how to teach analytical essay writing

How To Write an Analytical Essay

If you enjoy exploring topics deeply and thinking creatively, analytical essays could be perfect for you. They involve thorough analysis and clever writing techniques to gain fresh perspectives and deepen your understanding of the subject. In this article, our expert research paper writer will explain what an analytical essay is, how to structure it effectively and provide practical examples. This guide covers all the essentials for your writing success!

What Is an Analytical Essay

An analytical essay involves analyzing something, such as a book, movie, or idea. It relies on evidence from the text to logically support arguments, avoiding emotional appeals or personal stories. Unlike persuasive essays, which argue for a specific viewpoint, a good analytical essay explores all aspects of the topic, considering different perspectives, dissecting arguments, and evaluating evidence carefully. Ultimately, you'll need to present your own stance based on your analysis, synthesize findings, and decide whether you agree with the conclusions or have your own interpretation.

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How to Structure an Analytical Essay

Crafting an excellent paper starts with clear organization and structuring of arguments. An analytical essay structure follows a simple outline: introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction: Begin by grabbing the reader's attention and stating the topic clearly. Provide background information, state the purpose of the paper, and hint at the arguments you'll make. The opening sentence should be engaging, such as a surprising fact or a thought-provoking question. Then, present your thesis, summarizing your stance in the essay.

Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph starts with a clear topic sentence guiding the reader and presents evidence supporting the thesis. Focus on one issue per paragraph and briefly restate the main point at the end to transition smoothly to the next one. This ensures clarity and coherence in your argument.

Conclusion: Restate the thesis, summarize key points from the body paragraphs, and offer insights on the significance of the analysis. Provide your thoughts on the topic's importance and how your analysis contributes to it, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Meanwhile, you might also be interested in how to write a reflection paper , so check out the article for more information!

How to Write an Analytical Essay in 6 Simple Steps

Once you've got a handle on the structure, you can make writing easier by following some steps. Preparing ahead of time can make the process smoother and improve your essay's flow. Here are some helpful tips from our experts. And if you need it, you can always request our experts to write my essay for me , and we'll handle it promptly.

Step 1: Decide on Your Stance

Before diving into writing, it's crucial to establish your stance on the topic. Let's say you're going to write an analytical essay example about the benefits and drawbacks of remote work. Before you start writing, you need to decide what your opinion or viewpoint is on this topic.

• Do you think remote work offers flexibility and improved work-life balance for employees?
• Or maybe you believe it can lead to feelings of isolation and decreased productivity?

Once you've determined your stance on remote work, it's essential to consider the evidence and arguments supporting your position. Are there statistics or studies that back up your viewpoint? For example, if you believe remote work improves productivity, you might cite research showing increased output among remote workers. On the other hand, if you think it leads to isolation, you could reference surveys or testimonials highlighting the challenges of remote collaboration. Your opinion will shape how you write your essay, so take some time to think about what you believe about remote work before you start writing.

Step 2: Write Your Thesis Statement

Once you've figured out what you think about the topic, it's time to write your thesis statement. This statement is like the main idea or argument of your essay.

If you believe that remote work offers significant benefits, your thesis statement might be: 'Remote work presents an opportunity for increased flexibility and work-life balance, benefiting employees and employers alike in today's interconnected world.'

Alternatively, if you believe that remote work has notable drawbacks, your thesis statement might be: 'While remote work offers flexibility, it can also lead to feelings of isolation and challenges in collaboration, necessitating a balanced approach to its implementation.'

Your thesis statement guides the rest of your analytical essay, so make sure it clearly expresses your viewpoint on the benefits and drawbacks of remote work.

Step 3: Write Topic Sentences

After you have your thesis statement about the benefits and drawbacks of remote work, you need to come up with topic sentences for each paragraph while writing an analytical essay. These sentences introduce the main point of each paragraph and help to structure your essay.

Let's say your first paragraph is about the benefits of remote work. Your topic sentence might be: 'Remote work offers employees increased flexibility and autonomy, enabling them to better manage their work-life balance.'

For the next paragraph discussing the drawbacks of remote work, your topic sentence could be: 'However, remote work can also lead to feelings of isolation and difficulties in communication and collaboration with colleagues.'

And for the paragraph about potential solutions to the challenges of remote work, your topic sentence might be: 'To mitigate the drawbacks of remote work, companies can implement strategies such as regular check-ins, virtual team-building activities, and flexible work arrangements.'

Each topic sentence should relate back to your thesis statement about the benefits and drawbacks of remote work and provide a clear focus for the paragraph that follows.

Step 4: Create an Outline

Now that you have your thesis statement and topic sentences, it's time to create an analytical essay outline to ensure your essay flows logically. Here's an outline prepared by our analytical essay writer based on the example of discussing the benefits and drawbacks of remote work:

Step 5: Write Your First Draft

Now that you have your outline, it's time to start writing your first draft. Begin by expanding upon each point in your outline, making sure to connect your ideas smoothly and logically. Don't worry too much about perfection at this stage; the goal is to get your ideas down on paper. You can always revise and polish your draft later.

As you write, keep referring back to your thesis statement to ensure that your arguments align with your main argument. Additionally, make sure each paragraph flows naturally into the next, maintaining coherence throughout your essay.

Once you've completed your first draft, take a break and then come back to review and revise it. Look for areas where you can strengthen your arguments, clarify your points, and improve the overall structure and flow of your essay.

Remember, writing is a process, and it's okay to go through multiple drafts before you're satisfied with the final result. Take your time and be patient with yourself as you work towards creating a well-crafted essay on the benefits and drawbacks of remote work.

Step 6: Revise and Proofread

Once you've completed your first draft, it's essential to revise and proofread your essay to ensure clarity, coherence, and correctness. Here's how to approach this step:

• Check if your ideas make sense and if they support your main point.
• Make sure your writing style stays the same and your format follows the rules.
• Double-check your facts and make sure you've covered everything important.
• Cut out any extra words and make your sentences clear and short.
• Look for mistakes in spelling and grammar.
• Ask someone to read your essay and give you feedback.

What is the Purpose of an Analytical Essay?

Analytical essays aim to analyze texts or topics, presenting a clear argument. They deepen understanding by evaluating evidence and uncovering underlying meanings. These essays promote critical thinking, challenging readers to consider different viewpoints.

They're also great for improving critical thinking skills. By breaking down complex ideas and presenting them clearly, they encourage readers to think for themselves and reach their own conclusions.

This type of essay also adds to academic discussions by offering fresh insights. By analyzing existing research and literature, they bring new perspectives or shine a light on overlooked parts of a topic. This keeps academic conversations lively and encourages more exploration in the field.

Analytical Essay Examples

Check out our essay samples to see theory in action. Crafted by our dissertation services , they show how analytical thinking applies to real situations, helping you understand concepts better.

With our tips on how to write an analytical essay, you're ready to boost your writing skills and craft essays that captivate your audience. With practice, you'll become a pro at analytical writing, ready to tackle any topic with confidence. And, if you need help to buy essay online , just drop us a line saying ' do my homework for me ' and we'll jump right in!

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How to Write an Analytical Essay?

What is an analytical essay.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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Full Guide to Writing an Analytical Essay

In academic writing, an analytical essay is considered one of the most difficult papers. Not only does it require an extensive understanding of the topic, but also a high level of critical thinking skills. In this article, we’ll break down what analytical essays are, their structure, and how to write an analytical essay for the first time.

What is an analytical essay?

Analytical writing focuses on demonstrating how exactly an author arrived at a given conclusion. It showcases the entire thought process used by the author to draw connections between different ideas.

As a form of analytical writing, analytical essays aim to break down an issue into different components and evaluate how these components work together. It allows the author to interpret and analyze a subject in a detailed and structured manner, using observations, evidence, and examples to support the main idea.

An analytical essay is a more complex type of essay writing. Because of this, it is regarded as a university-level assignment and can be hard to grasp at first. The analytical essay format is most often used as a tool to showcase research findings. It can be written on a variety of subjects, including literature, films, historical events, and scientific phenomena.

Analytical essay outline

Like with other essay types, an analytical essay outline has a standard structure that writers must follow. It consists of the following parts:

• Introduction,
• Body paragraphs,
• Conclusion.

Each part of the analytical essay outline performs specific functions.

In the introduction , the writer should present the topic that they want to cover in the essay. This is also the part where the author states their thesis. It should be mentioned that an analytical thesis should represent a hypothesis that the writer wants to prove or the results of an analysis.

The body paragraphs of an analytical essay are dedicated to dissecting available evidence. Each analysis paragraph should focus on separate points and provide an examination of how each piece of evidence relates to the topic at hand.

At last, the conclusion of an analytical essay should briefly summarize the discussed points and present the results of the analysis. More often than not, the results reaffirm the analytical thesis, so the conclusion should also mention the original hypothesis.

How to write an analytical essay

Writing an analytical essay requires a structured approach to maintain its logic and analytical essay format. Let’s start with understanding how to start an analysis essay.

Step 1. Preparation and research

Before starting to write an analytical essay, it is essential to research its topic. Analytical writing in particular requires a thorough understanding of a topic and related aspects. Writers should prepare and study a list of sources before they can be ready to present a comprehensive analysis for others to read.

That’s why research is the first step. It helps you familiarize yourself with the topic, gain the required knowledge, and understand how to start an analysis essay. Conducting research also ensures that you comprehend how you plan to analyze a topic and what evidence you can bring up to confirm your conclusions.

Step 2. Introducing the topic

After conducting research, you can start your essay with an introduction.

The focal point of any introduction is the thesis statement. An analytical thesis must introduce the topic of your analysis, the parts of your analysis, and the order in which you will present your evidence. To formulate the thesis, you can ask the following questions:

• What was the subject of my analysis?
• What were the results of my analysis?
• How did I come to these conclusions?

Apart from the thesis statement, the introduction should also include a brief background on the subject of your analysis to ensure that your audience has some understanding of the topic of your essay.

Step 3. Present your analysis

The next step in your writing is explaining how your analysis went in the main part of your paper. Each analysis paragraph should follow a set structure consisting of:

• Topic sentence . The topic sentence introduces the main idea of an analysis paragraph. It should directly relate to your thesis statement.
• Evidence . Evidence consists of summaries from your list of references and should support the main idea of your paragraph.
• Analysis . After relaying the evidence, make sure to introduce a detailed analysis. Explain how exactly the evidence supports your main idea, why it is significant, and provide relevant interpretation.
• Reinforcement . Every analysis paragraph should maintain logic, so it is important to reinforce your main topic by mentioning your thesis statement.

An average analytical essay consists of three body paragraphs. However, you should aim to represent your analysis fully, so the essay may end up longer.

Step 4. Conclude your essay

The last stage of our guide on how to write an analytical essay is creating a conclusion.

To write the conclusion of an analytical essay, you should restate your thesis in a new way to reinforce your main argument and remind the audience of your initial hypothesis. In this part, it is essential to summarize the key points of your analysis by highlighting how they collectively support your thesis.

Finally, you can end your essay with a closing thought that emphasizes the significance of your analysis and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Summary: Analytical essay

Among other types of academic texts, analytical essays aim to deepen the audience's understanding of the subject through careful analysis and logical argumentation. It requires thorough research and preparation as it gives a more profound insight into a topic.

Essay generator Aithor is created specifically to assist in academic writing. If you struggle with writing your analytical essay, use Aithor for swift and reliable advice on analytical writing.

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5 Steps to Write a Great Analytical Essay

General Education

Do you need to write an analytical essay for school? What sets this kind of essay apart from other types, and what must you include when you write your own analytical essay? In this guide, we break down the process of writing an analytical essay by explaining the key factors your essay needs to have, providing you with an outline to help you structure your essay, and analyzing a complete analytical essay example so you can see what a finished essay looks like.

What Is an Analytical Essay?

Before you begin writing an analytical essay, you must know what this type of essay is and what it includes. Analytical essays analyze something, often (but not always) a piece of writing or a film.

An analytical essay is more than just a synopsis of the issue though; in this type of essay you need to go beyond surface-level analysis and look at what the key arguments/points of this issue are and why. If you’re writing an analytical essay about a piece of writing, you’ll look into how the text was written and why the author chose to write it that way. Instead of summarizing, an analytical essay typically takes a narrower focus and looks at areas such as major themes in the work, how the author constructed and supported their argument, how the essay used literary devices to enhance its messages, etc.

While you certainly want people to agree with what you’ve written, unlike with persuasive and argumentative essays, your main purpose when writing an analytical essay isn’t to try to convert readers to your side of the issue. Therefore, you won’t be using strong persuasive language like you would in those essay types. Rather, your goal is to have enough analysis and examples that the strength of your argument is clear to readers.

Besides typical essay components like an introduction and conclusion, a good analytical essay will include:

• A thesis that states your main argument
• Analysis that relates back to your thesis and supports it
• Examples to support your analysis and allow a more in-depth look at the issue

In the rest of this article, we’ll explain how to include each of these in your analytical essay.

How to Structure Your Analytical Essay

Analytical essays are structured similarly to many other essays you’ve written, with an introduction (including a thesis), several body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Below is an outline you can follow when structuring your essay, and in the next section we go into more detail on how to write an analytical essay.

Introduction

Your introduction will begin with some sort of attention-grabbing sentence to get your audience interested, then you’ll give a few sentences setting up the topic so that readers have some context, and you’ll end with your thesis statement. Your introduction will include:

• Brief background information explaining the issue/text
• Your thesis

Body Paragraphs

Your analytical essay will typically have three or four body paragraphs, each covering a different point of analysis. Begin each body paragraph with a sentence that sets up the main point you’ll be discussing. Then you’ll give some analysis on that point, backing it up with evidence to support your claim. Continue analyzing and giving evidence for your analysis until you’re out of strong points for the topic. At the end of each body paragraph, you may choose to have a transition sentence that sets up what the next paragraph will be about, but this isn’t required. Body paragraphs will include:

• Introductory sentence explaining what you’ll cover in the paragraph (sort of like a mini-thesis)
• Analysis point
• Evidence (either passages from the text or data/facts) that supports the analysis
• (Repeat analysis and evidence until you run out of examples)

You won’t be making any new points in your conclusion; at this point you’re just reiterating key points you’ve already made and wrapping things up. Begin by rephrasing your thesis and summarizing the main points you made in the essay. Someone who reads just your conclusion should be able to come away with a basic idea of what your essay was about and how it was structured. After this, you may choose to make some final concluding thoughts, potentially by connecting your essay topic to larger issues to show why it’s important. A conclusion will include:

• Paraphrase of thesis
• Summary of key points of analysis
• Final concluding thought(s)

5 Steps for Writing an Analytical Essay

Follow these five tips to break down writing an analytical essay into manageable steps. By the end, you’ll have a fully-crafted analytical essay with both in-depth analysis and enough evidence to support your argument. All of these steps use the completed analytical essay in the next section as an example.

#1: Pick a Topic

You may have already had a topic assigned to you, and if that’s the case, you can skip this step. However, if you haven’t, or if the topic you’ve been assigned is broad enough that you still need to narrow it down, then you’ll need to decide on a topic for yourself. Choosing the right topic can mean the difference between an analytical essay that’s easy to research (and gets you a good grade) and one that takes hours just to find a few decent points to analyze

Before you decide on an analytical essay topic, do a bit of research to make sure you have enough examples to support your analysis. If you choose a topic that’s too narrow, you’ll struggle to find enough to write about.

For example, say your teacher assigns you to write an analytical essay about the theme in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath of exposing injustices against migrants. For it to be an analytical essay, you can’t just recount the injustices characters in the book faced; that’s only a summary and doesn’t include analysis. You need to choose a topic that allows you to analyze the theme. One of the best ways to explore a theme is to analyze how the author made his/her argument. One example here is that Steinbeck used literary devices in the intercalary chapters (short chapters that didn’t relate to the plot or contain the main characters of the book) to show what life was like for migrants as a whole during the Dust Bowl.

You could write about how Steinbeck used literary devices throughout the whole book, but, in the essay below, I chose to just focus on the intercalary chapters since they gave me enough examples. Having a narrower focus will nearly always result in a tighter and more convincing essay (and can make compiling examples less overwhelming).

