How to Write an Analytical Essay

One of the most useful skills to learn in school and at university is how to develop an analytical argument. It assists you in your professional career, personal decisions, and just getting through life. Every day, we analyze things, but learning how to write an analytical paper formalizes the process and provides a mental template to follow. This article will teach you what an analytical essay is, how to choose a good topic, how to write each paragraph step by step and other helpful hints.

What Is an Analytical Essay, and How Do I Write One?

An analytical essay is one of the most typical college tasks, and it requires you to carefully study a given topic. The subject can be current events, movies, literature, news reports, a historical period, or anything else that warrants additional investigation. Analytical essays use evidence-based statements to prove a thesis. They do not rely on emotional appeals or personal tales to make their case; instead, they rely on logic and facts to construct an analytical argument. Unlike a persuasive essay, which only requires you to analyze one side of an issue, an analytical essay requires you to comprehend and present both sides. Finally, you should express your personal opinions on whether you agree or disagree with the topic under consideration.

Outline for an Analytical Essay

The analytical essay format is the first thing to think about. An analytical essay is normally between 500 to 1,000 words long, which means it can use the traditional five-paragraph essay format, which includes an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph. You can increase the number of body paragraphs if you need to create a lengthier or more extensive analysis. Creating an outline might help you prepare your essay and obtain a sense of its structure. Many students neglect to create an outline, but it is worthwhile since the time you spend planning can assist direct your research and shorten the time it takes to write the essay. Take a look at an example of an analytical essay plan.

• Introduction

• Hook

• Contextual information

• Statement of the thesis

• The first paragraph of the body

• The main idea of the statement

• Evidence to back up your claim

• Make a transition to the body paragraph.

• Paragraph 2 of the body

• The main idea of the statement

• Evidence to back up your claim

• Move on to paragraph 3 of the main body.

• Paragraph 3 of the body

• The main idea of the statement

• Evidence to back up your claim

• Transition to the end

• Conclusion

• A summary of the main points

• State the thesis again.

• Important takeaways

Introduction to an Analytical Essay

Writing an analytical paper introduction is similar to writing an introduction for any other form of essay. Because the introduction is the first thing someone reads, it’s critical to both captivate the reader and ensure that they comprehend the topic of the paper. A strong beginning gives background information, outlines the paper’s purpose clearly, and hints at the points you’ll make.

A hook should be the opening sentence. This means it should pique the reader’s interest and entice them to continue reading the article. A hook can be anything that is related to your topic and also interesting, such as a curious fact, a joke, or an engaging question.

The next step is to provide background information about the topic you’re studying. If it’s a piece of work created by someone else, such as a book or a movie, this is where you list the title, year of publication, director/name, author’s and so on. If the topic is an academic subject or an abstract notion, this is where you provide some background information so that the audience understands the topic.

The next step is to articulate your thesis clearly. The fundamental aim of your essay is effectively stated in a thesis statement. It consists of one or two words that clearly identify the topic you’ll be discussing, hint at the point you’re trying to make, and convey your opinion if you have one.

 

Thesis Statement

One of the most difficult aspects of writing any type of essay is coming up with a decent thesis statement. In one or two phrases, a thesis statement expresses the aim of your writing. A strong thesis statement informs the reader about the topic of the essay. In analytical essays, a thesis statement explains what you looked at and what conclusions you came to.

Because each body paragraph should give evidence to support the arguments made in your thesis statement, developing a clear and distinct thesis is critical while writing an analytical essay. In an analytical essay, a thesis statement that is too broad can be difficult to prove, which is why it should be particular. Take a look at some of the thesis statements below:

Climate change is currently one of the world’s most pressing issues.

In the future, video games will become increasingly essential.

Teenagers should avoid reality television.

The issues under consideration are intriguing, but the thesis statements are just too wide to be covered in a single essay. The reader has no idea how you will handle the subject because you do not specify how the issues will be studied. These thesis statements have been improved in the following sections.

Youth activism is one of the most powerful forces in the climate change discussion, and it is influencing government policy.

Because of the gamification of education, video games are becoming increasingly important to humanity’s future.

Reality television shows portraying fictitious interpretations of reality have a negative impact on adolescent self-esteem.

These thesis statements look at the big issues like climate change, video games, and reality TV, but they concentrate on individual areas and provide a viewpoint. This provides the paper a focus and tells the reader exactly what to expect from it. They also specify how the issue will be examined and might assist you in presenting particular evidence in the body paragraphs.

