The Analytical Essay What is an analytical essay

The Analytical Essay

What is an analytical essay?

1 - A structured piece of writing which proves a thesis.

THESIS STATEMENT

“A statement that appears near the beginning of a paper, and it offers a concise solution to the issue being addressed. It states the claim of the argument presented in a paper. A thesis statement is usually one sentence, though it may occur as more than one. ”

Good examples of thesis statements: “Oedipus Tyrannus conveys the powerful concept that humans do not control their own destiny and no matter what heights they achieve, they cannot escape the will of the Gods. ” “Because the internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential, companies should exploit this potential by using web pages that offer both advertising and customer support. ”

Bad examples of thesis statements: “The novel Night was a powerful book with many examples of cruelty. ” “There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement. ”

In other words…. a thesis is your argument--it is what the whole essay is proving to be true.

2 - It analyses a particular topic and provides evidence.

3 - It is persuasive. -Language choice -Evidence -Structure -Presentation of content

4 - It is formal …sophisticated language, no abbreviations and definitely no slag or text talk.

STRUCTURE

Paragraph 1: INTRODUCTION • HOOK – this sentence should engage the reader somehow. • Basic background information: Book title, author, relevant information from book. BRIEFLY summarize the plot. • Thesis statement and supporting points. *Be sure that your sentences flow well… you might need to include some transition sentences. *

Paragraphs 2 -3 -4: BODY Each body paragraph should be devoted to a piece of evidence that will justify your thesis. This should be clearly stated in the first sentence of each paragraph, then subsequently justified. -Make a clear link to thesis -Provide a reference to the text (usually a quotation) -JUSTIFY!

Paragraph 5: CONCLUSION This can be the most challenging paragraph…even though you are not presenting any new ideas. • Restate thesis: rephrase it while maintaining the meaning. Make it sound more like a ‘done deal’. Presume that the reader agrees with you. Use words like “definitely” and “absolutely”. • Restate your 3 points: reread the first few sentences of your body paragraphs. Try to make them more concise and convincing. • End with a ‘closing sentence’.

If you don’t edit your essay after you’ve written it…. a goblin will eat you in your sleep.