#2: Write a Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement is the most important sentence of your essay; a reader should be able to read just your thesis and understand what the entire essay is about and what you’ll be analyzing. When you begin writing, remember that each sentence in your analytical essay should relate back to your thesis

In the analytical essay example below, the thesis is the final sentence of the first paragraph (the traditional spot for it). The thesis is: “In The Grapes of Wrath’s intercalary chapters, John Steinbeck employs a variety of literary devices and stylistic choices to better expose the injustices committed against migrants in the 1930s.” So what will this essay analyze? How Steinbeck used literary devices in the intercalary chapters to show how rough migrants could have it. Crystal clear.

#3: Do Research to Find Your Main Points

This is where you determine the bulk of your analysis--the information that makes your essay an analytical essay. My preferred method is to list every idea that I can think of, then research each of those and use the three or four strongest ones for your essay. Weaker points may be those that don’t relate back to the thesis, that you don’t have much analysis to discuss, or that you can’t find good examples for. A good rule of thumb is to have one body paragraph per main point

This essay has four main points, each of which analyzes a different literary device Steinbeck uses to better illustrate how difficult life was for migrants during the Dust Bowl. The four literary devices and their impact on the book are:

• Lack of individual names in intercalary chapters to illustrate the scope of the problem
• Parallels to the Bible to induce sympathy for the migrants
• Non-showy, often grammatically-incorrect language so the migrants are more realistic and relatable to readers
• Nature-related metaphors to affect the mood of the writing and reflect the plight of the migrants

#4: Find Excerpts or Evidence to Support Your Analysis

Now that you have your main points, you need to back them up. If you’re writing a paper about a text or film, use passages/clips from it as your main source of evidence. If you’re writing about something else, your evidence can come from a variety of sources, such as surveys, experiments, quotes from knowledgeable sources etc. Any evidence that would work for a regular research paper works here.

In this example, I quoted multiple passages from The Grapes of Wrath  in each paragraph to support my argument. You should be able to back up every claim you make with evidence in order to have a strong essay.

#5: Put It All Together

Now it's time to begin writing your essay, if you haven’t already. Create an introductory paragraph that ends with the thesis, make a body paragraph for each of your main points, including both analysis and evidence to back up your claims, and wrap it all up with a conclusion that recaps your thesis and main points and potentially explains the big picture importance of the topic.

Analytical Essay Example + Analysis

So that you can see for yourself what a completed analytical essay looks like, here’s an essay I wrote back in my high school days. It’s followed by analysis of how I structured my essay, what its strengths are, and how it could be improved.

One way Steinbeck illustrates the connections all migrant people possessed and the struggles they faced is by refraining from using specific titles and names in his intercalary chapters. While The Grapes of Wrath focuses on the Joad family, the intercalary chapters show that all migrants share the same struggles and triumphs as the Joads. No individual names are used in these chapters; instead the people are referred to as part of a group. Steinbeck writes, “Frantic men pounded on the doors of the doctors; and the doctors were busy.  And sad men left word at country stores for the coroner to send a car,” (555). By using generic terms, Steinbeck shows how the migrants are all linked because they have gone through the same experiences. The grievances committed against one family were committed against thousands of other families; the abuse extends far beyond what the Joads experienced. The Grapes of Wrath frequently refers to the importance of coming together; how, when people connect with others their power and influence multiplies immensely. Throughout the novel, the goal of the migrants, the key to their triumph, has been to unite. While their plans are repeatedly frustrated by the government and police, Steinbeck’s intercalary chapters provide a way for the migrants to relate to one another because they have encountered the same experiences. Hundreds of thousands of migrants fled to the promised land of California, but Steinbeck was aware that numbers alone were impersonal and lacked the passion he desired to spread. Steinbeck created the intercalary chapters to show the massive numbers of people suffering, and he created the Joad family to evoke compassion from readers.  Because readers come to sympathize with the Joads, they become more sensitive to the struggles of migrants in general. However, John Steinbeck frequently made clear that the Joads were not an isolated incident; they were not unique. Their struggles and triumphs were part of something greater. Refraining from specific names in his intercalary chapters allows Steinbeck to show the vastness of the atrocities committed against migrants.

Steinbeck also creates significant parallels to the Bible in his intercalary chapters in order to enhance his writing and characters. By using simple sentences and stylized writing, Steinbeck evokes Biblical passages. The migrants despair, “No work till spring. No work,” (556).  Short, direct sentences help to better convey the desperateness of the migrants’ situation. Throughout his novel, John Steinbeck makes connections to the Bible through his characters and storyline. Jim Casy’s allusions to Christ and the cycle of drought and flooding are clear biblical references.  By choosing to relate The Grapes of Wrath to the Bible, Steinbeck’s characters become greater than themselves. Starving migrants become more than destitute vagrants; they are now the chosen people escaping to the promised land. When a forgotten man dies alone and unnoticed, it becomes a tragedy. Steinbeck writes, “If [the migrants] were shot at, they did not run, but splashed sullenly away; and if they were hit, they sank tiredly in the mud,” (556). Injustices committed against the migrants become greater because they are seen as children of God through Steinbeck’s choice of language. Referencing the Bible strengthens Steinbeck’s novel and purpose: to create understanding for the dispossessed.  It is easy for people to feel disdain for shabby vagabonds, but connecting them to such a fundamental aspect of Christianity induces sympathy from readers who might have otherwise disregarded the migrants as so many other people did.

The simple, uneducated dialogue Steinbeck employs also helps to create a more honest and meaningful representation of the migrants, and it makes the migrants more relatable to readers. Steinbeck chooses to accurately represent the language of the migrants in order to more clearly illustrate their lives and make them seem more like real paper than just characters in a book. The migrants lament, “They ain’t gonna be no kinda work for three months,” (555). There are multiple grammatical errors in that single sentence, but it vividly conveys the despair the migrants felt better than a technically perfect sentence would. The Grapes of Wrath is intended to show the severe difficulties facing the migrants so Steinbeck employs a clear, pragmatic style of writing.  Steinbeck shows the harsh, truthful realities of the migrants’ lives and he would be hypocritical if he chose to give the migrants a more refined voice and not portray them with all their shortcomings. The depiction of the migrants as imperfect through their language also makes them easier to relate to. Steinbeck’s primary audience was the middle class, the less affluent of society. Repeatedly in The Grapes of Wrath , the wealthy make it obvious that they scorn the plight of the migrants. The wealthy, not bad luck or natural disasters, were the prominent cause of the suffering of migrant families such as the Joads. Thus, Steinbeck turns to the less prosperous for support in his novel. When referring to the superior living conditions barnyard animals have, the migrants remark, “Them’s horses-we’re men,” (556).  The perfect simplicity of this quote expresses the absurdness of the migrants’ situation better than any flowery expression could.

In The Grapes of Wrath , John Steinbeck uses metaphors, particularly about nature, in order to illustrate the mood and the overall plight of migrants. Throughout most of the book, the land is described as dusty, barren, and dead. Towards the end, however; floods come and the landscape begins to change. At the end of chapter twenty-nine, Steinbeck describes a hill after the floods saying, “Tiny points of grass came through the earth, and in a few days the hills were pale green with the beginning year,” (556). This description offers a stark contrast from the earlier passages which were filled with despair and destruction. Steinbeck’s tone from the beginning of the chapter changes drastically. Early in the chapter, Steinbeck had used heavy imagery in order to convey the destruction caused by the rain, “The streams and the little rivers edged up to the bank sides and worked at willows and tree roots, bent the willows deep in the current, cut out the roots of cottonwoods and brought down the trees,” (553). However, at the end of the chapter the rain has caused new life to grow in California. The new grass becomes a metaphor representing hope. When the migrants are at a loss over how they will survive the winter, the grass offers reassurance. The story of the migrants in the intercalary chapters parallels that of the Joads. At the end of the novel, the family is breaking apart and has been forced to flee their home. However, both the book and final intercalary chapter end on a hopeful note after so much suffering has occurred. The grass metaphor strengthens Steinbeck’s message because it offers a tangible example of hope. Through his language Steinbeck’s themes become apparent at the end of the novel. Steinbeck affirms that persistence, even when problems appear insurmountable, leads to success. These metaphors help to strengthen Steinbeck’s themes in The Grapes of Wrath because they provide a more memorable way to recall important messages.

John Steinbeck’s language choices help to intensify his writing in his intercalary chapters and allow him to more clearly show how difficult life for migrants could be. Refraining from using specific names and terms allows Steinbeck to show that many thousands of migrants suffered through the same wrongs. Imitating the style of the Bible strengthens Steinbeck’s characters and connects them to the Bible, perhaps the most famous book in history. When Steinbeck writes in the imperfect dialogue of the migrants, he creates a more accurate portrayal and makes the migrants easier to relate to for a less affluent audience. Metaphors, particularly relating to nature, strengthen the themes in The Grapes of Wrath by enhancing the mood Steinbeck wants readers to feel at different points in the book. Overall, the intercalary chapters that Steinbeck includes improve his novel by making it more memorable and reinforcing the themes Steinbeck embraces throughout the novel. Exemplary stylistic devices further persuade readers of John Steinbeck’s personal beliefs. Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath to bring to light cruelties against migrants, and by using literary devices effectively, he continuously reminds readers of his purpose. Steinbeck’s impressive language choices in his intercalary chapters advance the entire novel and help to create a classic work of literature that people still are able to relate to today. 

This essay sticks pretty closely to the standard analytical essay outline. It starts with an introduction, where I chose to use a quote to start off the essay. (This became my favorite way to start essays in high school because, if I wasn’t sure what to say, I could outsource the work and find a quote that related to what I’d be writing about.) The quote in this essay doesn’t relate to the themes I’m discussing quite as much as it could, but it’s still a slightly different way to start an essay and can intrigue readers. I then give a bit of background on The Grapes of Wrath and its themes before ending the intro paragraph with my thesis: that Steinbeck used literary devices in intercalary chapters to show how rough migrants had it.

Each of my four body paragraphs is formatted in roughly the same way: an intro sentence that explains what I’ll be discussing, analysis of that main point, and at least two quotes from the book as evidence.

My conclusion restates my thesis, summarizes each of four points I discussed in my body paragraphs, and ends the essay by briefly discussing how Steinbeck’s writing helped introduce a world of readers to the injustices migrants experienced during the dust bowl.

What does this analytical essay example do well? For starters, it contains everything that a strong analytical essay should, and it makes that easy to find. The thesis clearly lays out what the essay will be about, the first sentence of each of the body paragraph introduces the topic it’ll cover, and the conclusion neatly recaps all the main points. Within each of the body paragraphs, there’s analysis along with multiple excerpts from the book in order to add legitimacy to my points.

Additionally, the essay does a good job of taking an in-depth look at the issue introduced in the thesis. Four ways Steinbeck used literary devices are discussed, and for each of the examples are given and analysis is provided so readers can understand why Steinbeck included those devices and how they helped shaped how readers viewed migrants and their plight.

Where could this essay be improved? I believe the weakest body paragraph is the third one, the one that discusses how Steinbeck used plain, grammatically incorrect language to both accurately depict the migrants and make them more relatable to readers. The paragraph tries to touch on both of those reasons and ends up being somewhat unfocused as a result. It would have been better for it to focus on just one of those reasons (likely how it made the migrants more relatable) in order to be clearer and more effective. It’s a good example of how adding more ideas to an essay often doesn’t make it better if they don’t work with the rest of what you’re writing. This essay also could explain the excerpts that are included more and how they relate to the points being made. Sometimes they’re just dropped in the essay with the expectation that the readers will make the connection between the example and the analysis. This is perhaps especially true in the second body paragraph, the one that discusses similarities to Biblical passages. Additional analysis of the quotes would have strengthened it.

Summary: How to Write an Analytical Essay

What is an analytical essay? A critical analytical essay analyzes a topic, often a text or film. The analysis paper uses evidence to support the argument, such as excerpts from the piece of writing. All analytical papers include a thesis, analysis of the topic, and evidence to support that analysis.

When developing an analytical essay outline and writing your essay, follow these five steps:

Reading analytical essay examples can also give you a better sense of how to structure your essay and what to include in it.

What's Next?

Learning about different writing styles in school? There are four main writing styles, and it's important to understand each of them. Learn about them in our guide to writing styles , complete with examples.

Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about? Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.

Literary devices can both be used to enhance your writing and communication. Check out this list of 31 literary devices to learn more !

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Guide to Writing an Analytical Essay

• Carla Johnson
• June 13, 2023
• How to Guides

An analytical essay is a type of academic writing in which a complicated topic or idea is broken down into smaller parts, analyzed and looked at, and a well-structured argument or evaluation is given. The main purpose of an analytical essay is to show that the writer has a deep understanding of the topic and can also think critically about it. Analytical essays are important in many fields, such as literature, history, science, and sociology. They require a deep knowledge of the topic and the ability to think critically and objectively about the information given. Analytical essays include things like a literary analysis, a research paper , or an analysis of a piece of rhetoric. Writing an analytical essay is useful because it helps the writer improve their analytical and critical thinking skills. In analytical essays, students must look at and evaluate different sources, find patterns and relationships, and come to meaningful conclusions. When students write analytical essays, they also improve their research skills because they have to find relevant information from multiple sources and put it all together in a logical argument.

Also, analytical essays are important in academic writing because they help students understand ideas, theories, and concepts that are hard to understand. By breaking a topic down into smaller parts, students can better understand it and figure out what the main ideas and themes are. Analytical essays help students get better at writing by making them present their arguments in a way that is clear, concise, and well-organized. Writing an analytical essay is a skill that students need to learn if they want to do well in school and in their careers. For analytical essays, you need to be able to think critically , do research, and write well, all of which are important for success in many fields. By getting better at these skills, students can become better writers and thinkers, which will help them reach their academic and career goals.

What You'll Learn

Understanding the Basics of Analytical Essays

There are a few main things that set an analytical essay apart from other types of essays. One of the most important things about it is that it requires a thorough look at the subject. An analytical essay isn’t just a description of a topic or a point of view. Instead, it calls for a thorough look at the subject, breaking it down into its different parts and evaluating each one carefully.

Argumentative essays try to convince the reader to agree with a certain point of view. Descriptive essays, on the other hand, try to give a detailed description of a topic. Analytical essays, on the other hand, require the writer to look at the topic objectively and judge it, as well as use evidence from different sources to back up their claims. In an analytical essay, you can’t say enough about how important analysis is. Analysis is the process of breaking down big ideas or thoughts into smaller, more manageable pieces. By analyzing the topic, the writer can find the main ideas, patterns, and connections, which can then be used to back up their arguments.

Also, analysis lets the author draw conclusions that make sense based on the evidence given. If there wasn’t any analysis in an analytical essay, it would just be a list of facts and opinions. Analysis is what gives depth and substance to an analytical essay and lets the writer make a well-reasoned, evidence-based argument.

Analytical essays are different from other types of essays because they focus on analysis and evaluation. They require a thorough look at a subject, breaking it down into its different parts and judging each one objectively. Students can get the skills they need to do well in school and in the workplace by learning what makes an analytical essay unique and what role analysis plays in this type of writing.

Choosing a Topic for Your Analytical Essay

It can be hard to decide what to write about in an analytical essay, but there are several ways to come up with ideas. One way to do this is to make a list of possible topics based on your interests, your schoolwork, or what’s going on in the world right now. You can also find possible topics by reading articles, books, or other materials in your field of study. When choosing a topic for your analytical essay, you should think about a few things. First and foremost, the topic must fit with the needs of the course or assignment. It should also be narrow enough to allow for a detailed analysis while still having enough information for research . Also, the topic should be something you’re interested in as a writer. This will make the writing process more interesting and fun.

To help you get started, here are some examples of potential analytical essay topics:

1. The impact of social media on mental health

2. Analyzing the themes of race and identity in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved”

3. The role of technology in modern education

4. An analysis of the effectiveness of the Affordable Care Act

5. Examining the causes and consequences of income inequality in the United States

6. The portrayal of gender roles in Shakespeare’s plays

7. Analyzing the impact of climate change on global food production

8. A critical analysis of the role of the media in shaping public opinion

9. A comparison of different political ideologies and their impact on society

10. An analysis of the ethical implications of gene editing technology.

A topic for an analytical essay must be chosen with care, taking into account several factors such as relevance, scope, and personal interest. By brainstorming ideas, researching different sources, and applying these criteria, you can choose a topic that is both interesting and informative, allowing you to write a well-researched and well-argued analytical essay.

