WRITING AN ANALYTIC ESSAY The analytic essay goes beyond .docx

WRITING AN ANALYTIC ESSAY
The analytic essay goes beyond simple summary and
description. Rather than telling the reader the
facts of the situation, the analytic essay demands that you
examine information and evaluate it. Put
another way, the analytic essay does not simply ask what, where
and when; it asks why and how.
High School Essays University-level Essays
�Topic often broad or general �In-depth analysis of focused
topic
�Thesis must be stated in one sentence �Thesis indicates that
the essay will explain and give
evidence for its claims, but no specific length
�Five-paragraph essay with three main points �No fixed
format; the number of paragraphs depends
on the argument
�Introduction (with thesis statement), body, and
conclusion
conclusion
Getting Started

The first step in writing an analytic essay is ensuring that you
have read through the material critically
and carefully. It is important to know exactly what the author is
saying and why. The second step is
ensuring that you understand the assignment and what you need
to complete it.
1. Read the assignment prompt very carefully. Be aware of the
differences between “consider,”
“explain,” and “evaluate.”
2. Select a topic and brainstorm around it. Try to come up with
as many ideas as possible that
relate to the assignment.
3. Highlight the best ideas from opposing perspectives.
4. Decide which perspective you want to defend.
5. Develop a working thesis.
6. Identify the areas you will discuss in order to defend or
explain your thesis, and what your point
will be with regard to each area.
Developing the Analysis
Once you have developed a working thesis and a list of points
that need to be discussed, it is
important to assess whether your thesis is defensible and which
points support it and which detract
from it.
1. Focus on quality, not quantity. There may be dozens of
reasons that support your view. Pick
only the best.

2. Consider opposing viewpoints and possible reasons for
defending them. Are any of these
reasons compelling? If so, why? If not, why not?
3. Revise and rethink your thesis as various arguments or
interpretations emerge. You may have
to try different—even opposite—conclusions before you can be
sure that your position is the
best one.
Structuring the Essay
There are many different ways to structure an analytic essay.
Which structure is best depends on the
type of essay, the main goals of the essay and the discipline for
which it is written. Here are some
examples of alternative structures:
Introduction (Including thesis
statement)
Main Position
Alternative Perspectives
A

B
C
Defense of Main Position
A
B
C
Conclusion
Introduction (Including thesis statement)
A
B
C
Reasons why Alternative Perspectives are
Wrong
A
B
C
Summary & Defense of Main Position
A

B
C
Conclusion
statement)
Issue A
Main Position
Alternatives
Why Main Position is correct
Issue B
Main Position
Alternatives
Issue C
Main Position
Alternatives
Conclusion
Composing the Essay
Depending how complex it is, there are several different ways
to present your argument. Often the
best first step is to develop an outline and examine it to ensure

that the ideas are structured in a clear
and consistent way.
1. Develop a clear, focused thesis statement and keep this focus
in each paragraph.
2. Each paragraph should contribute to the development of your
argument. Avoid tangents!
3. Present your ideas in a natural order. Although there is no
one way to present information, the
ideas should be clear, coherent and flow in a logical order.
4. Use evidence or examples from the text in each paragraph.
5. Ensure that your analysis is thorough. Did you consider all
opposing arguments? Are you
making assumptions that are questionable?
© Allyson Skene. The Writing Centre, University of Toronto
Scarborough. See terms and conditions for use at
http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~ctl/twc/webresources/terms.htm
Instructions: Please print out and complete the following
assignment writing your answers clearly and
showing your work directly on the assignment. Please keep a
log of your work in STATA and print out
and attach all of your results. Use a highlighter to highlight all
of your commands in STATA (this will
make it easier for the graders to see your work). Follow
directions carefully (underlining or circling
where indicated in your STATA output).

VPSA63H3 BUT WHY IS IT ART? | STUDIO | ARTS,
CULTURE, AND MEDIA, UTSC | FALL 2015 | ESSAY 1
HANDOUT
ESSAY 1 ASSIGNMENT
Write a 1500-2000 word, double-spaced analytical essay for the
following essay question:
Write an analytical essay that identifies, examines, and
evaluates three distinct approaches that artists have embraced
to respond to the significant changes of the twentieth century.
Which approaches would you argue have had the most
influential effect on the development of twentieth century art:
from the social function of art (the role art plays in society) to
the reconsideration of the artistic subject, the art object, and the
spectator? Make sure you provide context for the
approaches you identify by connecting them to specific cultural,
intellectual, political, or technological changes. Use
relevant key terms and material from the reading assignments
and artworks by different artists discussed in the course as
evidence to support each argument.
What is an analytical essay?
In an analytical essay you are expected to both examine
information and evaluate it. Make sure you pay attention to the
differences
between “consider,” “explain,” and “evaluate” in the essay
question. Consider opposing viewpoints and address them to
strengthen your
own argument. Finally, focus on the quality of your arguments,
not the quantity. There may be dozens of reasons that support
your view;
pick only the best.**

