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Analytical writing. What is “Analytical Writing”?. Writing that asks the questions “Why” and “How” Writing that challenges both its writer and its readers to look beyond surface presentations, and disassemble “complete things” to examine their parts.
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What is “Analytical Writing”? • Writing that asks the questions “Why” and “How” • Writing that challenges both its writer and its readers to look beyond surface presentations, and disassemble “complete things” to examine their parts. • Writing that proposes and expresses an informed and supported point of view
What’s Makes It An Analysis Essay? A Successful Analysis Essay Consists of THREECompontents • Introduction: Introduces the topic, summarizes what the essay will be about, presents an original argument (THESIS STATEMENT!) • Body/Supporting Paragraphs: supports and furthers the claims made by the Thesis Statement using specific examples from your textand expanding on and explaining information. • Conclusion: Restates the Thesis and ties up loose ends.
What is “Thesis Statement”? • A “thesis statement” is your argument. Any piece of writing should have a recognizable thesis statement if the argument is sufficiently developed. What does it do? • If it is well crafted, a thesis statement is a snapshot of your paper; it prepares the reader for the experience they are about to have.
What Does a Thesis Statement Look Like? Unacceptable Thesis Statement (F-D range) • “Barilla Pasta commercials use romance to sell pasta.” Acceptable Thesis Statement (C-B- range) • “Through the use of specific visual elements and social assumptions, Barilla Pasta commericialsconnect love to pasta.” Preferred Thesis Statement (B-A range) • “Through the use of specific setting and certain camera angles, the Barilla pasta commercials from various years and a picture from their website present the social assumption that women envision pasta as a connection to their romantic fantasies.”
What is a Thesis Statement Made Of? • Argument: “[Barilla] present[s] the social assumption that women envision pasta as a connection to their romantic fantasies.” • Primary Source: “Barilla Pasta commercials from various years and a picture from their website” • Means of Support: “Through the use of specific setting and certain camera angles”
What Is A Supporting Paragraph? • A paragraph is a substantial (in size and content) length of writing, within a larger piece. ie: More than a sentence, less that an page. What does a paragraph do? • A paragraph is what a writer uses to organize his/her thoughts in order to manipulate the reader’s experience of the material they are presenting. • In an Analysis: a paragraph furthers the author’s main point, clarifying his or her position by connecting smaller related claims, and uses information (from a credible source) to support the author’s thesis statement.
What Is a Supporting Paragraph Made Of? • A Topic Sentence: This is the first sentence of any paragraph. It clearly indicates to the reader what the topic of the paragraph (or section) will be. • Supporting Sentences: These sentences will make up the body of the paragraph. • Transition Sentence: the sentence that leads you out of one topic and into another, while enforcing the overall connection between the two.
Topic Sentence Think of it as a mini thesis statement, making the reader understand what the point of the paragraph is, and how it connects to your original claim.
Supporting Sentences Here is where you will: • Explain how the topic of this paragraph supports your overall claim. • Explain why this topic is important to your argument. • You will give the reader an example of this topic (use evidence from your source—in the form of quotes and paraphrases—to prove how your topic exists in harmony with your thesis) • Explain why and how this evidence is crucial to your argument, making certain that your reader understands the connection very clearly.
Transition Sentences Once you have adequately supported your topic using evidence that has been thoroughly explained, it is your job to advance your argument by “transitioning” between two topics. A Transition Must: • Conclude the business of the previous paragraph • Introduce the forthcoming paragraph • Indicate a connection between the previous, and the forthcoming paragraphs as well as suggest a connection to the overall argument. Transitions are complicated—often the most complicated and time consuming parts of writing a paper. • You may find it helpful to write full paragraphs and come back to the transition sentences once your argument in fully formed and develop. • You should do this because once you know the shape of your argument you will understand better how the paragraphs fit together.