Body of an Analytical Essay

There are three body paragraphs in a five-paragraph format, but there could be more in an analytical essay. The heart of your essay, the evidence that backs up your thesis statement, is found in the body paragraphs. Each body paragraph should address a single claim or piece of evidence and adhere to a set of rules.

• A topic sentence that clearly identifies the paragraph’s analysis direction.

• The most important piece of evidence in support of your argument

• Additional information

• Make a smooth transition to the next paragraph.

The first line of your body paragraph should offer the reader an indication of the topic that will be discussed throughout the paragraph. If the essay is about the gamification of education, the first body paragraph’s topic line could be “Educational video games are being employed in many third-world countries to help students who cannot access standard schooling systems.” This topic phrase clearly states the topic of the paragraph and allows you to present evidence.

An excellent topic sentence aids the reader in following the flow of your analysis paper and structures it. Consider having a discussion with a friend about a subject. Topic sentences are the major pieces of evidence you use to back up your assertion.

The rest of the body paragraph contains factual material that backs up your topic sentence’s authenticity. Each body paragraph should focus on a single topic, so make sure the evidence you present is only relevant to the argument you’re making in that paragraph. It’s tempting to present as much evidence as possible, but densely packed analytical papers are difficult to read and comprehend, so simply include the most significant facts and numbers.

Each body paragraph should end with a quick restatement of the topic sentence, highlighting how the evidence you’ve supplied supports the argument. This is an excellent method to lead into the next body paragraph, which contains a new piece of evidence and analysis from a different perspective. A one-sentence summary or other type of transition statement improves the essay’s flow and strengthens the overall argument.

 

Conclusion of an Analytical Essay

An analysis essay’s conclusion restates all of the important arguments in a simple manner. This is not the place to contribute fresh material or analysis; rather, it is a summary of the essay presented in such a way that the main aim is evident. This is the standard format for a concluding paragraph in an analytical paper.

• State the thesis again.

• Write a summary of the important topic sentences.

• Include essential pieces of proof in your presentation.

• Author’s comments on potential future research

You’ve created a good conclusion paragraph if someone can comprehend the aim of your paper just by reading it. You reminded the reader of the major aim of your essay by restating your thesis at the start. This is critical after the reader has read three body paragraphs and has made connections between the evidence offered and the thesis statement.

In each body paragraph, provide a concise description of the primary statements and analyses. Rephrase the major topic sentences to create a compelling case for your ideas, since you’ve already supplied proof to back up your statements. Make sure the conclusion does not incorporate any new evidence or points of analysis, as this may cause the reader to become confused. The concluding paragraph merely restates and summarizes the information presented previously. Add a new body paragraph if you have a new point of analysis.

Finally, add some own views to the concluding paragraph. Explain why the topic is significant, why your viewpoint is unique, how your analysis compares to that of experts in the field, and so on.

How to Write an Analytical Essay in Steps

There are various actions you can take to make the process of writing an analytical essay easier before you begin. The more planning you do ahead of time, the easier it will be to write, and the essay will have a better flow and structure overall. These are the steps you should follow before beginning to write.

• Come up with a variety of topic ideas.

• Look into a few topics that interest you.

• Pick a topic that interests you and has adequate evidence to back up your arguments.

• Formulate a thesis statement to guide your investigation.

• Create a rough outline

While it may be tempting to pick the first topic that comes to mind, selecting the proper topic is one of the most critical components of analytical writing.

Once you’ve come up with a few alternative topic ideas, do some preliminary research to check if you actually like them and if you have enough material to produce a convincing essay.

Now that you have a topic and some background knowledge, you should formulate a thesis statement so that you may ask yourself a question as you undertake in-depth research to gather evidence to back up your claim.

Take notes when researching and organize them into an outline so you can readily recall the facts when writing your essay and get a sense of how it will flow. An outline aids in the gathering of facts as well as the development of a persuasive argument.

Select a Subject

The beauty of analytical essay themes is that they can cover any subject that can be analyzed. The bad news is that with so many possibilities, it might be difficult to choose one that is genuinely worth investigating. First and foremost, if your teacher has given you a list of themes to choose from, browse through it and select the ones that interest you. If your teacher has given you a list of alternatives, it is your responsibility to investigate one of them in a unique and intriguing way. If you have complete freedom to choose any topic, make a list of probable themes and perform a preliminary study to limit them down to two or three. You should choose a topic based on a few factors:

• If you are genuinely interested in the subject, research and writing will be more enjoyable.