ACADEMIC CITATION FOR YOUR ESSAY
Use MLA citation for your essay. Below is an example of how
to cite a quote with an in-text citation followed by an entry in
the Works
Cited list at the conclusion of your essay. See
ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/sites/default/files/MLA_Citation_REV2
.pdf for details.
In-text citation Option 1: "Newman's work explores the
experience of looking..." (Harrison 32)
Option 2: In the chapter "Barnett Newman's Eve" Charles
Harrison explains that "Newman's work
explores the experience of looking..." (32)
Works Cited list entry Harrison, Charles. "Barnett Newman's
Eve." Frameworks for Modern Art. Ed. Jason Gaiger. New
Haven:
Yale University Press, 2004. 105-149. Print.
ASSIGNMENT OBJECTIVES
• An opportunity for you to examine and use the vocabulary,
concepts, and artworks discussed in the course.
• An opportunity to practice your university-level essay writing
skills.
EVALUATION
• The essay question is addressed properly: a diverse range of
examples have been used to address the essay question; relevant
material from reading assignments have used as evidence to
support your arguments. (Approx. 18 marks)
• Proper grammar, clarity, and organization, and academic
citation. (Approx. 5 marks)
• The insightfulness of your ideas. (Approx. 2 marks)

• Grade: 25%
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS (Incorrectly submitted files
will not be graded.)
• Go to the Coursework page for this course in Blackboard,
click on the Essay 1 link, and scroll down to the submission
area.
• Upload a Word file in either .doc or .docx format. Do not
submit TextEdit or PDF files, or cut and paste text into the
submission field.
• DUE: 03 NOV 2015, 9:00am. Submit this assignment on
Blackboard
**Source: "Analytic Essay." Allyson Skene. The Writing
Centre, UTSC:
utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/sites/utsc.utoronto.ca.twc/files/resource-
files/AnalyticEssay.pdf
UTSC ACM VPSA63H3 But Why Is ItArt F15 3 Essay 1
Handout.pdf
VPSA63H3 BUT WHY IS IT ART? | STUDIO | ARTS,
CULTURE, AND MEDIA, UTSC | FALL 2015 | ESSAY 1

HANDOUT
ESSAY 1 ASSIGNMENT
Write a 1500-2000 word, double-spaced analytical essay for the
following essay question:
evaluates three distinct approaches that artists have embraced
to respond to the significant changes of the twentieth century.
spectator? Make sure you provide context for the
approaches you identify by connecting them to specific cultural,
intellectual, political, or technological changes. Use
relevant key terms and material from the reading assignments
and artworks by different artists discussed in the course as
evidence to support each argument.
differences
between “consider,” “explain,” and “evaluate” in the essay
question. Consider opposing viewpoints and address them to
strengthen your
own argument. Finally, focus on the quality of your arguments,
not the quantity. There may be dozens of reasons that support
your view;
pick only the best.**
ACADEMIC CITATION FOR YOUR ESSAY
Use MLA citation for your essay. Below is an example of how

the Works
Cited list at the conclusion of your essay. See
.pdf for details.
Harrison explains that "Newman's work
explores the experience of looking..." (32)
Haven:
Yale University Press, 2004. 105-149. Print.
• An opportunity for you to examine and use the vocabulary,
concepts, and artworks discussed in the course.
• An opportunity to practice your university-level essay writing
skills.
EVALUATION
• The essay question is addressed properly: a diverse range of
• Proper grammar, clarity, and organization, and academic
citation. (Approx. 5 marks)
• The insightfulness of your ideas. (Approx. 2 marks)
• Grade: 25%

