John’s attempt to understand the British Parliament by relating it to his prior knowledge of the US Congress is an example of the comparative method in political science. This method involves analyzing and understanding political institutions, systems, or concepts by comparing them to others that are already familiar. In this case, John uses his understanding of the US Congress as a reference point to grasp the structure and function of the British Parliament, which is a core approach in comparative government courses

. The comparative method helps students make meaningful connections between different political systems, facilitating deeper understanding by highlighting similarities and differences between institutions such as legislatures in different countries. This approach is fundamental in AP Comparative Government and Politics courses, where students are encouraged to compare political concepts and processes across various countries to develop evidence-based arguments and insights

. Thus, John’s strategy exemplifies how comparative politics uses known frameworks to analyze new political systems, enhancing comprehension through systematic comparison.