Introduction to Comparison in Paper 1

Welcome! One of the most exciting parts of being an anthropologist is seeing how different cultures handle the same human "big questions." In your Paper 1 exam, you will be given an unseen ethnographic text. Your job isn't just to understand that text, but to compare it to other ethnographic material you have studied in class.

Think of this like a "professional conversation." You are looking at the new text and saying, "This reminds me of what happened in [the society I studied], because they both deal with [a concept], but they are different because..." This skill shows you can apply your knowledge to new situations.

What the Exam Requires

In Paper 1 (Questions 3 or 4 for SL, and Question 3 for HL), you must compare the unseen text with one other ethnographic piece of material. To get the best marks, you must do more than just say they are "similar."

The "Must-Haves" for Comparative Material

Whenever you introduce your own ethnographic material, you must "situate" it. This means providing the context so the examiner knows exactly what you are talking about. You need to include:

1. The Ethnographer: Who wrote the study? (e.g., Bronislaw Malinowski or Annette Weiner).
2. The Fieldwork Location: Where did this happen? (e.g., The Trobriand Islands).
3. The Historical Context / Ethnographic Present: When was it studied? (e.g., the early 1900s or the 1980s).
4. The Group Studied: Who are the people in the study?

Quick Review: The Comparison Checklist

Don't worry if this seems like a lot to remember! Just use the mnemonic "P.E.L.T." to make sure you have situated your material:
P - Person (The Ethnographer)
E - Era (The Time/Context)
L - Location (The Place)
T - Theme (The main concept or "Big Question" being discussed)

How to Compare and Contrast

The IB uses specific "Command Terms" for these questions. It is vital to understand what they are asking you to do:

Compare: Give an account of the similarities between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both throughout.
Contrast: Give an account of the differences between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both throughout.

In most cases, the question will ask you to compare and contrast. This means you need a balanced answer that shows how the unseen text and your chosen ethnography are alike and how they are different.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your Answer

Step 1: Identify a Connection. Look at the unseen text. Does it talk about identity? Power? Exchange? Choose a study from your own class notes that deals with the same theme.
Step 2: Situate your material. Use the P.E.L.T. method mentioned above.
Step 3: Find the Similarities. How are the two groups doing things in the same way? Use phrases like "Similarly," or "In both cases..."
Step 4: Find the Differences. How are they different? Is it because of the environment, the technology, or the belief systems? Use phrases like "In contrast," or "On the other hand..."
Step 5: Refer back and forth. Do not write one paragraph about the text and one paragraph about your ethnography. You must "weave" them together, referring to both throughout the whole answer.

The HL Difference: Theory and Concepts

If you are an HL student, your comparison needs to be a bit deeper. The syllabus requires HL students to include three specific things in their Paper 1 comparisons:

1. Concepts: You must use the key anthropological concepts (like Culture, Identity, or Social Relations) to link the two texts.
2. Ethnography: You must use specific details from both the unseen text and your own studied material.
3. Theory: You must apply a theoretical lens (like Functionalism, Structuralism, or Practice Theory) to explain why these similarities or differences exist.

Did you know? Theories are like different pairs of glasses. A "Marxist" pair of glasses looks for power and money, while a "Symbolic" pair of glasses looks for meaning and rituals. Using these in your HL answer shows you are thinking like a social scientist!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

To keep your marks high, watch out for these "traps":

1. Direct Quoting: The syllabus states that you must present textual evidence in your own words. Do not copy sentences directly from the unseen text; paraphrase them instead.
2. Forgetting to Situate: If you don't mention the ethnographer or the location of your comparative material, the examiner cannot give you full credit for knowledge.
3. The "One-Sided" Answer: Don't spend 90% of your time on the unseen text and only one sentence on your comparative material. They should be treated as equally important.
4. Conflating Anthropology and Ethnography: Remember, ethnography is the specific "story" or data of a people. Anthropology is the "science" or the bigger questions we ask using that data.

Summary: Key Takeaways

- Compare means find similarities; Contrast means find differences.
- Always situate your comparative material (Who? Where? When?).
- Refer to both texts throughout your answer—don't treat them as separate essays.
- HL Students must integrate Theory into their comparison.
- No direct quotes! Use your own words to describe evidence from the text.

Cross-reference: For more on the specific "Big Questions" used in these comparisons, see the chapter on "Paper 1: Description and application of concepts."