English 1A

Analysis Technique

As we all know by now, to analyze means to "break down".  As its Greek root suggests, you conduct an analysis by breaking your subject into parts, and examine how the parts work together to produce an intended effect.  Most people, when analyzing, tend to focus on the first step of the analysis - the breakdown.  It’s easy to break down your subject into its various elements.  What’s a little more challenging is identifying why you are breaking it down according to these particular criteria, and how those elements work together to present an integrated concept.  That last step is called synthesis, and it's tricker than it looks.

For example, if you analyze an magazine, you would break it down into its components.  You might look at the articles, the advertising, the images, the authors, the columns, etc.  It's not enough just to look at each piece in turn, however.  You need to look at how those pieces function together to acheive a specific effect on the intended audience - how the pieces synthesize.  Maybe I'll conclude that the magazine callously exploits and manipulates its audience in order to make money for its corporate sponsors. Maybe I'll conclude that the magazine provides a much-needed sense of community to a diverse group of people.  Whatever the conclusion, it's important that it be clear, and well-documented with relevant examples and details.

You'll have a chance to learn more about this technique, and to practice it yourself, in the next paper, the Analysis Essay. 

More resources for writing analytical papers:

Analytical Thinking : U of Colorado Program for Writing and Rhetoric

Writing a Thesis Statement: OWL at Purdue University

The Analytical Thesis Statement: UT Austin Undergrad Writing Center