Writing an academic paper is never easy. However, that doesn’t mean it is impossible to do it. A step-by-step approach is one of the best ways to take on even the hardest assignments. That same rule applies to the art of writing a great analytical essay.
Before we go into how to write an analytical essay, we need to explain what it is. An analytical essay is a piece of writing in which the writer analyzes, interprets, or even critiques a certain situation, event, technology, or art.
Prewriting
Like for any type of essay or academic paper, thorough research is necessary for an analytical essay. If you are writing an analytical essay about a historical event, make sure to place your focus on the forces that started that all thing. If you are analyzing a work of fiction, the focus should be on what drives a certain character or group of characters. These are just a few examples. The key thing is thorough research and analytical thinking. Those are the two pre-conditions that will define the quality of your analytical essay. How you put all that in words, its structure, the wording you use, all that are technical stuff that you learn along the way. Focused research and an analytical mind are what matter the most.
Introduction
The introduction is where you start your analytical essay. The goal is to introduce the reader to the topic covered in the essay. Providing background information is the key here, but at the same time, it needs to inspire the reader to continue reading. The tricky part here is not to make it too dramatic. Most readers don’t like to see that in an essay, and thus you should avoid that. Just try to grab their attention and make them wonder what comes next or why you made that particular claim.
The body of the essay
Typically, the body is made of a few paragraphs. Each of them should have a sentence about the particular topic, an analysis of the topic, proof that supports your thesis, and analysis. In your first sentence, you need to explain what you intend to consider. In the analysis, you need to make your case and the proof that supports it. But at all times, you need to bear in mind that all need to be structured to provide the best support for the thesis statement.
Quoting or paraphrasing
Paraphrasing means to elaborate on someone else’s idea so that it strengthens your thesis statement. Quoting serves the same purpose and can be a very effective method to strengthen your analyses. However, it needs to be done properly following one of the standard citation styles such as APA, MLA, or Chicago.
The conclusion
The conclusion is all about presenting the thesis statement in a larger context. It needs to reassure the reader that your point of view is the one that matters most and that the arguments in the essay make it rock solid.