Writing An Analysis Paper

Your argument should be clear, and it should focus on discussing an issue in the work (or multiple works if doing a comparison) at a deeper level beyond face value.

Identify the primary text, explaining the reasons for its selection and the issues it raises.

Relate these to established critical opinion and to the text's perceived role in the critical or literary canon.

It is especially helpful in preventing writer’s block. Your introduction should provide the reader with some context and background on the literature being examined.

This is especially true if the reader is unfamiliar with the work.

Naturally, every point should be directly tied to the thesis. When the text contains a very poignant statement or precise terminology that would serve your argument well, use direct quotes.

Writing An Analysis Paper

On the other hand, if you are summarizing the work or the text being quoted is considerably large, paraphrasing would be more appropriate. Your conclusion wraps everything up by restating the thesis and supporting arguments.

In most cases, you will be asked to write three such paragraphs.

Each of them should contain a topic sentence, an analysis of an issue brought up in the work and supporting evidence to back it up.

In order to avoid this problem, use a yellow marker and highlight every sentence in your essay stating ideas that are not your own (quotes, paraphrases, and summaries of other peoples works).

If you see too much yellow in your paper, chances are your voice and ideas have not been fully develop.