• There should be enough study on the topic for you to back up your statements.

• The topic should not be so vast that you can’t cover everything in one essay.

• Try to come up with a new manner to approach the subject.

Congratulations on completing the first stage in learning how to write an analytical essay!

Make a thesis statement that is analytical.

When writing an analytical essay, your next difficulty is to come up with a thesis statement once you’ve decided on a topic and done enough research. A thesis statement is a line or two near the end of an introductory paragraph that clearly states the essay’s objective. A thesis statement guides the reader through the essay and tells them what to expect. Why do you need to draft a thesis statement so soon? Because developing a thesis statement early on will aid in the direction of your research. This not only saves time, but it also helps you build the essay and arguments in your head as you learn more.

A strong thesis statement clearly defines the issue you’ll be discussing, what you’ll be analyzing, and contains your personal opinion. The thesis statement “The gamification of education is making video games crucial to the future of humanity,” for example, makes it apparent to the audience that the essay will be about video games and their impact on education.

The Body of Your Essay Should Be Organized

In an analysis paper, the body paragraphs are where you give evidence to show the reader that your conclusions are correct. Each body paragraph should start with a clear topic phrase that explains what will be covered in that paragraph. Each body paragraph should only discuss one piece of evidence or analysis. Each body paragraph should focus on a piece of evidence that supports your main point. Organize your body paragraphs in such a way that they create an argument from diverse points of view while maintaining a solid flow and making each argument easy to follow.

Investigate

It’s time to actually find the facts you need to back up your analysis now that you have a thesis statement and a general understanding of the body paragraph layout. Thoroughly research your topic, focusing on information relevant to your thesis. Make a list of evidence to support your assertion, then verify to see if the sources are credible. Choose three or four of the most relevant pieces of evidence to support your assertion and undertake more research on those specific pieces of information. Fill in the blanks in your outline with relevant information and a note of where you got it. When writing an analytical essay, conducting research does not have to take a long time or be tedious; it may even be enjoyable if you appreciate the topic and undertake well-directed research.

Make Effective Use of Evidence

An analytical essay need data to be convincing, yet providing the information in a robotic manner is neither persuasive nor engaging. Make a tale out of the data and information you gather in your investigation. You can say something like “30% of youngsters in third-world nations use education apps,” or “30% of children in developing countries without access to formal education now utilize education apps to earn high school diplomas and lift their families out of poverty.”

Use Opposing Points of View

Although it may appear detrimental to include opposing viewpoints in your analytical paper, it is a fantastic method to develop a strong argument in an analysis paper. Choose the strongest opposing perspective and write a body paragraph explaining why that viewpoint is flawed with proof. This strengthens your case by demonstrating that you have studied opposing opinions and that you have undermined the strongest one.

Create a powerful summary

A closing paragraph is essentially a recitation of the essay’s principal themes. In only a few phrases, a well-written conclusion summarizes the most important aspects of the essay. This can be accomplished by restating the thesis to remind readers of the essay’s purpose, followed by restating the subject sentences from each body paragraph to highlight the most compelling pieces of evidence supporting your assertion. Finally, explain why the topic is essential and how your analysis is unique in a phrase or two.

You’ll know how to create an analysis essay in only a few more steps!

Topics for Analytical Essays

As previously stated, choosing the correct topic is critical when attempting to answer the question of how to write an analytical essay. That’s why we’ve dedicated a whole section to it. Keep in mind that an excellent topic is:

• Is it something you’re generally interested in?

• It should pique the reader’s interest.

• It should not be overly broad.

• Requires a sufficient amount of high-quality research to show evidence

• Poses a significant question

It’s not easy to come up with a solid topic for an analytical paper, so take your time and choose anything that fits the bill. A solid topic can mean the difference between enjoying the writing process and receiving a good grade or finding it tedious and receiving a poor grade.

To get you started, here is a list of good analytical essay ideas.

Psychology-related topics

• What constitutes a mental illness?

Why are there so many young people who are lonely?

• What impact do lockdowns have on mental health?

• Is happiness a mirage?

• What are some good ways to deal with depression?

Pop culture-related topics

Why Why is DOTA the ideal game?

• What is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s impact?

• A look back at Science Fiction’s history

Why Why is blank music the best type of music?

• Kanye West’s ascension and fall

Art and history-related topics

• What impact did World War II have on us today?

• A discussion about postmodern art.

• Is it true that all artists are geniuses?

• What impact did the Renaissance have?

• What lessons have been learned from war?