This essay has four main points, each of which analyzes a different literary device Steinbeck uses to better illustrate how difficult life was for migrants during the Dust Bowl. The four literary devices and their impact on the book are:
Where could this essay be improved? I believe the weakest body paragraph is the third one, the one that discusses how Steinbeck used plain, grammatically incorrect language to both accurately depict the migrants and make them more relatable to readers. The paragraph tries to touch on both of those reasons and ends up being somewhat unfocused as a result. It would have been better for it to focus on just one of those reasons (likely how it made the migrants more relatable) in order to be clearer and more effective. It’s a good example of how adding more ideas to an essay often doesn’t make it better if they don’t work with the rest of what you’re writing. This essay also could explain the excerpts that are included more and how they relate to the points being made. Sometimes they’re just dropped in the essay with the expectation that the readers will make the connection between the example and the analysis. This is perhaps especially true in the second body paragraph, the one that discusses similarities to Biblical passages. Additional analysis of the quotes would have strengthened it.
Additionally, the essay does a good job of taking an in-depth look at the issue introduced in the thesis. Four ways Steinbeck used literary devices are discussed, and for each of the examples are given and analysis is provided so readers can understand why Steinbeck included those devices and how they helped shaped how readers viewed migrants and their plight.
This is where you determine the bulk of your analysis--the information that makes your essay an analytical essay. My preferred method is to list every idea that I can think of, then research each of those and use the three or four strongest ones for your essay. Weaker points may be those that don’t relate back to the thesis, that you don’t have much analysis to discuss, or that you can’t find good examples for. A good rule of thumb is to have one body paragraph per main point
#1: Pick a Topic
In this example, I quoted multiple passages from The Grapes of Wrath in each paragraph to support my argument. You should be able to back up every claim you make with evidence in order to have a strong essay.
The simple, uneducated dialogue Steinbeck employs also helps to create a more honest and meaningful representation of the migrants, and it makes the migrants more relatable to readers. Steinbeck chooses to accurately represent the language of the migrants in order to more clearly illustrate their lives and make them seem more like real paper than just characters in a book. The migrants lament, “They ain’t gonna be no kinda work for three months,” (555). There are multiple grammatical errors in that single sentence, but it vividly conveys the despair the migrants felt better than a technically perfect sentence would. The Grapes of Wrath is intended to show the severe difficulties facing the migrants so Steinbeck employs a clear, pragmatic style of writing. Steinbeck shows the harsh, truthful realities of the migrants’ lives and he would be hypocritical if he chose to give the migrants a more refined voice and not portray them with all their shortcomings. The depiction of the migrants as imperfect through their language also makes them easier to relate to. Steinbeck’s primary audience was the middle class, the less affluent of society. Repeatedly in The Grapes of Wrath, the wealthy make it obvious that they scorn the plight of the migrants. The wealthy, not bad luck or natural disasters, were the prominent cause of the suffering of migrant families such as the Joads. Thus, Steinbeck turns to the less prosperous for support in his novel. When referring to the superior living conditions barnyard animals have, the migrants remark, “Them’s horses-we’re men,” (556). The perfect simplicity of this quote expresses the absurdness of the migrants’ situation better than any flowery expression could.
So that you can see for yourself what a completed analytical essay looks like, here’s an essay I wrote back in my high school days. It’s followed by analysis of how I structured my essay, what its strengths are, and how it could be improved.
- Brainstorming is a useful tool to generate ideas. Write down all possible issues related to your studied subject on a separate piece of paper.
- Researching on the web or at your school library for information on the chosen topic will make writing a more streamlined task.
- Analyzing the quality of the discovered sources will ensure a high-quality paper. Decide which topics can be covered better than the other based on the amount of the information available.
- Evaluating the chosen topic and running it by your professor is a good step. Consult your teacher and ask whether the problem you wish to analyze suits the essay prompt. Make sure you chose something that is in an area of your expertise.
- Titling your work with an original, eye-catching title can really boost the interest and excitement, and attract the reader.
Usually, an analytical essay involves writing about, and analyzing, a book or a movie. Sometimes, the essay prompt will ask you to focus on a certain issue or problem about the plot or characters. It is your responsibility to decide what exactly it is you are going to focus on and which direction to take. Making a solid claim will ensure a better understanding for the reader.