Conducting Research for Your Analytical Essay

In order to write an analytical essay, you need to do research. It lets the writer gather relevant information, find patterns and relationships, and come to conclusions that make sense. If you didn’t do research for your analytical essay, it wouldn’t have much substance or credibility, and the arguments you made would be weak and not backed up. You can gather information for your analytical essay from a number of different places. There are many examples, such as books, academic journals, online databases, government reports, and reputable news sources. When choosing sources, think about how relevant, reliable, and trustworthy they are. Academic sources like peer-reviewed journals and scholarly books are more reliable and credible than popular sources like blogs and social media posts.

To conduct effective research for your analytical essay, here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Start early: Give yourself plenty of time to conduct research, as it can be a time-consuming process.

2. Use multiple sources: Gather information from a variety of sources to ensure you have a well-rounded understanding of the topic.

3. Take notes: Keep detailed notes on the information you gather, including the source and page number, to make it easier to cite your sources later.

4. Evaluate your sources: Assess the reliability and credibility of your sources, looking for biases or conflicts of interest that may affect the information presented.

5. Organize your research: Create a system for organizing your research, such as using annotated bibliographies or note-taking apps, to keep track of your sources and ideas.

You can conduct effective research for your analytical essay by following these tips, gathering reliable and credible information that supports your arguments and improves the overall quality of your writing.

Developing a Thesis Statement for Your Analytical Essay

A thesis statement is a short sentence that sums up the main argument or point of an essay. It gives the reader a clear idea of where the author stands on the subject and acts as a road map. In an analytical essay, the thesis statement is very important because it sets the tone for the whole essay and shows the writer how to analyze and evaluate the subject . In an analytical essay, you can’t say enough about how important a strong thesis statement is. A well-written thesis statement states the writer’s main point in a clear and concise way, making it easier for the reader to follow the writer’s thought process and understand the purpose of the essay. A strong thesis statement also helps the writer focus their analysis and evaluation, making sure that each paragraph supports the main point and builds on it.

To develop a strong thesis statement for your analytical essay, here are some tips to consider:

1. Start with a question: Ask yourself a question related to your topic and use the answer to develop your thesis statement.

2. Be specific: Your thesis statement should be specific and focused on the main argument of your essay .

3. Use evidence: Support your thesis statement with evidence from your research, such as quotes or statistics, to give it more credibility and strength.

4. Be original: Your thesis statement should be unique and original, providing a fresh perspective on the topic.

5. Revise as needed: As you write your essay , revisit your thesis statement and revise it if necessary to ensure it remains relevant and accurate.

By following these tips, you can develop a strong thesis statement for your analytical essay, providing a clear and concise statement of your main argument and guiding the reader through your analysis and evaluation of the topic.

Analytical Essay Structure

An analytical essay is made up of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion, just like a regular essay. The purpose of the introduction is to give background on the topic, introduce the thesis statement, and get the reader interested. Through analysis and evaluation of the topic, the body paragraphs should support the thesis statement with evidence and examples . The conclusion should sum up the main points of the essay and restate the thesis statement in a new way that makes sense.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of the structure of an analytical essay:

1. Introduction: The introduction should set the tone for the essay by providing background information on the subject as well as a clear thesis statement. It should also engage the reader and convey the writer’s point of view on the subject.

2. Body paragraphs: The body of the essay should be divided into several paragraphs, each focusing on a different aspect of the topic. Each paragraph should start with a clear topic sentence that supports the thesis statement and then proceed to an analysis and evaluation of the subject matter, using evidence and examples to support the writer’s argument.

3. Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the essay’s main points and restate the thesis statement in a new and meaningful way. It should also provide the reader with a sense of closure, leaving them with a clear understanding of the writer’s point of view on the subject.

To organize your ideas in an analytical essay, here are some tips to consider:

1. Create an outline: Before you start writing your essay , create an outline that organizes your ideas and supports your thesis statement. This will help you to organize your thoughts and ensure that each paragraph supports the main argument.

2. Use topic sentences: Each paragraph should begin with a clear topic sentence that supports the thesis statement and provides a roadmap for the reader.

3. Use evidence: Use evidence and examples to support each point you make in your essay , ensuring that each paragraph reinforces the main argument.

4. Use transitions: Use transitional phrases and sentences to connect your ideas and ensure that your essay flows smoothly from one paragraph to the next.

By following these tips, you can organize your ideas effectively in an analytical essay, producing a well-structured and well-supported piece of writing.

Writing the Introduction Paragraph

An analytical essay’s introduction paragraph serves as a road map for the reader, providing background information on the topic, introducing the thesis statement, and engaging the reader. The introduction’s purpose is to set the tone for the essay , grab the reader’s attention, and provide a clear understanding of the writer’s viewpoint on the topic.

To write an engaging introduction paragraph for your analytical essay, here are some tips to consider:

1. Start with a hook: Begin your introduction with a hook that captures the reader’s attention and makes them want to keep reading. This could be a surprising statistic, a provocative question, or a striking image.

2. Provide background information: Provide some context for the topic by providing background information and explaining why it is important.

3. Introduce the thesis statement: Clearly state your thesis statement in the introduction, providing a roadmap for the reader and guiding the rest of your essay.

4. Be concise: Keep your introduction concise and to the point, avoiding unnecessary information or tangents.

5. Revise as needed: As you write your essay, revisit your introduction and revise it as needed to ensure that it remains relevant and engaging.

Here are some examples of effective introduction paragraphs for an analytical essay:

1. “Throughout history, the concept of justice has been a subject of debate and controversy. From the ancient Greeks to modern-day philosophers, the definition and application of justice have been explored in depth. In this essay, I will examine the concept of justice in the context of criminal justice reform and argue that a more restorative approach is needed to address the root causes of crime and reduce recidivism.

2. The rise of social media has had a profound impact on our society, transforming the way we communicate, share information, and interact with the world around us. However, this transformation has not been without its challenges. In this essay, I will explore the impact of social media on mental health and argue that we need to take a more proactive approach to addressing the negative effects of social media on our well-being.

3. “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, affecting everything from the environment to the economy. Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence, there are still those who deny the reality of climate change or refuse to take action. In this essay, I will analyze the reasons for this denial and argue that we need to take urgent action to address the threat of climate change before it’s too late.”

Writing the Body Paragraphs

An analytical essay’s body paragraphs are where the writer presents their analysis and evaluation of the topic. The purpose of the body paragraphs is to provide evidence and examples to support the thesis statement, while using clear and concise language to make the argument as persuasive as possible.

To write clear and concise body paragraphs for your analytical essay, here are some tips to consider:

1. Use topic sentences: Each body paragraph should begin with a clear topic sentence that supports the thesis statement and provides a roadmap for the reader.

2. Provide evidence: Use evidence and examples to support each point you make in your essay , ensuring that each paragraph reinforces the main argument. The evidence should be relevant, reliable, and credible.

3. Use analysis and evaluation: Analyze and evaluate the evidence you present to demonstrate how it supports your argument. This shows the reader that you have thought deeply about the topic and considered multiple perspectives.

4. Be clear and concise: Use clear and concise language to make your argument as persuasive as possible. Avoid using jargon, complex sentences, or overly technical language that may confuse the reader.

5. Use transitions: Use transitional phrases and sentences to connect your ideas smoothly and ensure that your essay flows from one paragraph to the next.

Here are some examples of effective body paragraphs for an analytical essay:

1. The first reason why a restorative approach to criminal justice reform is necessary is that it addresses the root causes of crime. Rather than simply punishing offenders, restorative justice encourages dialogue between the offender and the victim, allowing both parties to understand the harm that has been caused and work together to find a solution. This approach has been shown to reduce recidivism rates and promote healing within communities.”

2. One of the most significant negative effects of social media on mental health is the increase in anxiety and depression. Studies have shown that social media use is associated with feelings of isolation, comparison, and low self-esteem, all of which contribute to poor mental health . In order to address this issue, we need to take a more proactive approach to promoting mental health and well-being, such as limiting social media use, encouraging face-to-face interactions, and providing mental health resources for those in need.

3. One of the main reasons why climate change denial persists is due to the influence of special interest groups and political ideology . These groups use their resources to spread misinformation and discredit the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change. In order to combat this, we need to prioritize education and awareness, promote scientific literacy, and hold those who spread misinformation accountable for their actions.”

Writing the Conclusion Paragraph

The conclusion paragraph of an analytical essay summarizes the author’s main points and emphasizes the significance of the thesis statement. The conclusion’s goal is to leave a lasting impression on the reader by bringing the essay to a close and reinforcing the main argument .

To write a strong conclusion for your analytical essay, here are some tips to consider:

1. Restate the thesis statement: The conclusion should restate the thesis statement in a new and meaningful way, emphasizing its importance and relevance to the topic.

2. Summarize the main points: Summarize the main points of the essay, highlighting the evidence and examples that support the thesis statement .

3. Provide a final thought: End the essay with a final thought or reflection on the topic, leaving the reader with something to think about or consider.

4. Be concise: Keep the conclusion concise and to the point, avoiding any new information or arguments.

5. Make it memorable: Use language and phrasing that is memorable and impactful, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Here are some examples of effective conclusion paragraphs for an analytical essay:

1. “In conclusion, a restorative approach to criminal justice reform is not only necessary but essential. By addressing the root causes of crime, promoting dialogue and understanding, and fostering healing within communities, we can create a more just and equitable society for all.”

2. In order to address the negative effects of social media on mental health , we need to take a more proactive approach to promoting well-being. By limiting social media use, encouraging face-to-face interactions, and providing mental health resources, we can create a healthier and more connected society.

3. “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and we must take urgent action to address it. By promoting education and awareness, prioritizing scientific literacy, and holding those who spread misinformation accountable, we can create a more sustainable and equitable future for generations to come.”

Editing and Proofreading Your Analytical Essay

The editing and proofreading stages of the essay writing process are critical. It ensures that the essay is clear, concise, and error-free, improving overall writing quality and the credibility of the arguments presented.

To edit and proofread your analytical essay, here are some tips to consider:

1. Take a break: After completing your essay, take a break before editing and proofreading it. This will allow you to approach the essay with fresh eyes and a clear mind.

2. Read it out loud: Reading the essay out loud can help you to identify awkward phrasing, grammatical errors, and other issues.

3. Be consistent: Ensure that you are consistent in your use of language, formatting, and citation styles throughout the essay.

4. Use a checklist: Use a checklist to ensure that you have addressed all the necessary components of the essay, such as the thesis statement, evidence, and analysis.

5. Get feedback: Ask a friend or colleague to read your essay and provide feedback on areas that need improvement.

Common mistakes to avoid in analytical essays include:

1. Using overly complicated language or jargon that may confuse the reader.

2. Failing to provide evidence or examples to support the thesis statement.

3. Neglecting to address counterarguments or alternative perspectives on the topic.

4. Making unsupported claims or presenting opinions as facts.

5. Failing to proofread and edit the essay thoroughly, leading to grammatical errors and typos.

By following these tips and avoiding common mistakes, you can edit and proofread your analytical essay effectively, producing a well-written and error-free piece of writing.

Analytical Essay Examples

Here are some examples of successful analytical essays:

1. “The Symbolism of the Green Light in The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald: This essay analyzes the symbolism of the green light in the novel, arguing that it represents Gatsby’s hopes and dreams and his ultimate failure to achieve them.

2. “The Rhetoric of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X: In this essay, Malcolm X analyzes his own rhetorical strategies, explaining how he uses language and persuasion to achieve his goals.

3. “The Role of Women in Shakespeare’s Macbeth” by William Shakespeare: This essay analyzes the role of women in the play, arguing that they are often marginalized and oppressed by the male characters.

Each of these essays follows a clear and well-structured format, with a strong thesis statement, supporting evidence, and a clear conclusion. The writers use analysis and evaluation to present their arguments, using evidence and examples to support their claims.

When using analytical essay examples to improve your writing, here are some tips to consider:

1. Choose examples that are relevant to your topic or subject matter.

2. Read the example essays carefully, paying attention to the structure, language, and evidence used.

3. Identify the thesis statement and main arguments of the essay.

4. Analyze the evidence used to support the arguments, evaluating its relevance and credibility.

5. Consider how the writer uses language and rhetoric to persuade the reader.

6. Use The examples as a guide for structuring your own essay, but be sure to use your own unique ideas and perspective.

7. Practice writing your own analytical essays and seek feedback from others to improve your writing skills.

8. Avoid copying or plagiarizing the example essays, as this can lead to serious academic consequences.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. what is an analytical essay.

An analytical essay is a type of academic writing that requires the writer to analyze and evaluate a specific topic or subject matter. The writer presents an argument or thesis statement and supports it with evidence and examples, using analysis and evaluation to persuade the reader.

2. What are the main characteristics of an analytical essay?

The main characteristics of an analytical essay include:

– A clear and concise thesis statement that presents the writer’s argument

– Use of evidence and examples to support the argument

– Analysis and evaluation of the evidence presented

– Clear and logical structure, with well-developed paragraphs and transitions between them

– Use of formal and academic language

– Objective and impartial tone

3. What are some tips for writing an analytical essay?

Here are some tips for writing an analytical essay:

– Choose a topic that interests you and that you can analyze in depth

– Develop a clear and concise thesis statement that presents your argument

– Use evidence and examples to support your argument, ensuring that they are relevant, reliable, and credible

– Analyze and evaluate the evidence presented, demonstrating your critical thinking skills

– Use a clear and logical structure, with well-developed paragraphs and transitions between them

– Use formal and academic language, avoiding slang and colloquialisms

– Edit and proofread your essay thoroughly, ensuring that it is error-free and well-written.

To summarize, writing an effective analytical essay necessitates a thorough understanding of the subject matter, a well-developed thesis statement, strong evidence and analysis, and a clear and logical structure. To summarize the main points covered in this guide:

– The writer of an analytical essay must analyze and evaluate a specific topic or subject matter.

– A clear thesis statement, evidence and examples to support the argument, analysis and evaluation of the evidence, a clear and logical structure, formal and academic language, and an objective tone are the main characteristics of an analytical essay.

– Choosing a relevant topic, developing a clear thesis statement, using credible evidence and examples, analyzing and evaluating the evidence, using a clear and logical structure, using formal and academic language, and thoroughly editing and proofreading the essay are all tips for writing a successful analytical essay.

An effective analytical essay demonstrates critical thinking skills as well as the ability to analyze and evaluate complex issues. It is an important skill for both academic and professional success.

Finally, practicing writing on a regular basis, seeking feedback from others, and reading and analyzing examples of successful analytical essays can all help you improve your own writing skills.

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How to Write an Analytical Essay

Last Updated: August 25, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 3,994,728 times.

Writing an analytical essay can seem daunting, especially if you've never done it before. Don't worry! Take a deep breath, buy yourself a caffeinated beverage, and follow these steps to create a well-crafted analytical essay.

Prewriting for Your Essay

• For example, "Stanley Kubrick's The Shining uses a repeating motif of Native American culture and art to comment on America's history of colonizing Native Americans' lands" is an analytical thesis. It is analyzing a particular text and setting forth an argument about it in the form of a thesis statement.

• If you're writing an analytical essay about a work of fiction, you could focus your argument on what motivates a specific character or group of characters. Or, you could argue why a certain line or paragraph is central to the work as a whole. For example: Explore the concept of vengeance in the epic poem Beowulf .
• If you're writing about a historical event, try focusing on the forces that contributed to what happened.
• If you're writing about scientific research or findings, follow the scientific method to analyze your results.

• Look for repeated imagery, metaphors, phrases, or ideas. Things that repeat are often important. See if you can decipher why these things are so crucial. Do they repeat in the same way each time, or differently?
• How does the text work? If you're writing a rhetorical analysis, for example, you might analyze how the author uses logical appeals to support her argument and decide whether you think the argument is effective. If you're analyzing a creative work, consider things like imagery, visuals in a film, etc. If you're analyzing research, you may want to consider the methods and results and analyze whether the experiment is a good design.
• A mind map can be helpful to some people. Start with your central topic, and arrange smaller ideas around it in bubbles. Connect the bubbles to identify patterns and how things are related.
• Good brainstorming can be all over the place. In fact, that can be a good way to start off! Don't discount any ideas just yet. Write down any element or fact that you think of as you examine your topic.

