Essay Planning 2: For an “open” question

This second “short piece” uses a more open question, i.e. one with less direction (though no question will ever be without any direction).

It is adapted from the same exam paper as my first piece (so still most likely before you were born):

Compare and contrast the domestic policies of two rulers of single-party states.

May, 2002

Short and simple:

• Compare and contrast

• Domestic policies

• Two rulers of single-party states

So, you quickly choose your rulers. Like the previous question taking a nano-second to do so. But you have a lot more to think about.

Your introduction could set the context of each regime: are they from different regions or not? Are they both Right-wing or Left-wing or do they contrast in that? Is one a strong dictatorship and the other weaker?

Now you need a paragraph or two on ways in which they compare, and a paragraph or two on ways in which they contrast. That’s pretty straightforward but a word or two on numbers and size of paragraphs. Four paragraphs, if you have a lot to say, might seem too much. In that case you might want to think about a 2:1 ratio whichever way it falls. If you are going to make two comparisons and two contrasts, you need to limit what you say. Either way, I would also put each point in a separate paragraph. It helps you to focus and it makes everything clearer for the examiner. But because you make two comparisons, doesn’t mean to say you have to make two contrasts (or the other way round)– if there is only one that you want to focus on then do that.

And what kind of policies are you choosing: maintaining control, treatment of minorities, youth policies, policies dealing with women, or something else? Your choice, and always explain your choices, requires you to think because you want to choose policies that will enable you to maximise marks, and so you will want comparisons and contrasts. All of them really won’t do. It will be far too much and either you run way over time for this essay or else your analysis is far too “thin” for good marks.

As for your conclusion, which weighs most in your view: the comparisons or the contrasts? Is it because they are greater in number (in which case you would need to identify others, but no more than that). Or is it because they are more significant?

So, your plan:

Intro focusing on context

Comparison 1

(Comparison 2)

Contrast 1

(Contrast 2)

Conclusion with a focus on weighting