Creating an interesting and fun introduction is a great way to set the groundwork for your readers to enjoy the rest of the paper. Make sure they are hooked from the first to the very last lines, and do not let them be disappointed.
A student should not necessarily pick an issue that has already been examined from all aspects. The main reason why teachers do not always assign a specific topic to cover is to enable students to develop their creativity and choose their own topics.
Analytical Essay Topics and Ideas
If you are talking about historical events, it's essential to introduce the external factors (books or manuscripts) that led to your analytical essay thesis. If you are talking about scientific research, considering the scientific method is a necessity.
After reading a single body paragraph, the viewer should have clearly understood the argument or point you were trying to prove. Depending on the topic, each essay’s length will vary based on the depth of the thesis.
To learn how to write an analytical essay, one should organize the structure of the paper—as it makes the entire writing process easier. Experts recommend having up to five paragraphs on your paper outline.Regardless, the Intro-Body(s)-Conclusion formula is a staple in any analytical essay outlne.
The plain Global Warming example would look this way:
If you write an analytical or critical analysis, avoid everyday language. An informal language can diversify your work, but using verbal slang, you risk losing the power of your arguments.
The difference between these essay types is quite clear because descriptive writing has the purpose to communicate what you would like to describe, the situation or a concept. The analytical essay writing has an objective to analyze by answering the classic "so what?" question. It speaks of the consequences of a certain situation.
- How long should an analysis essay be?
How to Write an Analytical Essay Step-by-step
The thoughtless thought implies erroneous conclusions. If you want to write a conscious analytical essay, but without giving clear arguments, you reduce its impact on the reader. Unlike a descriptive essay, one should not use unnecessary suggestions to make the paper seem longer in size and complicated. It is best to write briefly but in essence. Each sentence should interpret specific thoughts and analyze a particular idea you want to explain.
- Do not overload the text with rash quoting
It is necessary that from among thousands of essays the teacher remembered yours. If the format allows, an interesting design can become your “zest” - submit the text in the form of a dialogue, a letter, a diary, an autobiography, a play etc. Think of an unexpected or provocative headline, "loud" epigraphs, use illustrations and infographics. Suggest non-standard ideas, which can give every reader food for thought.
If you are sure that the main parts of your paper can not be better, then it is the right moment to focus on smaller details: spelling, wording, and punctuation. Even the most insignificant mistakes will spoil the overall impression. Be accurate and attentive!
Each of these types has particular features and purposes. We have decided to provide you with an informative guide on how to write an analytical research paper. Therefore, we will give you exhaustive writing instructions, analyze general traits of this paper, and share a few helpful tips with you. Our well-educated writer has also created a great analytical research paper sample with comments. You can use it as an example for your own work.
The best way to learn more about writing an analytical research paper is to read good examples provided by experienced authors. Luckily for you, we have one great sample right here. Moreover, we have asked our writer to leave some comments on her analytical research paper. In such a manner, you will be informed about the functions of each section in this analytical research paper example. Don’t hesitate to use our text as a template for your own work. Please, don’t commit plagiarism, as you can be accused of academic dishonesty.
No preferences, no principles, no emotions. You have to become a perfect judge. Your logic should be unbiased and uncompromising. Objectiveness is the only way to create a truly useful and decent analytical research paper. Forget about your personal feelings and turn over control of the working process to your mind.
Steps to Write an Analytical Research Paper
Gathering others’ opinions is not your only goal. You should also present your own thoughts and offer a new point of view on the topic. Try to be original and creative, as nobody likes plagiarists. Even if your topic is not extremely unique, you can always find an aspect that hasn’t been covered by previous researchers yet.
Literature review. As we mentioned above, an analytical research paper requires a good informative basis consisting of relevant, authoritative, and reliable sources. In this section, you should provide your readers with the findings on your topic made by previous researchers. Cite all sources properly in order to avoid plagiarism. A literature review proves that your analytical research paper is not baseless and that readers should take it seriously.
