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How can I quickly write an analysis in a 3 hour exam?

Christopher Taylor, PhD
English Professor
Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.

Christopher Taylor, PhD

English Professor

Expert Answer

Be sure to start with your pre-writing steps. Then, determine the most important things about the text to analyze, and write a short list of questions to ask yourself. As you answer the questions, try to determine the theme of the text, which you can turn into your thesis. Then, use the answers you came up with to form the basis of your argument. Finally, write your analysis.

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Question

How do you start an analysis sentence?

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It depends on what the sentence is doing in your analysis. If it’s the topic sentence of your analysis, start it as a simple statement of fact. For example, “The themes of this story include . . .” or “The author’s goal was . . .” If you’re trying to provide evidence or examples to back up your point, use transition words and phrases, such as, “For example . . .” or “In comparison . . .”

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What is an example of an analysis?

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An analysis is just the process of breaking something down and figuring out how it works. For example, examining the way a poem uses metaphor to evoke emotion in the reader would be a type of analysis.

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What do you write in an analysis paragraph?

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Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main argument of the paragraph, then back it up with examples or evidence. If your whole analysis is just one paragraph, summarize how your evidence supports your argument. If you’ll be writing more paragraphs, you could end with a line that helps create a connection to your next thought or argument.

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