Lecture Notes: Vergleich von Texten
Summary of the Class
In this lecture, we discussed how to properly approach comparing texts. Normally, comparisons involve two texts, rarely more. The goal of such comparisons is to analyze both the similarities and differences between them. The process involves several structured steps, from preparing and sketching an outline to writing a formal comparative essay divided into an introduction, main body, and conclusion.
Detailed Notes
Process Overview
- Initial Reading: Carefully read the texts.
- Note-taking: Summarize similarities and differences in bullet points.
- Sketching a Draft: Create a rough outline based on the noted bullet points.
Writing the Comparison Essay
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Introduction:
- Include names of authors, titles, publication years, and locations of the texts.
- Briefly describe the contents of both texts.
- Place the texts in their social, political, and literary contexts.
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Main Body:
- Conduct a content comparison.
- Examine and compare linguistic aspects.
- Typical analytical approach:
- Analyze one text completely followed by the other.
- Focus on certain aspects for comparison rather than entire texts.
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Conclusion:
- Summarize the findings of the comparison detailed in the main body.
- If dealing with literary texts from different epochs, comparisons may include reasons for differences based on the periods.
- For factual texts, the comparison might focus on evaluating and comparing the argumentative structures.
- A personal commentary might be included but is not always necessary.
Final Steps and Recap
- Critical Steps:
- Careful reading of texts.
- Note the similarities and differences.
- Sketch out the structure of the comparison.
- Written Draft:
- Compose the essay with an introduction, a detailed main body that follows a specific analytical approach, and a conclusion that sums up the results and, optionally, includes personal remarks.
Additional Resources
Conclusion
The class provided a structured outline on textual comparison including how to methodically prepare and present a comparative analysis in written form, offering a systematic approach that could be applied across various texts and contexts.