Abstract. Every guide usually claims an abstract to be an optional section of your analytical research paper. However, it plays such an important role that it would be a huge mistake to ignore this section. An abstract is like a nice dress for a girl: it attracts and intrigues. You should present the whole work in 150-200 words, so readers will be able to decide if they need to spend some time to read your paper. No doubt, your abstract must be perfect! Write it last, when your paper will be prepared. In such a way, an abstract will reflect all main aspects of your work: thesis statement, sources, findings, and conclusions.
You shouldn’t simply say that you agree or disagree with a particular author. Analyze his or her argumentation, and only after that will you have the opportunity to evaluate the conclusions objectively. Remain critical, realistic, and unbiased. Don’t allow external factors to influence your judgment.
If you are sure that the main parts of your paper can not be better, then it is the right moment to focus on smaller details: spelling, wording, and punctuation. Even the most insignificant mistakes will spoil the overall impression. Be accurate and attentive!
Each of these types has particular features and purposes. We have decided to provide you with an informative guide on how to write an analytical research paper. Therefore, we will give you exhaustive writing instructions, analyze general traits of this paper, and share a few helpful tips with you. Our well-educated writer has also created a great analytical research paper sample with comments. You can use it as an example for your own work.
The best way to learn more about writing an analytical research paper is to read good examples provided by experienced authors. Luckily for you, we have one great sample right here. Moreover, we have asked our writer to leave some comments on her analytical research paper. In such a manner, you will be informed about the functions of each section in this analytical research paper example. Don’t hesitate to use our text as a template for your own work. Please, don’t commit plagiarism, as you can be accused of academic dishonesty.
No preferences, no principles, no emotions. You have to become a perfect judge. Your logic should be unbiased and uncompromising. Objectiveness is the only way to create a truly useful and decent analytical research paper. Forget about your personal feelings and turn over control of the working process to your mind.
Steps to Write an Analytical Research Paper
Gathering others’ opinions is not your only goal. You should also present your own thoughts and offer a new point of view on the topic. Try to be original and creative, as nobody likes plagiarists. Even if your topic is not extremely unique, you can always find an aspect that hasn’t been covered by previous researchers yet.
Literature review. As we mentioned above, an analytical research paper requires a good informative basis consisting of relevant, authoritative, and reliable sources. In this section, you should provide your readers with the findings on your topic made by previous researchers. Cite all sources properly in order to avoid plagiarism. A literature review proves that your analytical research paper is not baseless and that readers should take it seriously.
Abstract. Every guide usually claims an abstract to be an optional section of your analytical research paper. However, it plays such an important role that it would be a huge mistake to ignore this section. An abstract is like a nice dress for a girl: it attracts and intrigues. You should present the whole work in 150-200 words, so readers will be able to decide if they need to spend some time to read your paper. No doubt, your abstract must be perfect! Write it last, when your paper will be prepared. In such a way, an abstract will reflect all main aspects of your work: thesis statement, sources, findings, and conclusions.
You shouldn’t simply say that you agree or disagree with a particular author. Analyze his or her argumentation, and only after that will you have the opportunity to evaluate the conclusions objectively. Remain critical, realistic, and unbiased. Don’t allow external factors to influence your judgment.
So how to write an analysis paper and what kind of essays do they belong to?
Many students insist on producing 100% original works and never use papers written by other students, but the truth is that an analytical paper example can be very helpful for your work. Whether you’ve done this type of writing before or have never created an analysis paper, seeing a sample work can give you the complete idea about what your own paper should look like.
Remember that the main aim of writing such kind of essay is to find a deliberated thesis and then support it with adequate arguments.
Students who don’t know how to write a critical analysis paper should get ready to break down the whole into pieces and then study the part. All in all, this academic paper assignment consists of two main parts: critical reading and critical writing. The main purpose of these two parts is to identify author’s thesis and all main ideas, to make an outline of the work and write a description of it.
Critical Analysis Paper
The objective of an analysis paper can be easily derived from its name: in an analytical paper, you are expected to present detailed analysis on a matter. The matter can be different: you can be tasked with analyzing a piece of writing, a film, or even simply an idea or concept. The subject of your analysis can be different, but the requirements and rules for writing an analysis paper are largely the same. Here is how to write your own analytical paper.
Today, we’ve tried to give a brief answer what an analysis paper is. Hope that our hints and clues will help you understand and write excellent essays in the future.
- Introduction