are expected to deal with the similarities (compare) and then with the differences (contrast): Introduction, Body, & Conclusion
| Introduction: | Opening Paragraph(s) | Introduce your overall topic Establish the significance of the topic/subject Identify the main problem/issue/theory you'll focus on Briefly identify the positions/authors you'll review, and where they differ or complement each other |
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| Body
(3 sample Options) |
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| Conclusion (Options) |
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Literature Review Example 3 offers an excellent example of a comparative review [Language and gender]. This was written by Alastair Pennycook for his undergraduate students as a model of (among other things) of how to structure a review of the literature - for an example of the above structure.