• This is an analytical thesis because it examines a text and makes a particular claim.
• The claim is "arguable," meaning it's not a statement of pure fact that nobody could contest. An analytical essay takes a side and makes an argument.
• Make sure your thesis is narrow enough to fit the scope of your assignment. "Revenge in Beowulf could be a PhD dissertation, it's so broad. It's probably much too big for a student essay. However, arguing that one character's revenge is more honorable than another's is manageable within a shorter student essay.
• Unless instructed to write one, avoid the "three-prong" thesis that presents three points to be discussed later. These thesis statements usually limit your analysis too much and give your argument a formulaic feel. It's okay to state generally what your argument will be.

• Example of supporting evidence : To support a claim that the dragon’s vengeance was more righteous than Grendel's mother's, look at the passages in the poem that discuss the events leading up to each monster’s attack, the attacks themselves, as well as the reactions to those attacks. Don't: ignore or twist evidence to fit your thesis. Do: adjust your thesis to a more nuanced position as you learn more about the topic.

• If you're not quite sure how all your evidence fits together, don't worry! Making an outline can help you figure out how your argument should progress.
• You can also make a more informal outline that groups your ideas together in large groups. From there, you can decide what to talk about where.
• Your essay will be as long as it needs to be to adequately discuss your topic. A common mistake students make is to choose a large topic and then allow only 3 body paragraphs to discuss it. This makes essays feel shallow or rushed. Don't be afraid to spend enough time discussing each detail!

Writing Your Essay

• Example introduction : Revenge was a legally recognized right in ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The many revenges in the epic poem Beowulf show that retribution was an essential part of the Anglo-Saxon age. However, not all revenges are created alike. The poet's portrayal of these revenges suggests that the dragon was more honorable in his act of revenge than Grendel's mother.
• This introduction gives your readers information they should know to understand your argument, and then presents an argument about the complexity of a general topic (revenge) in the poem. This type of argument can be interesting because it suggests that the reader needs to think about the text very carefully and not take it at face value. Don't: include filler and fluff sentences beginning with "In modern society" or "Throughout time." Do: briefly mention the title, author, and publication date of the text you're analyzing.

• Example topic sentence : The key to differentiating between the two attacks is the notion of excessive retribution.
• Example analysis : Grendel's mother does not simply want vengeance, as per the Medieval concept of ‘an eye for an eye.’ Instead, she wants to take a life for a life while also throwing Hrothgar’s kingdom into chaos.
• Example evidence : Instead of simply killing Aeschere, and thus enacting just revenge, she “quickly [snatches] up” that nobleman and, with him “tight in her clutches,” she leaves for the fen (1294). She does this to lure Beowulf away from Heorot so she can kill him as well.
• The formula "CEE" may help you remember: Claim-Evidence-Explanation. Whenever you present a claim, make sure you present evidence to support that claim and explain how the evidence relates to your claim.

• Example of a quote : Instead of simply killing Aeschere, and thus enacting just revenge, she “quickly [snatches] up” that nobleman and, with him “tight in her clutches,” she leaves for the fen (1294).
• Example of a paraphrased sentence : The female Grendel enters Heorot, snatches up one of the men sleeping inside it, and runs away to the fen (1294).

• Example conclusion : The concept of an ‘eye for an eye’ was very present in the early Medieval world. However, by comparing the attacks of both Grendel's mother and the dragon, the medieval world’s perception of righteous vengeance versus unjust revenge is made clear. While the dragon acts out in the only way he knows how, Grendel's mother attacks with evil intent.
• Example conclusion with a ‘bigger world connection’: The concept of an ‘eye for an eye’ was very present in the early Medieval world. However, by comparing the attacks of both Grendel's mother and the dragon, the medieval world’s perception of righteous vengeance versus unjust revenge is made clear. While the dragon acts out in the only way he knows how, Grendel's mother attacks with evil intent. As we saw from the study of other characters, these portrayals may tie into an early Medieval perception that women had greater potential for evil.

Finalizing Your Essay

• Make sure to also format your essay correctly. For example, using a 12-pt standard font (like Arial or Times New Roman) and 1" margins is standard.

• If you are analyzing a film, look up the list of characters online. Check two or three sources to make sure that you have the correct spelling.

Analytical Essay Writing Help

Community Q&A

• Ask yourself "What am I trying to prove?" The answer should be in your thesis. If not, go back and fix it. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If you are writing a formal analysis or critique, then avoid using colloquial writing . Though informal language may bring some color to a paper, you do not want to risk weakening your argument by influencing it with verbal slang. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Avoid being too vague. Vagueness leaves room for misinterpretation and in a coherent, analytical essay, leaving room for misinterpretation decreases the effectiveness of your argument. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/analytical-essay-guide
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/analytical-essay/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/brainstorming/
• ↑ https://www.bucks.edu/media/bcccmedialibrary/pdf/HOWTOWRITEALITERARYANALYSISESSAY_10.15.07_001.pdf
• ↑ https://lsa.umich.edu/sweetland/undergraduates/writing-guides/how-can-i-create-stronger-analysis-.html
• ↑ https://academics.umw.edu/writing-fredericksburg/files/2011/09/Basic-Outlines.pdf
• ↑ https://lsa.umich.edu/sweetland/undergraduates/writing-guides/how-do-i-write-an-intro--conclusion----body-paragraph.html
• ↑ https://lsa.umich.edu/sweetland/undergraduates/writing-guides/how-do-i-incorporate-quotes-.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/proofreading_suggestions.html
• ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/writingprocess/proofreading

About This Article

To write an analytical essay, first write an introduction that gives your reader background information and introduces your thesis. Then, write body paragraphs in support of your thesis that include a topic sentence, an analysis of some part of the text, and evidence from the text that supports your analysis. You can use direct quotes from the text that support your point of view or paraphrase if you’re trying to summarize information. Finally, complete your essay with a conclusion that reiterates your thesis and your primary support for it. To learn from our English reviewer how to come up with your thesis statement and find evidence that supports it, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Essay Papers Writing Online

How to craft an engaging and insightful analytical essay that captivates your readers.

Embark on a journey of intellectual discovery as you learn how to unravel the complex layers of meaning in your chosen subject matter. Analytical essays require a keen eye for detail and an unwavering commitment to exploration. Step into the shoes of a detective armed with a pen, and prepare to unlock the hidden secrets that lie beneath the surface.

Beyond the mere act of writing, an analytical essay challenges you to transform ordinary observations into profound insights, shedding light on the deeper significance of the topic at hand. In this step-by-step guide, we will unveil the secrets to crafting a compelling analysis that captivates your readers, leaving them enlightened and inspired.

Discover the power of analysis as you learn how to dissect your subject matter, exploring its various components and piecing them together to reveal a greater truth. Dive into the intricate nuances of language, symbolism, and narrative structure, as you employ critical thinking to dissect the elements that shape your chosen topic. Through this process, you will develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and cultivate an appreciation for the art of analysis.

Understanding the Basics of an Analytical Essay

Analytical essays are a popular form of academic writing that require students to carefully examine and interpret a given topic or text. These essays go beyond simply summarizing or expressing personal opinions; rather, they involve a deep analysis and evaluation of the subject matter. In an analytical essay, a writer breaks down the topic into its various components and examines them critically to gain a comprehensive understanding.

When writing an analytical essay, it is important to approach the topic with objectivity and a critical mindset. The purpose of such an essay is to analyze, evaluate, and interpret the subject matter, providing insights and arguments that are supported by evidence and logical reasoning. It is not about expressing personal preferences or biases, but rather about presenting a well-structured and well-supported analysis.

One key aspect of an analytical essay is the use of evidence to support the writer’s claims and arguments. This evidence can come in various forms, such as quotes from the text being analyzed, statistical data, expert opinions, or examples from real-life situations. The writer must carefully select and present this evidence in a way that enhances their analysis and strengthens their overall argument.

In addition to evidence, an analytical essay should also include logical reasoning and clear organization. The writer needs to present their ideas in a coherent and logical manner, guiding the reader through their analysis step by step. Each paragraph should focus on a specific idea or aspect of the topic, with smooth transitions between paragraphs to ensure a seamless flow of ideas.

Furthermore, an analytical essay requires attention to detail and critical thinking. The writer must carefully examine the subject matter, paying close attention to nuances, patterns, and underlying meanings. They should ask questions, challenge assumptions, and consider different perspectives in order to develop a well-rounded analysis.

In conclusion, an analytical essay is a form of academic writing that involves a deep analysis and evaluation of a given topic or text. It requires objectivity, evidence-based arguments, logical reasoning, and attention to detail. By understanding the basics of an analytical essay, students can effectively approach this type of writing and develop strong analytical skills that are crucial for academic success.

Choosing a Topic for Your Analytical Essay

One of the crucial steps in writing an analytical essay is selecting the right topic. To ensure the success of your essay, it is important to choose a subject that is both interesting and allows for in-depth analysis. Here are some tips to help you select the perfect topic for your analytical essay:

• Consider your interests: Start by thinking about subjects that you are passionate about or have a strong curiosity towards. Analytical essays require in-depth analysis and critical thinking, so choosing a topic that genuinely interests you will make the process more enjoyable.
• Research potential topics: Once you have identified a few areas of interest, conduct preliminary research to familiarize yourself with the subject matter. Look for relevant articles, books, or academic papers that provide insight into the topic. This will help you assess the availability of information and determine if the topic has enough substance for analysis.
• Narrow down your options: After conducting initial research, narrow down your list of potential topics. Consider the scope and feasibility of each topic. Ensure that your chosen subject can be adequately explored within the given word count and time frame.
• Identify the focus: Analytical essays often require a specific focus or thesis statement. Determine the angle or perspective you want to take towards your chosen topic. Think about the questions you want to answer or the arguments you want to make in your essay.
• Consider the audience: Keep in mind the intended audience for your essay. Think about their interests and prior knowledge on the topic. Choose a subject that is both accessible and engaging for your readers.
• Seek feedback: Once you have narrowed down your topic options, seek feedback from peers, professors, or writing tutors. Their insights and suggestions can help you refine your topic and ensure that it aligns with the objectives of your essay.

By following these guidelines, you can choose a topic for your analytical essay that not only captivates your readers but also allows you to showcase your analytical and critical thinking skills.

Conducting In-Depth Research for Your Essay

Thorough research is an essential part of writing a compelling analytical essay. By delving deep into your topic, you can gather a wealth of information and evidence to support your arguments and strengthen your analysis. In this section, we will explore effective strategies and resources for conducting in-depth research for your essay.

When embarking on your research journey, it is crucial to start by clearly defining the scope and objectives of your essay. This will help you narrow down your focus and determine the specific areas you need to explore. Consider the main themes, concepts, or theories that are relevant to your essay and identify keywords that will guide your research.

One approach to conducting research is to utilize various academic databases and online libraries. These platforms offer a vast collection of scholarly articles, peer-reviewed journals, books, and other resources that can provide you with authoritative and reliable information. Be sure to use appropriate search terms and filters to refine your search and find the most relevant sources.

In addition to academic sources, it is also beneficial to explore different types of media, such as news articles, documentaries, podcasts, and interviews. These sources can offer unique perspectives, real-life examples, and current events related to your topic, enhancing the depth and breadth of your analysis.

As you gather information, it is crucial to critically evaluate the credibility and reliability of your sources. Consider the author’s credentials, the publication date, and the reputation of the source. Look for sources that have been peer-reviewed or published by reputable institutions to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of the information presented.

Furthermore, taking organized notes while conducting research can greatly facilitate the writing process. Use a structured approach, such as creating an outline or using note-taking software, to record key points, quotes, and references from your sources. This will help you keep track of your research findings and make it easier to incorporate them into your essay later on.

By investing time and effort into conducting in-depth research, you can lay a solid foundation for your analytical essay. Engaging with a diverse range of sources, critically evaluating their reliability, and taking organized notes will enable you to develop a well-rounded and evidence-based argument.

Developing a Thesis Statement and Outline

Creating a strong thesis statement and outline is a crucial step in the process of writing an analytical essay. These components provide a solid foundation for your essay, helping you to organize your thoughts and present a clear and logical argument.

A thesis statement is the main claim or argument of your essay. It is a concise and focused statement that expresses your position on the topic. Your thesis statement should be specific, debatable, and supported by evidence. It sets the tone for your entire essay and guides the reader in understanding the main point you will be making.

To develop a strong thesis statement, you need to thoroughly analyze your topic and gather evidence to support your argument. Consider the main ideas or themes that emerge from your analysis and choose one that you can effectively argue. Your thesis statement should be clear, concise, and written in a way that engages the reader.

Once you have developed your thesis statement, it is important to create an outline for your essay. An outline helps you to organize your thoughts and ensure that your essay flows smoothly and logically.

In your outline, include the main points you want to address in each paragraph, along with supporting evidence or examples. This will help you structure your essay and ensure that you stay focused on your main argument. Consider the order in which you want to present your points, and make sure that each paragraph builds upon the previous one.

In addition to organizing your thoughts, an outline also helps you to identify any gaps in your argument or evidence. By seeing the structure of your essay laid out in an outline, you can easily identify areas that need further development or additional research.

In conclusion, developing a strong thesis statement and outline is essential for writing an effective analytical essay. These components provide a clear roadmap for your essay and ensure that you present a well-reasoned argument supported by evidence. Take the time to carefully consider your thesis statement and outline before you begin writing, as they will greatly contribute to the overall success of your essay.

Analyzing and Interpreting the Evidence in Your Essay

Once you have gathered and presented your evidence in your analytical essay, the next crucial step is to analyze and interpret it. This process involves carefully examining your evidence to derive meaningful insights and draw informed conclusions.

When analyzing the evidence, you should consider its relevance, credibility, and significance. Ask yourself whether the evidence directly supports your thesis statement and helps you prove your main argument. Assess the sources of your evidence and evaluate their trustworthiness and authority. Additionally, determine the significance of the evidence in relation to your overall analysis and the broader context of your essay.

Once you have analyzed the evidence, you need to interpret it. Interpretation involves extracting meaning from the evidence and making connections to your thesis statement and argument. Consider the underlying themes, patterns, and implications of the evidence. Look for relationships between different pieces of evidence and identify any possible contradictions or alternative interpretations.

Effective interpretation requires critical thinking and a deep understanding of the subject matter. Consider different perspectives and viewpoints, and critically evaluate the implications of your interpretation. Ensure that your interpretation aligns with your main argument and supports the overall thesis of your essay.

Remember that analyzing and interpreting evidence in your essay is a continuous process. As you delve deeper into your analysis, you may discover new insights and perspectives that require further examination. Stay open-minded and be willing to revise or adjust your interpretation if new evidence or arguments warrant it.

By effectively analyzing and interpreting the evidence in your essay, you can provide a robust and compelling argument that engages your readers and demonstrates your analytical skills.

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Developing Deeper Analysis & Insights

Analysis is a central writing skill in academic writing. Essentially, analysis is what writers do with evidence to make meaning of it. While there are specific disciplinary types of analysis (e.g., rhetorical, discourse, close reading, etc.), most analysis involves zooming into evidence to understand how the specific parts work and how their specific function might relate to a larger whole. That is, we usually need to zoom into the details and then reflect on the larger picture. In this writing guide, we cover analysis basics briefly and then offer some strategies for deepening your analysis. Deepening your analysis means pushing your thinking further, developing a more insightful and interesting answer to the “so what?” question, and elevating your writing.

Analysis Basics

Questions to Ask of the Text:

• Is the evidence fully explained and contextualized? Where in the text/story does this evidence come from (briefly)? What do you think the literal meaning of the quote/evidence is and why? Why did you select this particular evidence?
• Are you selecting a long enough quote to work with and analyze? While over-quoting can be a problem, so too can under-quoting.
• Do you connect each piece of evidence explicitly to the claim or focus of the paper?

Strategies & Explanation

• Sometimes turning the focus of the paper into a question can really help someone to figure out how to work with evidence. All evidence should answer the question--the work of analysis is explaining how it answers the question.
• The goal of evidence in analytical writing is not just to prove that X exists or is true, but rather to show something interesting about it--to push ideas forward, to offer insights about a quote. To do this, sometimes having a full sentence for a quote helps--if a writer is only using single-word quotes, for example, they may struggle to make meaning out of it.

