Comparing Two Texts on the Same Topic

Compare how two authors present the same topic through emphasis, evidence, and perspective.

When two texts cover the same topic, comparing them reveals choices each author made. Focus on three things. Emphasis: what does each author highlight or leave out? Evidence: what kinds of support does each use? Perspective: what point of view shapes each text? Imagine two short articles about a new skate park. Text A, written by a city official, emphasizes cost savings and safety rules, cites the budget, and quotes the parks director.

Text B, written by a teenage skater, emphasizes community and creativity, describes friends meeting there, and quotes other skaters. Both are about the same park, and neither is wrong. They are written from different positions for different purposes. A strong comparison does not just list differences; it explains why they exist: the official needs to justify spending, while the skater wants to show what the park means to its users. Reading both gives a fuller picture than either alone.

• 1Compare emphasis, evidence, and perspective.
• 2Different authors make different choices for different purposes.
• 3Explain why the differences exist.