2. Analytical
Essay
For our purpose: An analytical
essay seeks to explore a central
idea or question based on a
text(s) and a student's
engagement with that text
4. Introduction
• An introduction should:
– Capture the reader’s attention and
keep it through the use of interesting,
unique, or creative words and ideas.
– Set a tone and communicate
information that will help the reader
understand the purpose of the paper.
– Provide general background
information the reader may need in
order to understand the thesis.
– State a thesis which provides focus
and direction for the readers.
– Indicate what is to follow in the body
of the essay.
5. Opening Sentence
• It is critical that the introduction provide the
readers with a reason to keep reading, a
reason to care about what it is that the writer
has to say in the rest of the paper.
• The challenge of opening sentences is finding
fitting and meaningful ideas to invite readers
into an essay.
– In addition to engaging reader interest, opening
sentences may contain background information,
about the subject of the essay, that serves as a
foundation for what is to follow. For an essay
discussing the theme of a particular work,
background might include reference to the title and
the author of the work being examined, as well as
mention of the characters relevant to the topic.
– As opening sentences lead toward the thesis, a
common understanding starts to emerge between the
writer and reader because of a strong foundation set
forth in the introduction.
6. Thesis Statement
• A clearly worded answer to a
question and/or a clearly
worded statement of the
view(s)/ideas a writer will
prove, emphasize, or
demonstrate in a paper. A
thesis forecasts what is to
come and focuses the essay
that follows.
7. Thesis Statement
• Beyond simply defining the topic of
a paper, the thesis should express
an insight or position valuable
enough to write about. Rather than
simply setting up an essay that
restates information already
familiar to the writer and readers, a
strong thesis captures an insight or
an approach to a topic that is
unique and that is convincingly
supported by the evidence and
analysis that follow.
8. Thesis Statement
• A single-sentence thesis will
require precise word choice to
communicate an extremely
complex idea; sometimes a
thesis statement will need to be
expanded to two sentences in
order to clearly state what the
essay sets out to prove.
9. Body
• The paragraphs in the body of an
essay develop a convincing case to
prove the claim in the thesis. The
body of an essay explores the ideas
relevant to the thesis; evidence is
presented in a logical fashion and is
interpreted in ways that clearly
support the thesis.
• In addition, the body of the essay
must continuously remind readers of
the thesis and solidify/intensify the
insight and premise set forth
WITHOUT simply repeating it.
10. Topic Sentence
• The topic sentence of each paragraph
in the body of an essay introduces
some element of the thesis that will
become the subject of the paragraph.
• Topic sentences can draw on the
thesis and/or forecast ideas and
wording to keep the central argument
of the paper actively in play for
readers.
• Rather than simply repeating the
thesis or forecast, strong topic
sentences develop an aspect of the
thesis/forecast that will be further
expanded in the paragraph.
11. Analysis
• The analysis that follows a topic
sentence extends the idea and gives
readers the time to absorb the idea
before shifting into the specific
evidence that will be used to prove it.
• Analysis also develops large,
abstract concepts that underlie much
academic writing. The more
complex the topic, the more
necessary the analysis is to guide
readers toward an understanding of
the ideas.
12. Evidence/Interpretation of Evidence
• Like the evidence presented in legal
cases, the evidence presented in
an essay should be persuasive; it
should persuade/prove to the
reader that the writer’s point of view
is worth considering.
• Evidence should point toward the
validity of the thesis.
• And, like the evidence presented in
a legal case, all evidence must be
interpreted and linked to the point
being proven – EXPLAIN IT.
13. Evidence/Interpretation of Evidence
• It is the responsibility of the writer to
provide an interpretation for the
reader.
• Readers should not be expected to
interpret evidence or be required to
make the link between evidence and
the thesis.
• Each body paragraph should contain
evidence and interpretation of
evidence to develop some aspect of
the thesis.
14. Evidence/Interpretation of Evidence
• The types of evidence that can be used to
prove a writer’s point of view are limitless.
Some of the types of evidence available
(though it is most often dictated by the
subject, topic and/or audience) include:
– Documented facts
– Quotations from text
– Details from text related to plot, character,
setting, style
– Information from reference materials
– Ideas from critical sources
– First-hand observations of procedures, events,
results of an experiment
– References to a work of art, music or
performance
– References to familiar elements of culture,
politics
15. Anchor
• The final component in the body
paragraphs of essays - the anchor -
does as its name suggests; it anchors
the evidence and interpretation
presented in the body paragraph to the
overall claim of the paper and reminds
readers of the overall purpose of the
paper.
• It allows for a clear connection between
paragraphs.
• The challenge of writing strong anchors
is not being repetitive by simply
repeating the thesis or topic sentence.
16. Conclusion
• The conclusion of an essay
should bring the writer and
readers back into agreement
about what the essay set out to
prove and reemphasize the
value of the argument.
17. Conclusion
• Readers often anticipate the
following elements in a
conclusion:
–Summary
–Intensified insight
18. Summary
• Without simply repeating the
thesis, the conclusion should
contain a reminder of the
primary claim of the paper. In
addition, without simply listing
evidence, the conclusion
should refer to the significant
points offered as proof of the
thesis.
19. Intensified Insight
• In addition to reviewing the essence of an
essay, the conclusion should provide
insight that deepens or intensifies the
significance of the claim stated in the
thesis. This means that the writer should
avoid clichés and generalizations which
tend to oversimplify the significance of the
essay.
• The challenge is to phrase an insight that
intensifies the claim, but does not introduce
a new argument that requires additional
proof.
• While readers may look for deeper or
broader meaning in a conclusion, they do
not tend to accept statements that are not
supported by the essay itself.