Deepening Analysis

Not all of these strategies work every time, but usually employing one of them is enough to really help elevate the ideas and intellectual work of a paper:

• Bring the very best point in each paragraph into the topic sentence. Often these sentences are at the very end of a paragraph in a solid draft. When you bring it to the front of the paragraph, you then need to read the paragraph with the new topic sentence and reflect on: what else can we say about this evidence? What else can it show us about your claim?
• Complicate the point by adding contrasting information, a different perspective, or by naming something that doesn’t fit. Often we’re taught that evidence needs to prove our thesis. But, richer ideas emerge from conflict, from difference, from complications. In a compare and contrast essay, this point is very easy to see--we get somewhere further when we consider how two things are different. In an analysis of a single text, we might look at a single piece of evidence and consider: how could this choice the writer made here be different? What other choices could the writer have made and why didn’t they? Sometimes naming what isn’t in the text can help emphasize the importance of a particular choice.
• Shift the focus question of the essay and ask the new question of each piece of evidence. For example, a student is looking at examples of language discrimination (their evidence) in order to make an argument that answers the question: what is language discrimination? Questions that are definitional (what is X? How does Y work? What is the problem here?) can make deeper analysis challenging. It’s tempting to simply say the equivalent of “Here is another example of language discrimination.” However, a strategy to help with this is to shift the question a little bit. So perhaps the paragraphs start by naming different instances of language discrimination, but the analysis then tackles questions like: what are the effects of language discrimination? Why is language discrimination so problematic in these cases? Who perpetuates language discrimination and how? In a paper like this, it’s unlikely you can answer all of those questions--but, selecting ONE shifted version of a question that each paragraph can answer, too, helps deepen the analysis and keeps the essay focused.
• Examine perspective--both the writer’s and those of others involved with the issue. You might reflect on your own perspectives as a unique audience/reader. For example, what is illuminated when you read this essay as an engineer? As a person of color? As a first-generation student at Cornell? As an economically privileged person? As a deeply religious Christian? In order to add perspective into the analysis, the writer has to name these perspectives with phrases like: As a religious undergraduate student, I understand X to mean… And then, try to explain how the specificity of your perspective illuminates a different reading or understanding of a term, point, or evidence. You can do this same move by reflecting on who the intended audience of a text is versus who else might be reading it--how does it affect different audiences differently? Might that be relevant to the analysis?
• Qualify claims and/or acknowledge limitations. Before college level writing and often in the media, there is a belief that qualifications and/or acknowledging the limitations of a point adds weakness to an argument. However, this actually adds depth, honesty, and nuance to ideas. It allows you to develop more thoughtful and more accurate ideas. The questions to ask to help foster this include: Is this always true? When is it not true? What else might complicate what you’ve said? Can we add nuance to this idea to make it more accurate? Qualifications involve words like: sometimes, may effect, often, in some cases, etc. These terms are not weak or to be avoided, they actually add accuracy and nuance.

A Link to a  PDF Handout of this Writing Guide 

The Ultimate Guide to Analytical Essay Writing: How to Craft an A-Grade Paper?

25 January, 2021

17 minutes read

Author:  Kate Smith

An analytical essay is often considered the most challenging piece of writing. However, those who have dealt with it at least once are a step closer to calling themselves masters of essay writing. This type of paper requires plenty of analytical skills to carry out an in-depth analysis of the assigned topic. Yet, the main goal of an analytical essay is not only to demonstrate your ability to learn the basics of the theme.

You also need to think critically, analyze facts, express your standpoint, and clearly show a deep understanding of key concepts. In short, your main task as an author is to prove the validity of your views by coming up with strong arguments that do not beg any questions.

The given guide provides a full analytical essay definition, as well as specifies its features and structural aspects. The following information will help you properly start your paper, choose a relevant topic, and come up with compelling conclusions. 

What is an Analytical Essay?

An analytical essay is a piece of writing aimed to provide a thorough analysis of a definite phenomenon using persuasive arguments and supporting assertions. Analysis in the analytical essay writing process stands for a method of research that allows one to study specific features of an object. Analytical papers also have to do with analysis of a specific problem; that is consideration of the problem itself and identification of its key patterns. The subject matter of analysis can be a well-known or little-studied scientific phenomenon, artistic work, historical event, social problem, etc.

The content of an analytical essay will totally depend on the object that has been chosen for analysis. Thus, when shedding light on any kind of scientific work, an analytical essay can be devoted to the analysis of research credibility, its relevance, or the adequacy of conclusions. When considering a work of art, an essay writer can focus on the analysis of the author’s artistic techniques or issues raised in the book. For this reason, it is essential to accurately determine the topic and subject matter of your future analytical essay.

Steps to Take Before Writing

The preparational stage of analytical essay writing cannot be omitted. It lays the basis for the A-grade paper and should be carefully completed. If you don’t know how to start an analytical essay, read a few handy tips that will ensure a solid foundation for your paper.  

Define a subject matter

You first need to clearly understand the issue you will base your essay on. Since analytical essays imply an in-depth analysis of a specific problem, you need to define its core. Try to split the analysis into several components and provide arguments taken either from a book, a research, a scientific work, or a movie (depending on the subject matter of your analysis), and support your views comprehensively.

Decide on the content of your analytical essay

If you are a student who was given an analytical essay topic, read the task several times before you are 100% sure that you clearly understand the requirements as to the analytical essay format. In case you were lucky to choose the topic of the analytical paper by yourself, make sure the theme you will be dealing with is familiar or at least seems interesting to you. 

Remember that different subject matters require a different approach to their analysis. If you examine some literature work, you can prove your opinion based on the deeds of a certain or several characters. But if you have been assigned the task to elaborate on some historic events, analyze their main causes, driving forces that have affected their course, and their global consequences.  

Take care of the proper start

Don’t forget to start your analytical essay with a thesis statement. It is a sentence or a couple of sentences that aim to summarize the key statements of your paper. A thesis statement should provide readers with a preliminary idea of what your essay is all about.  

Find extra reasoning

Make sure your thesis is supported by compelling arguments. To find enough evidence, you should carry out a thorough analysis of the assigned topic. List the crucial points of your research and ponder over the ways they can be used to prove your final opinion. 

Elaborate the outline

A sound outline elaborated at the preparation stage will help you ensure a proper analytical essay structure and make the overall writing process easier. As a rule, an analytical essay consists of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Your outline plan should include the key arguments you want to discuss in each paragraph. 

Analytical Essay Thesis

A thesis statement represents the central idea of your paper and must serve as strong proof of your standpoint. While elaborating your thesis statement, it is crucial to include it at the end of the first paragraph and thus set a direction for the overall paper. 

Analytical Essay Outline

An outline is not a required element of analytical essays writing and should not be included in the text, but it can greatly facilitate the whole process of paper writing.

The analytical essay structure looks as follows:

Introduction

In the introduction of an analytical essay, you will need to identify your paper’s subject matter. Mention the purpose of your work and specify its scope of research. Don’t forget to include a thesis to let readers know what your work is about.

Body Section

As has already been mentioned, the body section covers three or more main paragraphs, each being supported with arguments and details. Besides, you need to provide a small conclusion to each statement to make your essay sound professional and persuasive. 

At this stage, you need to summarize the points elucidated in your paper and make sure there is a smooth and logical transition from the body section to the concluding part of the text. If you don’t know how to conclude an analytical essay, try to restate the thesis statement without copying it word for word.  

Analytical Essay Examples

Writing an analytical essay may seem to be a thorny way. If you are still not sure how to properly craft one, try to find some examples that will help you go in the right direction. Below, there are some great examples of analytical essays. Take a look at their structure and try to write something similar based on your views and ideas:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JeR4i4RIZIj448W3KVFyHP-eS3QPN7gW/view

https://stlcc.edu/docs/student-support/academic-support/college-writing-center/rhetorical-analysis-sample-essay.pdf

https://www.germanna.eduhttp://handmadewriting.com/wp-content/uploads/tutoring/handouts/Literary-Analysis-Sample-Paper.pdf

30 Analytical Essay Topics

If you were allowed to choose the theme for your paper by yourself, check on the following analytical essay topics. Each of them can bring you the highest score:

General topics

• The influence of social networks on the life of teens
• Are salaries of football players too high?
• Wearing uniforms in schools should be banned
• A person in society: the problems of loneliness and privacy
• Sociology of corporate relationships
• Does the observation of space need more investments?
• Should the voting age in the UK be decreased?
• Reasons why capital punishment should be brought back in the UK
• A world with no rules: a new human era or a road to the global collapse?
• Life without technologies: will modern people survive?
• Should scientists test drugs on animals to fight cancer?
• The problem of keeping the balance between career and family life
• The importance of listening to your body 
• Problems caused by the lack of communication
• Food addiction and the problems it causes
• Problems of vaccination in the XXI century
• Does evil really rule the world?
• How does body size affect life quality?
• Pros and cons of video games 
• The role of a family model in the life and career of a person

Analytical Essay Topics on Literature

• “Robinson Crusoe”: fantasy vs reality
• Observation of the artistic uniqueness in the comedy by W. Shakespeare “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” 
• Observe the social problems in the novel by John Steinbeck “The Grapes of Wrath”
• Convulsions and death of the “little man” in the networks of impersonal, alienated forces in the novel “The Metamorphosis”
• Observation of the problems of a man on a plagued land in the novel “The Plague”
• Revolt of the protagonist in the novel by J. Salinger “The Catcher in the Rye”
• Observation of friendship and love in the fate of humanity in the XX century
• The triumph of immorality in the novel by F. Sagan “Hello Sadness”
• Observation of the personality of an American student in the novel by J. Salinger “The Catcher in the Rye”
• Eternal tragedies of humanity in the tragedy by W. Shakespeare “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark”

How to Write a Well-Structured Analytical Essay With a Solid Argument

Writing an analytical essay with a clear structure might be challenging unless you are thoroughly prepared. We decided to help you out and create a detailed guide listing the main things to consider when creating an analytical essay outline. You need to explain your main idea in a concise way to bring your point across. As analytical writing has high requirements, it pays off to find an analytical essay example and analyze how this text was written. It will allow you to understand the analytical essay format better and learn how to provide substantive analysis on various topics. Read on to learn how to write a top-level analytical paper and submit it on time.

Main Tips for Writing an Analytical Essay

An analytical essay should provide a comprehensive analysis of a chosen topic. What makes an analysis essay different from other assignments is that it includes a personal opinion of an author. This is why analytical writing should be persuasive.

Below, we have rounded up the key tips you need to follow when producing an analytical essay outline and the main body of your text. Read on to learn more about the analytical essay format and create a text that will fully meet the requirements.

Select an Analytical Essay Topic

Before creating an analytical essay outline, make sure to pick a topic that you are interested in. It should be provocative enough to engage your readers. A widely-debated topic will help you write an analytical essay that grabs the attention of a wide audience.

Consider your goals and conduct thorough research to see if you have enough sources to support the main thesis of your analysis essay.

Come Up With a Strong Analytical Thesis Statement

When writing an analytical essay, start by formulating a thesis statement that includes the topic and the main goal of your text. It will help you create an analytical essay outline and show your readers what you will discuss in your analysis essay.

Add it to the last paragraph of your analytical essay introduction. Due to this, your analytical essay outline will look better structured. Look at any analytical essay example to see how you can introduce your subject. In most cases, one sentence will suffice to state your analysis essay’s goal. However, a complex analytical essay outline might require you to use two sentences for a thesis statement.

Write an Analytical Essay Body with a Clear Structure

Your analytical essay outline should include 3-4 paragraphs. However, a literary analysis essay usually consists of 5 paragraphs. When it comes to analytical writing, it is important to cover a different point in each section of the main body of an analysis paper.

After writing an analytical essay, check whether each paragraph contains an introduction and the main point. Besides, it should contain evidence. An expertly written analytical essay outline will help you reach out to your target audience more effectively.

Conduct Research Before Writing an Analytical Essay Outline

While this step is preparatory, it is a must for those who want to write a well-grounded analytical paper.

• First, select the best ideas for your essay
• Then, emphasize the problems with works written by other researchers
• Finally, write your analytical essay outline to demonstrate what approach you want to take

Examine the context and find examples to illustrate the scope of the issue. You may draw parallels to emphasize your point and make your topic more relatable.

Analyze the Implications of the Evidence

After listing your pieces of evidence and demonstrating how it is related to your thesis, show why it is important. You need to explore it deeply and use it to support your argument. It will make your analytical essay outline well-grounded facts.

Write an Analytical Essay Conclusion

Whether you write a literary analysis essay or other types of assignments, there is no need to add any new data at the end of your analysis paper. Instead, summarize the arguments you mentioned in your analytical essay outline. The conclusion of your analysis essay should be short and clear. Here, you need to demonstrate that you have achieved your goals.

Analytical Essay Writing Tips

If you want to get the highest grade for your analytical essay, you need to know a little bit more than just the basics of paper writing. Read these handy tips to write a perfect essay you will be proud of:

• Double-check your paper for spelling and grammar mistakes. In case your essay contains too many errors, neither an in-depth analysis nor the elaborate writing style will make it look any better. Situations when essays of great value in terms of research and a message they convey are poorly assessed because of the abundance of mistakes are not rare. Make sure you have enough time to proofread your paper before submission. Also, you may consider asking somebody to take a fresh look at your essay and check it for you.
• Reading your analytical essay out loud helps you discover all types of errors or weak phrases. This method might seem a bit uncomfortable, but it has proved to be very effective for many students. Note that silent reading of your paper isn’t even half as helpful as reading it aloud. 
• Another great idea to check on the rhythm and flow of your paper is to ask someone to read it for you. While listening to the text, you could perceive it from another perspective and discover even more inconsistencies and mistakes.  
• Double-check the facts you use in your analytical essay. The names of people, books, research, publications, as well as dates of historical events are too important to be misspelled. Things like these show your professionalism and the way you treat your readers.

Write an Analytical Essay with HandmadeWriting

Writing an analytical essay requires time, strong writing skills, great attention to detail, and a huge interest in the assigned topic. However, life can be unpredictable sometimes, and students might find themselves at risk of failing their creative assignments. Stress, family issues, poor health, and even unwillingness to work on a certain topic may become significant obstacles on their way to the A-grade work.

If you have similar problems, there is no need to compromise your reputation and grades. You can always refer to HandmadeWriting professionals who are ready to help you with a paper of any type and complexity. They will understand your individual style and totally devote themselv

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Teaching Analytical Writing: A Scaffolded Approach

by Kam Yin Wu

Students at different levels of education are often required to write analytically. At middle or high school, they may need to write (for example) an analysis of the causes of an accident. At university, they may need to write analytical essays to examine the relationship between two concepts or ideas. However, many students find writing analytically a daunting task. They tend to be more familiar with descriptive writing, having learned how to write stories for many years, and may be at a loss about what to do when they are asked to produce a familiar text type. Some weaker students may even fail the task simply because they lack the necessary writing skills. To help them solve this problem, I have developed some tasks which aim to prepare students to write an analytical report about a disaster. I have used the materials with my university classes, with positive response. I will now describe the procedure for each task and outline the rationale for the design.  

Task 1: Video Reports  

• Select a video of a major disaster, e.g. the sinking of the Titanic, Deepwater Horizon oil leak. Here is a sample  video  which analyzes a number of manmade disasters  
• Divide the students into pairs, then play the video. Ask Student A to pay attention to what happened in the disaster (description), and ask Student B to focus on the cause and effect (analysis).   
• In pairs, students summarize what they have watched to each other in 1-2 minutes.   
• Invite one or two pairs of students to give a mini-presentation on the disaster to the whole class. Ask them to imagine that they are news reporters.   
• Have the class give feedback on the mini presentations. For example: Is the description accurate? Is the analysis helpful?  

Rationale: Language skills are typically integrated in real life, so students shouldn’t need to write all the time in writing lessons. In this activity, students talk about what happened in a disaster and discuss its causes. By doing the activity, students will practise or learn useful vocabulary and structures for discussing disasters. This preparation will make the writing task later more manageable.  

Task 2: Understanding the Purpose of Writing  

• Find a written report of the disaster selected for the above activity. Online news sites, Wikipedia and government official reports are good sources for this. The following is a sample Wikipedia article on the Turkish Airlines Flight 981: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Airlines_Flight_981. The first paragraph of the article explains what happened in the accident while the second paragraph examines the causes.    
• Cut out two short extracts (5-6 sentences each) from this report. One extract may be about the events which happened when the disaster struck, while the other may discuss a cause or a consequence.   
• Give the sentences to the students.  
• Ask them to decide on the purpose of the two sets of sentences: to describe or to analyse? What helps them arrive at the answers?   