• Go to the Coursework page for this course in Blackboard,
click on the Essay 1 link, and scroll down to the submission
area.
• Upload a Word file in either .doc or .docx format. Do not
submit TextEdit or PDF files, or cut and paste text into the
submission field.
• DUE: 03 NOV 2015, 9:00am. Submit this assignment on
Blackboard
Centre, UTSC:
UTSC ACM VPSA63H3 But Why Is ItArt F15 3 Essay 1 What
is an Analytical Essay.pdf
WRITING AN ANALYTIC ESSAY
The analytic essay goes beyond simple summary and
description. Rather than telling the reader the
facts of the situation, the analytic essay demands that you

examine information and evaluate it. Put
another way, the analytic essay does not simply ask what, where
and when; it asks why and how.
High School Essays University-level Essays
�Topic often broad or general �In-depth analysis of focused
topic
�Thesis must be stated in one sentence �Thesis indicates that
the essay will explain and give
evidence for its claims, but no specific length
�Five-paragraph essay with three main points �No fixed
format; the number of paragraphs depends
on the argument
conclusion
conclusion
Getting Started
The first step in writing an analytic essay is ensuring that you
have read through the material critically
and carefully. It is important to know exactly what the author is
saying and why. The second step is
ensuring that you understand the assignment and what you need
to complete it.
1. Read the assignment prompt very carefully. Be aware of the

differences between “consider,”
“explain,” and “evaluate.”
2. Select a topic and brainstorm around it. Try to come up with
as many ideas as possible that
relate to the assignment.
3. Highlight the best ideas from opposing perspectives.
4. Decide which perspective you want to defend.
5. Develop a working thesis.
6. Identify the areas you will discuss in order to defend or
explain your thesis, and what your point
will be with regard to each area.
Developing the Analysis
Once you have developed a working thesis and a list of points
that need to be discussed, it is
important to assess whether your thesis is defensible and which
points support it and which detract
from it.
1. Focus on quality, not quantity. There may be dozens of
reasons that support your view. Pick
only the best.
2. Consider opposing viewpoints and possible reasons for
defending them. Are any of these
reasons compelling? If so, why? If not, why not?
3. Revise and rethink your thesis as various arguments or
interpretations emerge. You may have
to try different—even opposite—conclusions before you can be
sure that your position is the

best one.
Structuring the Essay
There are many different ways to structure an analytic essay.
Which structure is best depends on the
type of essay, the main goals of the essay and the discipline for
which it is written. Here are some
examples of alternative structures:
statement)
Main Position
A
B
C
Defense of Main Position
A

B
C
Conclusion
Introduction (Including thesis statement)
A
B
C
Reasons why Alternative Perspectives are
Wrong
A
B
C
Summary & Defense of Main Position
A
B
C
Conclusion

statement)
Issue A
Main Position
Alternatives
Issue B
Main Position
Alternatives
Issue C
Main Position
Alternatives
Conclusion
Composing the Essay
Depending how complex it is, there are several different ways
to present your argument. Often the
best first step is to develop an outline and examine it to ensure
that the ideas are structured in a clear
and consistent way.
1. Develop a clear, focused thesis statement and keep this focus
in each paragraph.
2. Each paragraph should contribute to the development of your
argument. Avoid tangents!
3. Present your ideas in a natural order. Although there is no

one way to present information, the
ideas should be clear, coherent and flow in a logical order.
4. Use evidence or examples from the text in each paragraph.
5. Ensure that your analysis is thorough. Did you consider all
opposing arguments? Are you
making assumptions that are questionable?
© Allyson Skene. The Writing Centre, University of Toronto
Scarborough. See terms and conditions for use at
http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~ctl/twc/webresources/terms.htm
© Allyson Skene, UTSC Writing Centre; updated by Sheryl
Stevenson, 2012. Handout also available at
http://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/webresources.
MLA CITATION This handout is available in an
alternate format on request.
What is it? Developed by the Modern Language Association,
the MLA style is most common
in the humanities. MLA citations consist of in-text references
and the list of works cited.
IN-TEXT CITATIONS
The in-text component of MLA citation comprises two main
elements: the author’s last name

and the page number. A complete citation will look like this:
(Auerbach 48).
from
the context, it need not be cited:
In Woman and the Demon, Nina Auerbach helps explain this
infusion of power and meaning into
women’s hair by pointing out “the totemistic aura parts of a
woman’s body acquire in disjunction from
the woman herself” (48).
Source: (Gitter 941). See the back of this sheet for the full
citation.
same author, distinguish between the
different works: put the title, or a short version of it, in the
citation, as in the following reference to one
of several novels by Thomas Hardy that are discussed in the
essay:
Eustacia Vye’s thick, dark hair is described as animate; her
nerves literally extend into her tresses
(Return of the Native 53; bk. 1, ch. 7).
Source: (Gitter 941). See the back of this sheet for the full
citation.
or chapter after the page number (see
the previous example). When citing plays in verse or poems,

