An analysis essay should contain student’s exploration of a particular topic. Though instructors often give their students topics to choose from, sometimes students can come up with their own topics to analyze. They pick the texts that they want to study deeply, read them critically, and develop their evaluations or opinions of what the authors were meaning. There are two main steps necessary to take if you want to complete this kind of an assignment successfully: reading critically and writing a well-composed paper.
When you are reading a chosen paper, you should consider the purpose of the paper, analyze its structure, and do a research for anything unfamiliar to you. Take the notes while you are reading, prepare a short summary, and evaluate how the author accomplished the purpose of the writing.
It is important to prepare a good outline that will help you stay focused on your topic while writing. You can search for an example outline online. A typical outline should include the following elements:
After you complete your outline, you can start writing you first draft.
An analysis essay consists of an introductory paragraph, body paragraphs with analysis, and a short conclusion. Typically, the introduction is a bit longer comparing to other types of essay. The length of your assignment is not limited by a five-paragraph essay format, so you can decide how many body paragraphs you need to write. Keep in mind that if you choose your own piece of writing to analyze, you will have to provide a summary of the work. Otherwise, most instructors ask students to skip this element of an essay.
Although you explain your personal point of view throughout the essay, it is recommended to avoid writing from the first person. You can strengthen your paper using strong evidence and providing good quotes. Sometimes, instructors allow their students to use external sources when they compose their arguments, however make sure that the most of your essay writing represents your own thoughts and ideas.