Rationale: This reading activity aims to raise students’ awareness about the language features that are commonly found in descriptive or analytical writing. For example, time expressions such as “after” and “in the same year” are frequently used to sequence events in a descriptive text, while other expressions (e.g. “attributed to” and “resulted in”) are found in analysis of cause and effect.   

Task 3: Comparing Descriptive and Analytical Writing  

• Now have students read two longer passages about the disaster. Each passage may consist of 3-4 paragraphs so that it is long enough to present a mini descriptive or analytical account of the incident. The Wikipedia article mentioned in Task 2 may be used again.  
• In pairs, each student reads one of the passages and answers some questions about it. They should indicate their answers by putting a tick or a cross in the appropriate box in a table (see below). This step is intended to help students notice the features of analytical writing.  
• Pairs of students compare their answers.   
• Finally, the class decides which passage is more analytical and which is more descriptive.  

Rationale: The questions in the table have been adapted from a guide to critical writing (University of Birmingham, 2015). The features that are relevant to descriptive writing are items a, c, e, f while those that apply to analytical writing are items b, d, f, h. The assumption of this activity is that students best learn about all these features by noticing how they are used in real texts, and not by listening to the teacher’s explanation alone.   

Task 4: Writing to Receive Feedback  

• Play the video of another disaster, and ask students to read text extracts to understand what happened. (Upper-intermediate and advanced students could this outside of class.)  
• Each student writes a paragraph analyzing one major cause for the disaster, and the consequences.  
• Students give peer feedback to each other, commenting on whether the features listed in the above table are found in the writer’s paragraph.  
• Select one paragraph written by a student (preferably from another class). Demonstrate how you would edit it, focusing on language choices and the features of analytical writing.  
• With advanced students and access to the computer, use Google Doc to display the paragraph in class so all students can participate in editing it.  

Rationale: Feedback on writing is most useful before students’ assignments are graded. This activity allows students to receive comments before they write the upcoming analytical reports.  

Task 5: Writing an Analytical Report  

• Students write an analytical report on the disaster, building on the paragraph they have written and the feedback they have obtained.  
• Advanced students may be asked to research into another disaster of their choice and write a report on it.  

In Summary  

The above tasks have been sequenced carefully in an effort to scaffold learning. I think it makes sense to begin with speaking preparation before students start to write. I also believe that students need to see how authors write analytically before they attempt it themselves. Above all, students need to know what makes a passage analytical, and a self-discovery approach like the one described here is more effective than a deductive one.  

Although the above activities can be selected as a package, teachers could combine them with other tasks or exercises flexibly. Alternatively, they could have their students do one or two of the activities only. With tailored support and assistance, students should be able to achieve the goal of writing analytically.   

Author’s Bio : Kam Yin Wu has extensive experience teaching English at all levels of proficiency. He has also worked as a teacher educator. Currently, he is an English Lecturer at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He has published journal papers as well as teaching materials for commercial publishers. His primary research interest is in teaching writing.

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• Teaching Resources
• English Lesson Plan Poster Ks3 4

Analytical writing – Advice and poster for KS3/4 English

This poster describes the qualities of great analytical writing, in two parts. The first section describes three ways analytical writing can be really effective:

• Individual response
• Precise, cogent expression
• Personal voice

The second part looks at 12 ways you can make your analytical writing even more sophisticated.

How to teach great analytical writing

Teaching great analytical writing means going beyond predictable frameworks to draw out more personal, considered responses, says Anthony Cockerill…

I’m not sure I always taught analytical writing well early in my teaching career. For me, like many, the PEE paragraph (along with its errant siblings PEEL and PEAZLE) was a handy formula to get students through coursework essays and to use as a model for exam-style responses; a way to capture thinking and a method of scaffolding a potentially difficult process.

However, in my reliance on it, I don’t think I was teaching the essence of good analysis. When I started to consider this more deeply, I decided that I need to find a more engaging and effective approach – so I planned to work with my students to establish some maxims for great analytical writing; arguably the primary way of responding to texts and ideas in the real world, in the media, in politics, in society and in culture.

Individual opinion

I began by making sure that the students really understood what analysis actually is. By exploring a range of real-world examples, I reasoned, we could begin to deconstruct the elements of analysis through classroom discussion.

I screened a clip from an episode of  Top Gear , in which Jeremy Clarkson road-tests the Ferrari F12.

“Thanks to a 730 horsepower V12, it’s the most powerful road going Ferrari ever made…” says Clarkson.

“What exactly is he doing here?” I ask the students. No response. “Referring to specific details,” I suggest. “Commenting on significance.”

“It’s almost as powerful, in fact, as Fernando Alonso’s Formula One racer,” continues Clarkson.

“See how Jeremy makes connections and comparisons with other things,” I explain. “On  Top Gear , the tone of the analysis is fairly informal, but the elements are just the same as they would be in more formal analytical writing.”

‘This is light and nimble and sharp… it is… spectacular,’ concludes Clarkson.

‘Say what you like about Jeremy Clarkson,’ I say, ‘but it’s clear that he has an opinion.’ This becomes our first mainstay of analytical writing:  individual response .

Precise and cogent

We then read a column by  The Observer  restaurant critic Jay Rayner, who with typical flair, describes ‘an impeccably seasoned disc of steak tartare, full of softness and just the right amount of acidity and piquancy, topped with the sunshine promise of an egg yolk.’

‘What does ‘impeccably seasoned’ suggest about the cooking?’ I ask.

‘It’s been done well. Masterfully seasoned, in fact!’ a student offers.

I pose a question: ‘Why ‘sunshine promise’?’

‘The egg yolk is bright?’ suggests the student.

‘But what else does ‘sunshine’ imply?’

‘It’s really positive and upbeat,’ says the student.

We establish that  precise, cogent expression  is a crucial part of analytical writing; our second key element.

Just as Jay Rayner conveys the restaurant’s attention to detail through his language, our choices of words can convey our understanding of what we’re analysing with clarity and discernment, helping us to consider deeper layers of meaning and nuances.

Personal touch

I wanted to focus on the idea of personal voice in analytical writing — what we considered to be the third foundational element — and alongside it, the idea that tone can vary, depending on the context of the writing.

I decided my students should write analytically about something either media-based or a ‘text’ from popular culture in order to liberate them initially from a more formal tone in which they might struggle to express their personal voice.

To model this process, I chose the video for Katy Perry’s song ‘California Gurls’. We watched it in class, making notes and exploring screenshots. We considered what the video was aiming to achieve and how media language had been appropriated to this end.

I then modelled the writing of a piece of more informal analytical writing, which eventually took the shape of a media-style review.

I asked students what they made of my opening sentence: ‘Having pulled off one of the most amazing metamorphoses in pop (can anyone even remember clean-living Gospel singer, Katy Hudson?), Katy Perry is definitely the thinking person’s pop tart.’

One student said, ‘I like the informality of the bit in brackets.’ I suggest that the parentheses help me to speak to my reader and to inject a little personality into the text, which the student agrees with, although there are several groans at the ‘pop tart’ gag.

Students then chose a subject of their own to write about. These ranged from the ‘shower scene’ in  Psycho  to  Family Guy ; from Radiohead’s  OK Computer  to the work of the German industrial metal band Rammstein.

Results were pleasing. The students’ responses immediately felt more individual and their voices more personal. They began to evaluate in a way they hadn’t done before.

Through the choices they made about grammar and sentence structure – and the discussions we had around these things – precision and cogency began to characterise their writing in ways for which for the PEE paragraph had never allowed.

In order to prepare the ground for our next steps, we read Carol Rumens’ analysis of Richard Blanco’s presidential inauguration poem,  One Today .

Exploring the text together, we thought about how the three key elements we established are present in Rumens’ writing, but how the relative formality of the piece means that they’re present in perhaps different ways.

There’s still work to be done. But by acknowledging the limitations of the PEE paragraph and allowing the students to become engaged by genuine personal response, we feel we have begun a process that feels perfectly matched to our vision for an engaging, diverse and rich curriculum in which young people are apprentices in the discipline of writing.

And students and teachers are all the better off for it.

The 3 key elements of analytical writing

• Individual response Make the process of generating ideas very explicit in classroom discussion. Yes, when reading literature, we can assent to or challenge the critical orthodoxy, but encouraging students to think for themselves and become proficient at forming opinions is crucial.
• Precise, cogent expression When paraphrasing a text or describing aspects of it, encourage students to experiment with language and refine what they’re trying to say. This can be done through teacher-led work – modelling how to cull redundant words or how to choose more precise ones – and students can work in pairs, practising the process themselves.
• Personal voice Perhaps the trickiest of the three, but starting with informal analytical writing is a fun and irreverent way of guiding students toward finding their voice. Once the idea of writing in a particular tone is established, students can then explore how to capture a more authoritative tone in more formal contexts.

Anthony Cockerill is Head of English at Boroughbridge High School, North Yorkshire. Find him at  anthonycockerill.com  and follow him on Twitter at  @thecockerill .   Download our free  Macbeth essay two-lesson resource pack .

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How to write a good analytical essay

Published September 27, 2020. Updated June 7, 2022.

Analytical Essay Definition

An analytical essay is an essay that provides an analysis of a work or issue.

Overview of Analytical Essay Writing

An analytical essay is used to analyze just about anything. Mostly, students will be asked to analyze a piece of writing, a film, or a specific issue. Topics for analytical essays should be neither too broad nor too narrow and should have enough sources to support the analysis. An analytical essay should be structured with an outline that consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion. Enough time should be spent writing, rewriting, and revising thoroughly. Line editing, spell-checking, and proofreading should be done carefully, and the sentence flow should be checked to create the final analytical essay.

Worried about your writing? Submit your paper for a Chegg Writing essay check , or for an Expert Check proofreading . Both can help you find and fix potential writing issues.

What is an analytical essay?

So, first things first: what is an analytical essay? Analytical essays are just what they sound like — they are, simply put, an analysis. To analyze is to “study or determine the nature and relationship of the parts of something” (Merriam-Webster). An analytical essay can analyze just about anything, but most often, students are asked to analyze a piece of writing, a film, or a specific issue.

It’s important to note the difference between argumentative and analytical essays. Though they are similar, there is a distinction: argumentative papers aim to prove a point through a well-researched, persuasive argument, while analytical papers posit a question and explore possible answers.

Some analytical essays will set out to prove a point, which can make them easily confused with argumentative essays. Remember, the main goal of argumentative essays is to argue a point. The main objective of analytical essays is to analyze a work or idea. Often, a firm stance will be used as a vehicle to create a more structured analysis. But, it’s not the point of the essay.

How to prepare to write an analytical essay

Before you dive into brainstorming topics for your analytical essay, be sure to read and reread the rubric for the assignment. Depending on your field of study, the guidelines will vary. For instance, psychology, education, and the sciences tend to use APA format, while the humanities, languages, and the fine arts tend to use MLA or Chicago style.

Once you know which format to use, take heed of any specific expectations your instructor has for this assignment. For example:

• When is it due?
• What is the expected page count?
• Will your instructor expect to see an outline before the draft?
• Is there a set topic list, or can you choose your own?
• Is there someplace to look at sample analytical essays that got A’s?

If anything is unclear, don’t hesitate to ask your instructor.

How to brainstorm the perfect topic for your analytical essay

Some instructors will offer their students a set of essay topics to choose from. That makes it easy for you — just pick the topic that intrigues you the most! Since your instructor has approved all the topics, you shouldn’t have to worry about any of them being too “broad” or “narrow.”

On the other hand, many instructors expect students to brainstorm their own topics. In this case, you will need to ensure your topic is relevant and not too broad or narrow.

After you think of a topic that interests you and is neither too broad nor too narrow, make sure you can find an adequate number of reputable sources to substantiate your analysis. You’ll need to evaluate all your sources’ credibility and probably include a few peer-reviewed journal articles (tip: use a database).

Many good sources can be found online or at your school’s library (in-person and online). If you’re having trouble finding useful sources, it may be a warning sign that your idea is too broad or narrow. If you’re stuck finding sources at all, ask your librarian for help.

How to structure an analytical essay

Now that you’ve found a good topic, it’s time to get organized! Even if you prefer to write spontaneously, creating an outline (even a loose one) can help you stay on track while you draft. The traditional outline for an analytical essay looks like the following:

Introduction

• main point #1
• main point #2
• main point #3

Works cited

Let’s examine each section.

No good analytical essay is complete without a super-strong introductory paragraph. It’s like the title screen at the beginning of a movie. Without it, you’d have no idea what the movie’s about!

A good introduction should state:

• the topic of your essay
• your thesis statement (the one- or two-line gist of your paper)
• the question or idea you’ll analyze
• your research methodology

The body of your essay is not limited to three points, as shown above, but three is typically considered the minimum for a good analysis. To make your analysis more compelling, present your points and arguments in a “strong, stronger, strongest” format.

• strong supporting evidence #1
• stronger supporting evidence #2
• strongest supporting evidence #3

Many students struggle with writing conclusions for their essays. It can feel unnecessary to restate what’s already been said, right? But really, a strong conclusion does much more than repeat what’s already been said. Your conclusion should:

• restate your thesis statement
• hit on all the main points of the essay
• explore the implications of the main points

Works cited 

A works cited or bibliography page should be the final section of your paper. A works-cited page includes a list of the resources you quoted or cited within the body of your work. A bibliography includes these, plus any resources you consulted and didn’t refer to in the paper, or any resources that influenced your ideas on the topic. Check your assignment to see which of these two pages you will need to have.

How to write an analytical essay

It might not seem like it when you’re staring at that blank document and flashing cursor, but this is the easy part! If you’ve adequately researched and planned your analysis, the writing process will flow much more quickly.

Remember, it’s usually not possible to write an essay in one sitting. Don’t wait until the last minute to get started! You’ll need to factor in time for breaks, meetings with your writing tutor, and the dreaded writer’s block.

Don’t expect your first draft to be perfect. It is normal (and smart) to write multiple drafts. You may even need to change your main argument halfway through your draft. That’s okay! Be ready to re-brainstorm, re-outline, and rewrite.

How to revise an analytical essay

Revision may just be the most crucial step of the essay-writing process. Even if you brainstorm the perfect topic, create a brilliant outline, and write a strong first draft, none of that brilliance will shine through if your paper is full of typos, grammar errors, and rambling tangents.

You’ll want to complete these steps of editing, in this order:

• line editing
• spell-checking
• proofreading

Revision deals with broad issues, such as an argument that doesn’t make sense or a source that doesn’t support your thesis. Line editing, spell-checking, and proofreading have more to do with your writing, the flow of your sentences, and any spelling or grammatical errors.

After you finish, it also doesn’t hurt to check your paper for plagiarism !

Example analytical essay on folklore and current events

Before you turn in that paper, don’t forget to cite your sources in APA format , MLA format , or a style of your choice.

Key takeaways

• An analytical essay is, simply put, an analysis of a work or issue.
• Be sure to understand your instructor’s expectations before you dive into writing an analytical essay.
• Topics for analytical essays need to be neither too broad nor too narrow and should have enough sources to support your analysis.
• The basic outline for an analytical essay consists of an introduction, body, conclusion, and works cited (or bibliography).
• Leaving yourself enough time to write, rewrite, and revise thoroughly is a vital part of writing an analytical essay that earns an A.

“Analyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/analyze.

By Jolee McManus. Jolee earned a BA in English from the University of Georgia. She has several years of experience as a writing tutor and freelance copywriter and editor.

Common Writing Assignments, Apps & Tests

• Analytical Essay
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• Knowledge Base
• How to write a literary analysis essay | A step-by-step guide

How to Write a Literary Analysis Essay | A Step-by-Step Guide

Published on January 30, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 14, 2023.

Literary analysis means closely studying a text, interpreting its meanings, and exploring why the author made certain choices. It can be applied to novels, short stories, plays, poems, or any other form of literary writing.

A literary analysis essay is not a rhetorical analysis , nor is it just a summary of the plot or a book review. Instead, it is a type of argumentative essay where you need to analyze elements such as the language, perspective, and structure of the text, and explain how the author uses literary devices to create effects and convey ideas.