refer to line numbers along with
divisions of the work (act, book, canto, etc.), as shown below.
In the fiction of the Odyssey it is a gentleman of Scheria, home
of the Phaiakians, who sneeringly tells
Odysseus that he resembles a merchant “grasping for profits”
(8.158-64), only to eat his words (8.400-
15) after the hero demonstrates his athletic prowess.
Source: (Quint 26). See the back of this sheet for the full
citation.
title or a short version of it. This rule
applies to any anonymous work (like the article shown below),
including definitions from dictionaries
and most entries in reference works such as encyclopedias.
Thus, readers discovered in 1927 that Jean Rhys had published
The Left Bank and in 1928 that the
Modern Library had issued a reprint of Joyce’s A Portrait of the
Artist as a Young Man (“Books”).
Source: (Leick 129). See the back of this sheet for the full
citation.
e of your
readings, list only the text that you have
actually read in your Works Cited, and use “qtd. in” to refer to
it in your in-text citation. In the example
below, you would cite Fitch, not the works Fitch quoted, in the
Works Cited.
A page of quotations in 1927 included the New York Times’s

characterization of transition as
“hopelessly muddled and unintelligible,” the Saturday Review
of Literature’s complaint that the
publication consisted of “onslaught and ravage upon the English
language,” and the observation by the
Detroit News that “Gertrude Stein, living in France, has
apparently forgotten English—at least the kind
of English this reviewer speaks” (qtd. in Fitch 195, 201, 152).
Source: (Leick 134). See the back of this sheet for the full
citation.
WORKS CITED LIST
The list of references at the end of a paper appears under the
title “Works Cited,” which is
centered at the top of a new page. For complete guidelines,
consult MLA Handbook for
Writers of Research Papers (7th edition).
This edition of the MLA Handbook indicates that items in the
reference list should include
the medium of publication, such as “Print” or “Web.” To cite
multiple works by the same
author, note the example of Hardy below. See Purdue Online
Writing Lab (http://owl.
english.purdue.edu/) for detailed information on MLA citations
and paper format.
CITING PRINT PUBLICATIONS

Book:
Auerbach, Nina. Woman and the Demon. Cambridge: Harvard
UP, 1982. Print.
Hardy, Thomas. Jude the Obscure. 1895. New York: Penguin,
1978. Print.
---. The Return of the Native. 1878. Ed. James Gindin. New
York: Norton, 1969. Print.
An Essay, Story, Poem, Play, or Other Text in an Anthology:
Murray, Stuart. “Hollywood and the Fascination of Autism.”
Autism and Representation. Ed. Mark
Osteen. New York: Routledge, 2008. 244-55. Print.
A Source with No Identified Author:
“Books Received.” Life 13 Oct. 1927: 30. Print.
CITING WEB PUBLICATIONS
Journal Article in an Online Database:
Gitter, Elisabeth G. “The Power of Women’s Hair in the
Victorian Imagination.” PMLA 99.5 (1984):
936-54. JSTOR. Web. 12 Jan. 2012.
Leick, Karen. “Popular Modernism: Little Magazines and the
American Daily Press.” PMLA 123.1
(2008): 125-39. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 9
Sept. 2011.
Quint, David. “The Genealogy of the Novel from the Odyssey to
Don Quijote.” Comparative
Literature 59.1 (2007): 23-32. JSTOR. Web. 9 Sept. 2011.

Article Published in an Online Scholarly Journal:
Jirón-King, Shimberlee. “Thompson's and Acosta's
Collaborative Creation of the Gonzo Narrative
Style.” CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 10.1
(2008): n. pag. Web. 3 Aug. 2011.
Article from a Newspaper or Magazine:
Lederman, Marsha. “Orwell’s Dystopia Comes Alive in a
Haunting Production.” The Globe and Mail
28 Mar. 2011: R3. ProQuest. Web. 12 Jan. 2012.
Dictionary Definition:
"Panopticon." Oxford English Dictionary Online. Oxford UP,
Dec. 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2012.
A Work on the Web That Has Appeared in Print:
Peacock, Molly. “A Favor of Love.” Cornucopia: New and
Selected Poems, 1975-2002. New York:
Norton, 2002. 19-20. Representative Poetry Online. U of
Toronto Libraries. Web. 12 Jan. 2012.
Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One’s Own. London: Hogarth,
1929. [email protected] U of Adelaide
Library. Web. 12 Jan. 2012.
Remember that correctness in details of citations will
demonstrate your effort and reliability as a scholar!
VPSA63H3 BUT WHY IS IT ART? | STUDIO | ARTS, CUlture,
and Media, UTSC | Fall 2015 | OUTLINE (Essay 1) HANDOUT

