Compare and Contrast Techniques

Comparison questions appear regularly in the AQA GCSE History exam, particularly in Paper 2 (Thematic Study). They ask you to identify and explain similarities or differences between two periods, events, developments, or approaches. This lesson teaches you how to structure effective comparison answers and avoid common pitfalls.

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Types of Comparison Questions

Question Type	Example	Marks
"Explain one way in which X was similar to Y"	"Explain one way in which responses to the Great Plague of 1665 were similar to responses to the Black Death of 1348."	4 marks
"Explain one way in which X was different from Y"	"Explain one way in which medieval medicine was different from medicine in the Renaissance period."	4 marks
"Compare... with..."	"Compare the causes of the Great Fire of 1666 with the causes of other urban fires in the medieval period."	8 marks

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The Golden Rule of Comparison

The Golden Rule: You must discuss both sides of the comparison in the same paragraph. Do not write a paragraph about X and then a separate paragraph about Y — this is description, not comparison. Weave both sides together.

Example: Weak vs Strong Comparison

Weak (two separate descriptions):

During the Great Plague of 1665, the authorities quarantined infected houses by sealing them shut and painting a red cross on the door.

During the Black Death of 1348, people tried to protect themselves by carrying posies of flowers and fleeing from infected areas.

Strong (integrated comparison):

Both the response to the Great Plague of 1665 and the response to the Black Death of 1348 reflected contemporary beliefs about the causes of disease. In both cases, people believed disease was caused by miasma (bad air), and therefore attempted to purify the air — in 1348 through carrying posies and aromatic herbs, and in 1665 through lighting bonfires in the streets. However, by 1665 the government played a more active role in managing the epidemic, introducing formal quarantine measures such as sealing infected houses, which had no parallel in the less organised response of 1348.

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How to Structure a Comparison Answer

For a 4-mark Question

Use a single paragraph with this structure:

Step	What to Do
1. State the similarity or difference	"One way in which X was similar to / different from Y was..."
2. Describe the first example	Provide specific detail about X
3. Describe the second example	Provide specific detail about Y
4. Explain the comparison	Explain why the similarity or difference existed, or what it tells us

For an 8-mark Question

Write two developed paragraphs, each making a distinct comparison. Each paragraph should follow the structure above.

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Worked Example: 4-mark Question

Question: "Explain one way in which the role of the Church in medieval medicine was similar to the role of the Church in Restoration England." [4 marks]

One similarity was that the Church played a significant role in shaping attitudes towards the causes of disease in both periods. In the medieval period, the Church taught that disease was a punishment from God for sin, and therefore prayer, pilgrimage, and repentance were seen as appropriate responses. Similarly, during the Great Plague of 1665, many people in Restoration England continued to believe that the plague was God's punishment, and days of fasting and prayer were officially ordered. In both periods, religious explanations for disease coexisted with (and sometimes conflicted with) more practical or medical approaches, showing that the Church's influence on health beliefs persisted across several centuries.

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Worked Example: 8-mark Question

Question: "Compare the responses to the Great Plague of 1665 with the responses to the Black Death of 1348–49." [8 marks]

Paragraph 1 (Similarity):

One similarity in the responses was that in both cases, the wealthy and powerful fled the affected areas while the poor were left behind. During the Black Death, many nobles and clergy left towns for their country estates, leaving the urban poor to suffer. Similarly, during the Great Plague of 1665, Charles II and the court moved to Oxford, and many wealthy Londoners left the city. In both cases, this flight of the elites deprived the remaining population of leadership, resources, and medical care, worsening the impact on the poor.

Paragraph 2 (Difference):

However, a key difference was the level of government organisation in responding to the epidemic. In 1348–49, the response was largely uncoordinated — there was no central government programme to manage the outbreak, and responses varied widely from place to place. By 1665, the government had introduced formal measures including compulsory quarantine of infected houses, the appointment of watchmen to enforce quarantine, regulations for the burial of the dead, and the publication of weekly Bills of Mortality to track the spread of the disease. This greater level of organisation reflected the growth of government capacity over the intervening three centuries, even though many of the 1665 measures were still based on the flawed miasma theory.

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Key Comparison Language

Using the right connective language signals to the examiner that you are making a genuine comparison, not just describing two things separately.

Similarity Language

Phrase	Example
"Similarly..."	"Similarly, in 1665, people believed disease was caused by bad air."
"In both cases..."	"In both cases, the poor were disproportionately affected."
"Likewise..."	"Likewise, the government ordered days of prayer and fasting."
"This was also true of..."	"This was also true of responses to the Black Death."
"Just as... so too..."	"Just as medieval people carried posies, so too did Londoners in 1665 burn bonfires."

Difference Language

Phrase	Example
"However..."	"However, the 1665 response was more organised."
"In contrast..."	"In contrast, the Black Death saw no formal quarantine measures."
"Unlike..."	"Unlike the medieval response, the Restoration government published Bills of Mortality."
"Whereas..."	"Whereas medieval medicine relied on the Church, Restoration science was increasingly secular."
"On the other hand..."	"On the other hand, the role of the government was much greater by 1665."

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What the Examiner Is Looking For

Criterion	Detail
Direct comparison	Both sides of the comparison are discussed together, not separately
Specific knowledge	You include precise details — names, dates, examples — for both sides
Explanation	You explain why the similarity or difference existed, or what it reveals
Correct identification	You correctly identify a genuine similarity or difference (not a superficial one)

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Common Mistakes to Avoid