Before beginning a literary analysis essay, it’s essential to carefully read the text and c ome up with a thesis statement to keep your essay focused. As you write, follow the standard structure of an academic essay :

• An introduction that tells the reader what your essay will focus on.
• A main body, divided into paragraphs , that builds an argument using evidence from the text.
• A conclusion that clearly states the main point that you have shown with your analysis.

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Table of contents

Step 1: reading the text and identifying literary devices, step 2: coming up with a thesis, step 3: writing a title and introduction, step 4: writing the body of the essay, step 5: writing a conclusion, other interesting articles.

The first step is to carefully read the text(s) and take initial notes. As you read, pay attention to the things that are most intriguing, surprising, or even confusing in the writing—these are things you can dig into in your analysis.

Your goal in literary analysis is not simply to explain the events described in the text, but to analyze the writing itself and discuss how the text works on a deeper level. Primarily, you’re looking out for literary devices —textual elements that writers use to convey meaning and create effects. If you’re comparing and contrasting multiple texts, you can also look for connections between different texts.

To get started with your analysis, there are several key areas that you can focus on. As you analyze each aspect of the text, try to think about how they all relate to each other. You can use highlights or notes to keep track of important passages and quotes.

Language choices

Consider what style of language the author uses. Are the sentences short and simple or more complex and poetic?

What word choices stand out as interesting or unusual? Are words used figuratively to mean something other than their literal definition? Figurative language includes things like metaphor (e.g. “her eyes were oceans”) and simile (e.g. “her eyes were like oceans”).

Also keep an eye out for imagery in the text—recurring images that create a certain atmosphere or symbolize something important. Remember that language is used in literary texts to say more than it means on the surface.

Narrative voice

Ask yourself:

• Who is telling the story?
• How are they telling it?

Is it a first-person narrator (“I”) who is personally involved in the story, or a third-person narrator who tells us about the characters from a distance?

Consider the narrator’s perspective . Is the narrator omniscient (where they know everything about all the characters and events), or do they only have partial knowledge? Are they an unreliable narrator who we are not supposed to take at face value? Authors often hint that their narrator might be giving us a distorted or dishonest version of events.

The tone of the text is also worth considering. Is the story intended to be comic, tragic, or something else? Are usually serious topics treated as funny, or vice versa ? Is the story realistic or fantastical (or somewhere in between)?

Consider how the text is structured, and how the structure relates to the story being told.

• Novels are often divided into chapters and parts.
• Poems are divided into lines, stanzas, and sometime cantos.
• Plays are divided into scenes and acts.

Think about why the author chose to divide the different parts of the text in the way they did.

There are also less formal structural elements to take into account. Does the story unfold in chronological order, or does it jump back and forth in time? Does it begin in medias res —in the middle of the action? Does the plot advance towards a clearly defined climax?

With poetry, consider how the rhyme and meter shape your understanding of the text and your impression of the tone. Try reading the poem aloud to get a sense of this.

In a play, you might consider how relationships between characters are built up through different scenes, and how the setting relates to the action. Watch out for  dramatic irony , where the audience knows some detail that the characters don’t, creating a double meaning in their words, thoughts, or actions.

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Your thesis in a literary analysis essay is the point you want to make about the text. It’s the core argument that gives your essay direction and prevents it from just being a collection of random observations about a text.

If you’re given a prompt for your essay, your thesis must answer or relate to the prompt. For example:

Essay question example

Is Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” a religious parable?

Your thesis statement should be an answer to this question—not a simple yes or no, but a statement of why this is or isn’t the case:

Thesis statement example

Franz Kafka’s “Before the Law” is not a religious parable, but a story about bureaucratic alienation.

Sometimes you’ll be given freedom to choose your own topic; in this case, you’ll have to come up with an original thesis. Consider what stood out to you in the text; ask yourself questions about the elements that interested you, and consider how you might answer them.

Your thesis should be something arguable—that is, something that you think is true about the text, but which is not a simple matter of fact. It must be complex enough to develop through evidence and arguments across the course of your essay.

Say you’re analyzing the novel Frankenstein . You could start by asking yourself:

Your initial answer might be a surface-level description:

The character Frankenstein is portrayed negatively in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

However, this statement is too simple to be an interesting thesis. After reading the text and analyzing its narrative voice and structure, you can develop the answer into a more nuanced and arguable thesis statement:

Mary Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

Remember that you can revise your thesis statement throughout the writing process , so it doesn’t need to be perfectly formulated at this stage. The aim is to keep you focused as you analyze the text.

Finding textual evidence

To support your thesis statement, your essay will build an argument using textual evidence —specific parts of the text that demonstrate your point. This evidence is quoted and analyzed throughout your essay to explain your argument to the reader.

It can be useful to comb through the text in search of relevant quotations before you start writing. You might not end up using everything you find, and you may have to return to the text for more evidence as you write, but collecting textual evidence from the beginning will help you to structure your arguments and assess whether they’re convincing.

To start your literary analysis paper, you’ll need two things: a good title, and an introduction.

Your title should clearly indicate what your analysis will focus on. It usually contains the name of the author and text(s) you’re analyzing. Keep it as concise and engaging as possible.

A common approach to the title is to use a relevant quote from the text, followed by a colon and then the rest of your title.

If you struggle to come up with a good title at first, don’t worry—this will be easier once you’ve begun writing the essay and have a better sense of your arguments.

“Fearful symmetry” : The violence of creation in William Blake’s “The Tyger”

The introduction

The essay introduction provides a quick overview of where your argument is going. It should include your thesis statement and a summary of the essay’s structure.

A typical structure for an introduction is to begin with a general statement about the text and author, using this to lead into your thesis statement. You might refer to a commonly held idea about the text and show how your thesis will contradict it, or zoom in on a particular device you intend to focus on.

Then you can end with a brief indication of what’s coming up in the main body of the essay. This is called signposting. It will be more elaborate in longer essays, but in a short five-paragraph essay structure, it shouldn’t be more than one sentence.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

Some students prefer to write the introduction later in the process, and it’s not a bad idea. After all, you’ll have a clearer idea of the overall shape of your arguments once you’ve begun writing them!

If you do write the introduction first, you should still return to it later to make sure it lines up with what you ended up writing, and edit as necessary.

The body of your essay is everything between the introduction and conclusion. It contains your arguments and the textual evidence that supports them.

Paragraph structure

A typical structure for a high school literary analysis essay consists of five paragraphs : the three paragraphs of the body, plus the introduction and conclusion.

Each paragraph in the main body should focus on one topic. In the five-paragraph model, try to divide your argument into three main areas of analysis, all linked to your thesis. Don’t try to include everything you can think of to say about the text—only analysis that drives your argument.

In longer essays, the same principle applies on a broader scale. For example, you might have two or three sections in your main body, each with multiple paragraphs. Within these sections, you still want to begin new paragraphs at logical moments—a turn in the argument or the introduction of a new idea.

Robert’s first encounter with Gil-Martin suggests something of his sinister power. Robert feels “a sort of invisible power that drew me towards him.” He identifies the moment of their meeting as “the beginning of a series of adventures which has puzzled myself, and will puzzle the world when I am no more in it” (p. 89). Gil-Martin’s “invisible power” seems to be at work even at this distance from the moment described; before continuing the story, Robert feels compelled to anticipate at length what readers will make of his narrative after his approaching death. With this interjection, Hogg emphasizes the fatal influence Gil-Martin exercises from his first appearance.

Topic sentences

To keep your points focused, it’s important to use a topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph.

A good topic sentence allows a reader to see at a glance what the paragraph is about. It can introduce a new line of argument and connect or contrast it with the previous paragraph. Transition words like “however” or “moreover” are useful for creating smooth transitions:

… The story’s focus, therefore, is not upon the divine revelation that may be waiting beyond the door, but upon the mundane process of aging undergone by the man as he waits.

Nevertheless, the “radiance” that appears to stream from the door is typically treated as religious symbolism.

This topic sentence signals that the paragraph will address the question of religious symbolism, while the linking word “nevertheless” points out a contrast with the previous paragraph’s conclusion.

Using textual evidence

A key part of literary analysis is backing up your arguments with relevant evidence from the text. This involves introducing quotes from the text and explaining their significance to your point.

It’s important to contextualize quotes and explain why you’re using them; they should be properly introduced and analyzed, not treated as self-explanatory:

It isn’t always necessary to use a quote. Quoting is useful when you’re discussing the author’s language, but sometimes you’ll have to refer to plot points or structural elements that can’t be captured in a short quote.

In these cases, it’s more appropriate to paraphrase or summarize parts of the text—that is, to describe the relevant part in your own words:

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The conclusion of your analysis shouldn’t introduce any new quotations or arguments. Instead, it’s about wrapping up the essay. Here, you summarize your key points and try to emphasize their significance to the reader.

A good way to approach this is to briefly summarize your key arguments, and then stress the conclusion they’ve led you to, highlighting the new perspective your thesis provides on the text as a whole:

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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By tracing the depiction of Frankenstein through the novel’s three volumes, I have demonstrated how the narrative structure shifts our perception of the character. While the Frankenstein of the first volume is depicted as having innocent intentions, the second and third volumes—first in the creature’s accusatory voice, and then in his own voice—increasingly undermine him, causing him to appear alternately ridiculous and vindictive. Far from the one-dimensional villain he is often taken to be, the character of Frankenstein is compelling because of the dynamic narrative frame in which he is placed. In this frame, Frankenstein’s narrative self-presentation responds to the images of him we see from others’ perspectives. This conclusion sheds new light on the novel, foregrounding Shelley’s unique layering of narrative perspectives and its importance for the depiction of character.

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Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers

P LANNING, PARAGRAPHING AND POLISHING: FINE-TUNING THE PERFECT ESSAY

Essay writing is an essential skill for every student. Whether writing a particular academic essay (such as persuasive, narrative, descriptive, or expository) or a timed exam essay, the key to getting good at writing is to write. Creating opportunities for our students to engage in extended writing activities will go a long way to helping them improve their skills as scribes.

But, putting the hours in alone will not be enough to attain the highest levels in essay writing. Practice must be meaningful. Once students have a broad overview of how to structure the various types of essays, they are ready to narrow in on the minor details that will enable them to fine-tune their work as a lean vehicle of their thoughts and ideas.

In this article, we will drill down to some aspects that will assist students in taking their essay writing skills up a notch. Many ideas and activities can be integrated into broader lesson plans based on essay writing. Often, though, they will work effectively in isolation – just as athletes isolate physical movements to drill that are relevant to their sport. When these movements become second nature, they can be repeated naturally in the context of the game or in our case, the writing of the essay.

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Planning an essay

The Boys Scouts’ motto is famously ‘Be Prepared’. It’s a solid motto that can be applied to most aspects of life; essay writing is no different. Given the purpose of an essay is generally to present a logical and reasoned argument, investing time in organising arguments, ideas, and structure would seem to be time well spent.

Given that essays can take a wide range of forms and that we all have our own individual approaches to writing, it stands to reason that there will be no single best approach to the planning stage of essay writing. That said, there are several helpful hints and techniques we can share with our students to help them wrestle their ideas into a writable form. Let’s take a look at a few of the best of these:

BREAK THE QUESTION DOWN: UNDERSTAND YOUR ESSAY TOPIC.

Whether students are tackling an assignment that you have set for them in class or responding to an essay prompt in an exam situation, they should get into the habit of analyzing the nature of the task. To do this, they should unravel the question’s meaning or prompt. Students can practice this in class by responding to various essay titles, questions, and prompts, thereby gaining valuable experience breaking these down.

Have students work in groups to underline and dissect the keywords and phrases and discuss what exactly is being asked of them in the task. Are they being asked to discuss, describe, persuade, or explain? Understanding the exact nature of the task is crucial before going any further in the planning process, never mind the writing process .

BRAINSTORM AND MIND MAP WHAT YOU KNOW:

Once students have understood what the essay task asks them, they should consider what they know about the topic and, often, how they feel about it. When teaching essay writing, we so often emphasize that it is about expressing our opinions on things, but for our younger students what they think about something isn’t always obvious, even to themselves.

Brainstorming and mind-mapping what they know about a topic offers them an opportunity to uncover not just what they already know about a topic, but also gives them a chance to reveal to themselves what they think about the topic. This will help guide them in structuring their research and, later, the essay they will write . When writing an essay in an exam context, this may be the only ‘research’ the student can undertake before the writing, so practicing this will be even more important.

RESEARCH YOUR ESSAY

The previous step above should reveal to students the general direction their research will take. With the ubiquitousness of the internet, gone are the days of students relying on a single well-thumbed encyclopaedia from the school library as their sole authoritative source in their essay. If anything, the real problem for our students today is narrowing down their sources to a manageable number. Students should use the information from the previous step to help here. At this stage, it is important that they:

●      Ensure the research material is directly relevant to the essay task

●      Record in detail the sources of the information that they will use in their essay

●      Engage with the material personally by asking questions and challenging their own biases

●      Identify the key points that will be made in their essay

●      Group ideas, counterarguments, and opinions together

●      Identify the overarching argument they will make in their own essay.

Once these stages have been completed the student is ready to organise their points into a logical order.

WRITING YOUR ESSAY

There are a number of ways for students to organize their points in preparation for writing. They can use graphic organizers , post-it notes, or any number of available writing apps. The important thing for them to consider here is that their points should follow a logical progression. This progression of their argument will be expressed in the form of body paragraphs that will inform the structure of their finished essay.

The number of paragraphs contained in an essay will depend on a number of factors such as word limits, time limits, the complexity of the question etc. Regardless of the essay’s length, students should ensure their essay follows the Rule of Three in that every essay they write contains an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Generally speaking, essay paragraphs will focus on one main idea that is usually expressed in a topic sentence that is followed by a series of supporting sentences that bolster that main idea. The first and final sentences are of the most significance here with the first sentence of a paragraph making the point to the reader and the final sentence of the paragraph making the overall relevance to the essay’s argument crystal clear. 

Though students will most likely be familiar with the broad generic structure of essays, it is worth investing time to ensure they have a clear conception of how each part of the essay works, that is, of the exact nature of the task it performs. Let’s review:

Common Essay Structure

Introduction: Provides the reader with context for the essay. It states the broad argument that the essay will make and informs the reader of the writer’s general perspective and approach to the question.

Body Paragraphs: These are the ‘meat’ of the essay and lay out the argument stated in the introduction point by point with supporting evidence.

Conclusion: Usually, the conclusion will restate the central argument while summarising the essay’s main supporting reasons before linking everything back to the original question.

ESSAY WRITING PARAGRAPH WRITING TIPS

●      Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea

●      Paragraphs should follow a logical sequence; students should group similar ideas together to avoid incoherence

●      Paragraphs should be denoted consistently; students should choose either to indent or skip a line

●      Transition words and phrases such as alternatively , consequently , in contrast should be used to give flow and provide a bridge between paragraphs.

HOW TO EDIT AN ESSAY

Students shouldn’t expect their essays to emerge from the writing process perfectly formed. Except in exam situations and the like, thorough editing is an essential aspect in the writing process. 

Often, students struggle with this aspect of the process the most. After spending hours of effort on planning, research, and writing the first draft, students can be reluctant to go back over the same terrain they have so recently travelled. It is important at this point to give them some helpful guidelines to help them to know what to look out for. The following tips will provide just such help: 

One Piece at a Time: There is a lot to look out for in the editing process and often students overlook aspects as they try to juggle too many balls during the process. One effective strategy to combat this is for students to perform a number of rounds of editing with each focusing on a different aspect. For example, the first round could focus on content, the second round on looking out for word repetition (use a thesaurus to help here), with the third attending to spelling and grammar.

Sum It Up: When reviewing the paragraphs they have written, a good starting point is for students to read each paragraph and attempt to sum up its main point in a single line. If this is not possible, their readers will most likely have difficulty following their train of thought too and the paragraph needs to be overhauled.

Let It Breathe: When possible, encourage students to allow some time for their essay to ‘breathe’ before returning to it for editing purposes. This may require some skilful time management on the part of the student, for example, a student rush-writing the night before the deadline does not lend itself to effective editing. Fresh eyes are one of the sharpest tools in the writer’s toolbox.