ESSAY 1 OUTLINE ASSIGNMENT
Make a 2 to 3 page single-spaced sentence outline using the
outline structure belowfor the following essay question:
evaluates three distinct approaches that artists have embraced to
respond to the significant changes of the twentieth century.
spectator? Make sure you provide context for the approaches
you identify by connecting them to specific cultural,
intellectual, political, or technological changes. Use relevant
key terms and material from the reading assignments and
artworks by different artists discussed in the courseas evidence
to support each argument.
What is a sentence outline and why should you bother taking the
time to make one?
A sentence outline is a table with short sentences listed in
point-form that helps you to organize the arguments and
evidence that you want to present in a piece of writing. Outlines
are important because:
1. Creating an outline helps you save time by seeing problems
with your paper before you’ve started writing.
2. An outline speeds up writing the first draft because you don’t
waste time pausing to remember what it was you wanted to say
next.
3. Following an outline keeps you from getting lost or off-track
when writing so your composition will be well organized.
4. An outline captures all of your ideas and information so
nothing will be lost or forgotten.*

differences between “consider,” “explain,” and “evaluate” in the
essay question. Consider opposing viewpoints and address them
to strengthen your own argument. Finally, focus on the quality
of your arguments, not the quantity. There may be dozens of
reasons that support your view; pick only the best.**
ACADEMIC CITATION FOR YOUR OUTLINE
Use MLA citation for your outline. Below is an example of how
the Works Cited list at the conclusion of your outline or essay.
See
.pdf for details.
Harrison explains that "Newman's work explores the experience
of looking..." (32)
Haven: Yale University Press, 2004. 105-149. Print.
TIP
· Approaches are: positions, theories, artistic strategies,
working methods...
· To help you break down and organize an argument into a
structure that can be used as the basis for an essay.
· To help you identify, examine, and evaluate material in the
readings, viewing assignments, and lectures that you will use in
Essay 1.
EVALUATION

· The essay question is addressed properly; a diverse range of
· Proper grammar, clarity, and organization. (Approx. 3 marks)
· Grade: 15%
· Go to the Coursework page for this course in Blackboard,
click on the Outline (Essay 1) link, and scroll down to the
submission area.
· Upload a Word file in either .doc or .docx format. Do not
submit TextEdit or PDF files, orcut and pastetext into the
submission field.
· Due: 06 OCT 2015, 9:00am. Submit this assignment on
Blackboard
OUTLINE STRUCTURE
Use this table format for your outline. Copy and paste this to a
new Word document.
Introduction: A paragraph that provides context for the reader to
understand what they are about to read.
Explanation in your own words.
Reading quotes that you will use as support.
Use MLA in-text citations for all of your outline quotes (see
explanation above)
1.
2.
1.
2.
Thesis: A sentence or short paragraph that explains clearly and
directly how you will answer the essay question.

Major point #1
1. A distinct approach embraced by artists to respond to the
significant changes of the twentieth century.
1.
2. Connection to a specific cultural, intellectual, political, or
technological change in the twentieth century.
2.
3. Description of the artwork you will use as an example and
why the artwork/artists' approach is relevant to your argument.
3.
4. Why the approach has had an influential effect on the
development of twentieth century art.
4.
5. A counter-argument for #4.
5.
Major point #2
Follow structure above.

1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
Major point #3
Follow structure above.
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
5.
Works Cited (see explanation above)

*Source: "Developing an Outline." Jennifer Duncan. The
Writing Centre, UTSC: ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/webresources.
Centre, UTSC:

WRITING AN ANALYTIC ESSAY The analytic essay goes beyond .docx

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to WRITING AN ANALYTIC ESSAY The analytic essay goes beyond .docx

Similar to WRITING AN ANALYTIC ESSAY The analytic essay goes beyond .docx (20)

More from ericbrooks84875

More from ericbrooks84875 (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

WRITING AN ANALYTIC ESSAY The analytic essay goes beyond .docx