How to Write an Analytical Essay: Structure and Examples

Analytical writing can be hard, especially if you have little or no experience with this writing style. The following steps and examples will help you write your analytical essay successfully.

Analytical Essay Structure

In general, analysis essays focus on certain issues, opinions or problems, providing an in-depth analysis. To do an analytical project, divide your subject into parts, evaluate them and give evidence to justify your position.

The following are the main parts to be included into this type of assignment:

• Introduction should give general information on the subject, including broad context and potential value of findings.
• A thesis statement should be the narrowest part of the introduction. Include your overall position in a condensed form here.
• The main body consists of weighty arguments and evidence supporting them. Every new paragraph explores a new argument.
• The conclusion briefly repeats the main claim and central arguments used in the paper.

Thesis Examples for Analytical Essays

Here are some samples of thesis statements which could become the central elements of your analytical projects:

1. The leadership qualities of a manager, including those of a clear vision, inspiring people and taking the responsibility for the result, are of paramount importance for effective crisis management and the company success.
2. The spread of the awareness on the causes and effects of the global warming among the population can have positive effects on personal behaviors.
3. The experience of Justin Bieber reveals the potential benefits and risks of using a personality of a celebrity for marketing of a product or service.
4. The phenomenon of inappropriate body image perception and unhealthy eating habits in adolescents is interrelated with the unhealthy beauty standards promoted by the popular culture.
5. The findings of recent studies have shown that violent computer games have no to little effects on teenagers’ behaviors, no matter how much time is spent in video game reality.

Analytical Essays: 10 Dos and Don'ts

To do your analytical projects right, you may want to consider the following 5 recommendations:

1. Use evidence from primary and secondary sources.
2. Consider possible counterarguments.
3. Discuss practical implications.
4. Add relevant examples to make it more persuasive.
5. Include transitions between different parts to make it flow.

The 5 most common mistakes to avoid are the following:

1. Including too much summary.
2. Choosing a too broad topic.
3. Neglecting logical structure.
4. Sticking to one or a few arguments.
5. Using the first person "I" or "we".

So, good luck with your analytical thinking essays.

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Critical Thinking Essay: Ingredients for Your Paper

Critical thinking should not be confused with negative thinking. All you need to write a critical thinking essay is to objectively evaluate the various aspects of theory or artwork under analysis. And here’s the easiest way to do it.

Critical Thinking Essay Format

The first thing you should know is that this type of assignment has a number of format requirements:

1. Outline your position in a thesis statement. Briefly state what you think of your topic. You may want to write or revise this part after you complete the rest of this project.
2. Give a detailed argumentation for your position in the main body of your essay. Start a new paragraph to shed light on a new aspect. Here’s what these sections can discuss:
   • the structure of the work;
   • the combination of different elements;
   • the author’s style;
   • the connections with other works (articles, theories etc.);
   • special language devices or persuasion tactics used by the author.
3. Repeat your major claim using different wording and briefly restate your arguments.

Topics for Your Critical Thinking Essay

If you need some decent ideas for your project, feel free to get started with any of the following questions:

• What are the main strengths and weaknesses of the work under analysis?
• What do I know of other works and achievements of this author?
• What would I change in this work and why?
• Can the historical context change understanding of this work?
• Has this work had influence on any other works?
• Does the author consider the possible counterarguments to his/her position?
• Does the logical structure influence the readers' perception in any way?
• What can be read ‘between the lines’ of the text? Is there any hidden meaning?
• Which one (or a couple of) details change the meaning of the text in whole?

So, hopefully these prompts will help you start a sample based on critical thinking of your own. You already know how to start your paper. So, what are you waiting for?

Categories: essay