Read It Aloud: This time-tested editing method is a great way for students to identify mistakes and typos in their work. We tend to read things more slowly when reading aloud giving us the time to spot errors. Also, when we read silently our minds can often fill in the gaps or gloss over the mistakes that will become apparent when we read out loud.

Phone a Friend: Peer editing is another great way to identify errors that our brains may miss when reading our own work. Encourage students to partner up for a little ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’.

Use Tech Tools: We need to ensure our students have the mental tools to edit their own work and for this they will need a good grasp of English grammar and punctuation. However, there are also a wealth of tech tools such as spellcheck and grammar checks that can offer a great once-over option to catch anything students may have missed in earlier editing rounds.

Putting the Jewels on Display: While some struggle to edit, others struggle to let go. There comes a point when it is time for students to release their work to the reader. They must learn to relinquish control after the creation is complete. This will be much easier to achieve if the student feels that they have done everything in their control to ensure their essay is representative of the best of their abilities and if they have followed the advice here, they should be confident they have done so.

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The Complete Guide to Writing an Analytical Essay for QCAA English

Aiming for high marks on your QCAA English analytical essay, but aren’t confident with how to structure it?

To be able to demonstrate your full understanding of the text, it is necessary that you understand how to organise and write out your ideas to gain as many marks as possible. This can be challenging, so we’ll take you through everything you need to know to write a killer essay!

Let’s get started!

General Considerations for the QCAA English Analytical Essay Planning Your Analytical Essay Introduction Body Paragraph Structure Conclusion

General Considerations for the QCAA English Analytical Essay

There are a few unwritten rules that must be followed to make sure you produce a top notch essay!

Firstly, never write in first person (I or me), but always in third person (the reader, the writer) as this is meant to be a formal piece of writing.

The second most important thing here is to always write in the present tense, rather than in the past tense. The writer uses or does something, rather than used or did. Even if the play was written in the past, you should still make the essay in the present tense, because it is in the NOW that you’re analysing it. 

Some exam advice here: the conditions stipulate that your essay must be 800 to 1000 words. Add another evidence body paragraph if you see you’re running short.

Read also: how to ace Unit 4 of QCAA English !

Planning Your Analytical Essay

To best succeed, we’ll start from the planning stage, something you should do well before writing your essay.

Make sure that you scribble down the point of each of your three paragraphs briefly, including 1-2 example quotes . Most importantly, be sure to write underneath the type of literary technique that said quotes use.

This will mean you’ll have identified most of the elements that make up your paragraph since the planning stage. By the time you’ll get to the body paragraph, all you’ll have to do is expand on them. 

Discover our ‘thesis + 3’ technique for preparing essays!

Your essay essentially follows this basic structure:

We’ll break down each of these sections, so you know exactly what to include in your QCAA English essay!

Wondering how you’re tracking with all of your English IAs? Check out our QCE Cohort Comparison tool to find out!

Introduction

There are many ways you can write a sound introduction, but to be safe, use this structure if you’re finding it difficult. This will make sure you hit all the marking criteria!

#1: Context Statement

Here you should include the main message of the work, as well as its date, writer, and historical context. Think of it as your ‘History’ paragraph.

If certain aspects of the historical context are extremely significant for the exploration of your thesis statement, its great to mention them here in the first 3-4 lines. You will be prepping your readers for your thesis statement.

#2: Thesis Statement

State your thesis as clearly as possible. Here you can be succinct or elaborate, but make sure not to go over 3 sentences. It’s crucial that you use the wording of your question, as it will make it obvious that you’re directly answering it. 

#3: Preview Statement

This statement sets the order in which you’ll be talking about your ideas . State how the writer achieves what they achieve by including the name of the literary techniques of each paragraph in the order you are going to talk about them in your body paragraphs. If you nail this sentence, your structure will benefit from it.

#4: Segue Sentence

As the name suggests, this sentence will segue into your first paragraph . How you do this is entirely up to you, as it will depend on your first paragraph.

We’re written a tonne of high quality practice questions to help you prepare for the QCE English External exam !

Body Paragraph Structure for Your Analytical Essay

#1: paragraph thesis.

These first two sentences should do two things: Answer the main question of the exam, and mention how this is achieved, by mentioning the literary technique that is used to achieve the answer to the essay question .

An example would be:

“ Shakespeare masterfully reveals the supernatural characteristics of Macbeth’s setting by his astute use of pathetic fallacy .”

#2: Evidence Statement

This part is reserved for your evidence, meaning you should insert a relevant quote that relates to the technique cited in your point. This will make sure your evidence is coherent with the point you are training to make.

Keep in mind that it is very likely you will have to write two evidence statements or even three per paragraph , unless your first piece of evidence is complex enough to need a whole paragraph to explore. 

#3: Explanation and Intended Effect

Here you can explain the quote in detail. Make sure to showcase as much understanding as possible!

You want to explain the quote in relation to the technique, and what its intended meaning or effect is .

Basically, try and answer the question: Why did the writer use this?

#4: Effect on the Reader

This is where you get to add your own personal touch and style to your writing , which is marked in the ISMGs. Try and explore the effect that the technique or quote had on you personally, without saying ‘I’ or ‘Me’ — i nstead use ‘The Reader’.

You’ll explore the quote’s actual effect, while still writing the essay in third person. 

#5: Link Sentence

This final sentence will restate your point and possibly make a link to the start of the paragraph . Of course, this depends on the paragraph, so it is up to you in the moment how you do this. 

A paragraph should be at least 200 words long, but not more than 300. Feel free to add a 4th piece of evidence if you don’t make the word count. Repeat this process 3 times.

Check out our other paragraph structure guides below: PETAL paragraph PEEL paragraph TEEL paragraph STEEL paragraph

Analytical Essay Conclusion

Restate your thesis, reiterating that you’ve answered the question. Then, restate in a different fashion your preview statement from your introduction. This will tie your essay off neatly!

Finally, for style points, add a final sentence that stimulates readers to ponder the overall meaning of the work.

“Shakespeare, through his timeless play ‘ Macbeth ’, invites readers to consider the legitimacy of one’s own ambition, and how far he should go to satisfy it.” 

Overall, your essay for QCAA English should be addressing all of the criteria listed below. Be sure to read over your work once you’ve finished writing your essay to ensure that your grammar is correct, you’ve used proper punctuation throughout and there aren’t any spelling errors.

On the hunt for other QCAA English resources?

Check out our guides to completing QCAA English assessments below:

• How to Create a Written Response for a Public Audience for QCAA English
• Your Essential Guide to Writing an Imaginative Written Response for QCAA English
• How to Craft a Persuasive Spoken Response for QCAA English and Ace Your Assessment!
• How to Ace Your External Assessment for QCAA General English
• The Ultimate Guide to QCAA English Unit 3: Textual Connections
• The Ultimate Guide to QCAA English Unit 4: Close Study of Literary Texts

Are you looking for some extra support writing analytical essays for QCAA English?

We have an incredible team of QLD English tutors and mentors!

We can help you master the QCAA English syllabus and ace your upcoming English assessments with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or online, especially if you are looking for an English tutor in Brisbane !

We’ve opened our doors to regional communities, to give students across the state opportunities for learning – check out our Townsville tutoring today!

We’ve supported over  8,000 students over the last 11 years , and on average our students score mark improvements of over 20%!

Looking for a tutor on the Gold Coast? Check out our local expert Gold Coast tutors !

To find out more and get started with an inspirational QLD tutor and mentor, get in touch today  or give us a ring on  1300 267 888!

Vittorio Manessi  is an Art of Smart tutor based in Queensland studying environmental science. He was one of the first Year 12 students to study under the new ATAR system in Queensland. He enjoys Maths, Science, English and Ancient History and is keen to share his knowledge of the QCE by making awesome resources.

• Topics: ✏️ English , ✍️ Learn

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GRE Analytical Writing Overview| Syllabus, Examples & More

The GRE Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) is a vital part of the GRE, assessing your ability to think critically and write analytically. Aiming for a GRE Analytical Writing score above 4.5 is crucial if you’re targeting top universities. The updated format features just one task: Analyze an Issue , giving you 30 minutes to write a concise, well-structured essay.

To excel, focus on writing between 500 and 600 words across 4 to 5 paragraphs, ensuring clarity and adherence to the GRE Analytical Writing word limit . Reviewing GRE Analytical Writing examples and GRE Analytical Writing PDFs can provide essential practice and insight, helping you achieve a strong score and boost your overall GRE performance.

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GRE Analytical Writing

Gre analytical writing pdf, gre issue essay format, gre analytical writing samples, gre analytical writing score.

The GRE Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) now exclusively features the Analyze an Issue task. This section is designed to evaluate your critical thinking and analytical writing abilities. Unlike other sections, there is no fixed pattern for GRE AWA topics , making it essential to familiarize yourself with a wide range of issues. Staying updated on the latest GRE exam pattern is crucial to understanding the recent changes in this section.

Common GRE AWA Topics

The following are some frequently encountered themes for the GRE Analyze an Issue task:

Unlock your potential for success in the GRE with our comprehensive GRE Analytical Writing PDF guide. Designed to help you excel in the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), this resource offers essential insights and strategies to master the GRE essay tasks. The GRE AWA section assesses your ability to think critically, develop well-structured arguments, and express your ideas clearly and effectively.

Our PDF guide includes detailed explanations of the GRE Analytical Writing format, tips for crafting compelling essays, and sample prompts with high-scoring responses. Whether you’re aiming for a top score or simply looking to improve your writing skills, this PDF provides the tools and knowledge you need to succeed in the GRE Analytical Writing section. Download now to start your journey towards GRE success!

GRE Analytical Writing PDF- Free DOWNLOAD!!!!

Important GRE Issue Essay Format are as follows:

GRE AWA Essay: Essential Tips for Success

The GRE AWA essay on an issue should be approximately 500-600 words in length, focusing on topics of general interest that can be analyzed from multiple perspectives. Remember, there are no absolute correct answers in the GRE AWA ; instead, the test evaluates your critical thinking skills and your ability to present a well-reasoned argument. The GRE Analyze an Issue task challenges you to take a stance on a given topic, providing compelling reasons and evidence to support your position.

Before you begin writing, carefully review the instructions and plan your response. Instructions typically fall into the following categories:

• Agree/Disagree with a Statement : Explain why you agree or disagree with the given statement, considering different perspectives that may support or challenge the statement.
• Position on a Recommendation : Articulate your stance on the provided recommendation, backing it up with reasons and examples.
• Extent of Agreement/Disagreement : Craft a response that discusses the extent to which you agree or disagree with a given claim.
• Balanced Argument : Write a response that discusses both sides of the argument, then explain your position.
• Consequences of a Policy : Discuss the consequences of a policy and how they influenced your decision.

Tips for Writing a Strong GRE Issue Essay

To excel in the GRE Issue Essay , consider the following tips:

• Practice Regularly : Start by practicing writing GRE Issue Essays . Writing at least three essays will help you manage your time, familiarize yourself with different prompts, and understand the factual support needed for a strong argument.
• Pick One Side : Choose one side of the argument to support. Avoid trying to argue both sides, as this can weaken your essay and make your position unclear. The examiners assess your ability to defend your chosen stance effectively.
• Use Relevant Examples : Provide relevant examples to bolster your argument. Use examples from diverse fields such as business, arts, or history, but ensure they serve to support your essay rather than dominate it.
• Follow a Structured Pattern : Organize your essay in a clear, structured manner. A well-structured essay not only provides clarity to the reader but also helps to increase your GRE AWA score .

By following these tips and practicing regularly, you’ll improve your ability to write a compelling GRE AWA essay , enhancing your chances of achieving a high score. Incorporate these strategies into your preparation to present clear, well-supported arguments that will impress GRE examiners.

Here are some examples of high-quality GRE Analytical Writing essays for the “Analyze an Issue” task. These examples illustrate how to effectively develop and present arguments, supporting a high score in the GRE AWA section:

Example 1: Technology and Society

Prompt: “Technology has made our lives easier but has also made us more isolated from each other.”

Essay: In today’s fast-paced world, technology undeniably simplifies many aspects of life, from communication to information access. However, it also contributes to a sense of isolation. For instance, while social media platforms facilitate instant communication, they often replace face-to-face interactions with impersonal digital exchanges. This shift can lead to superficial relationships and a lack of genuine human connection. Moreover, the rise of remote work, enabled by technology, has reduced daily interpersonal interactions, potentially weakening social bonds. Nonetheless, technology also fosters global connections and allows for virtual communities that can provide support and shared experiences. Balancing the benefits of technology with its potential to isolate individuals is crucial for maintaining meaningful personal connections.

Example 2: Education

Prompt: “A college education should emphasize practical skills rather than theoretical knowledge.”

Essay: The debate between practical skills and theoretical knowledge in higher education is crucial for preparing students for the workforce. Advocates for practical skills argue that such training equips students with job-ready abilities, making them more competitive in the job market. For instance, courses in coding, data analysis, and project management directly align with industry demands and provide tangible benefits. Conversely, theoretical knowledge fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are also essential in any profession. For example, understanding foundational theories in economics or psychology can enhance analytical abilities and adaptability. A balanced approach, integrating both practical skills and theoretical knowledge, ensures that students are well-rounded and prepared for diverse challenges.

Example 3: Government and Power

Prompt: “Governments should prioritize economic development over environmental protection.”

Essay: The debate over whether governments should prioritize economic development or environmental protection is complex and multifaceted. Economic development fosters job creation, infrastructure improvement, and overall societal prosperity. For example, industrial growth often leads to higher employment rates and improved living standards. However, prioritizing economic growth at the expense of environmental protection can lead to long-term damage, such as climate change and loss of biodiversity. Sustainable development practices, which balance economic growth with environmental stewardship, are crucial. For instance, investing in green technologies can stimulate economic growth while preserving natural resources. Hence, a strategic approach that integrates both priorities is essential for achieving long-term prosperity and ecological balance.

GRE scores will be accessible on the official ETS website within 8-10 days following the exam date. The Analytical Writing GRE score falls between 0 and 6.0. Valid for five years, candidates must submit or send their additional score reports to their chosen institutions within this timeframe for a successful admission process. Now, let’s explore the criteria ETS considers when evaluating your AWA essays.

Here’s a brief table summarizing the GRE AWA score and its corresponding explanation:

GRE Analytical Writing- FAQs

How to write analytical writing in gre.

The Analytical Writing section of the GRE includes a 30-minute “Analyze an Issue” task. In this task, you are given a statement or opinion on a particular topic along with guidelines for your response. Your goal is to assess the issue, explore its various aspects, and construct a well-reasoned argument supported by relevant examples and explanations.

Is 3.5 a good score in analytical writing in GRE?

A score of 3.5 in GRE Analytical Writing is considered below average. Top-ranked universities generally look for higher scores, typically 4.0 or above, to meet their competitive admissions standards.

How many words should your GRE Analytical Writing essay be?

For the GRE Analytical Writing section, it’s recommended that your essay be between 500 and 600 words. Aiming for this word count ensures that you have enough space to develop your arguments fully while adhering to the GRE Analytical Writing guidelines. Keeping within this range helps demonstrate a well-structured, coherent argument and allows for a thorough analysis of the issue. Properly managing your word count is crucial for scoring well on the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment.

What is a good AWA score in GRE?

A GRE AWA score of  6 to 5  means the candidate has proper writing skills. The average AWA cutoff for US universities ranges from 4.5 and above. The average AWA score in GRE is 3.5.

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Comprehensive TOK Essay Guide for 2025 Titles

Subject: Philosophy and ethics

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Other

Last updated

3 September 2024

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This document offers an in-depth analysis of the 2025 IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK) essay titles. Ideal for students aiming for a high pass grade, it breaks down each title thoroughly, providing:

Detailed Unpacking of Key Concepts: Clear explanations of each title, ensuring you understand exactly what’s being asked.

Expert Analysis of Areas of Knowledge (AOKs): Insightful connections between the essay titles and various AOKs, such as History, Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and the Arts.

Real-World Examples: Concrete examples tailored to each essay question, which can be directly used or adapted in your writing.

Critical Argumentation Tips: Guidance on how to craft balanced, coherent arguments, including how to integrate counterarguments.

Conclusion Strategies: Learn how to effectively conclude your essay with clarity and depth.

This guide provides everything you need to confidently tackle the TOK essay titles for 2025, making it a valuable resource for IB students looking to maximize their scores.

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