analytical essay thesis example

analytical essay thesis example

Analytical Essay Thesis: A Comprehensive Guide

1. Introduction to Analytical Essays

Once you get the hang of it, writing an analytical paper would be way easier than you think. But if you are asking yourself, “What do I need to write an analytical essay?” that means you are nowhere near the finish. There’s still much to explain. This type of academic writing identifies the ideas and assumptions made by the author of the analyzed piece, as well as finding the persuasive strategies used and how effective they are. To achieve this, when writing an analytical paper, the format of a piece should be divided into at least three main sections. Also, the information should be analyzed critically. There are also a few other aspects to consider if you want to learn how to write an analytical essay.

Before we discuss how to write an analytical essay at length, we need to take a look at what it actually is. This type of essay is an assignment that students usually get after they read a work of fiction or a non-fiction piece, and they have to analyze it with the help of quotes and references from the work itself. Sometimes, students can also be asked to watch a movie or some documentary and write an analytical essay on that. This paper type is a close relative of literature reviews, but here the focus is on getting the big picture, the context in which the essay was written – the author’s background, major events that influenced him, and the style they adopted – while literature reviews also concern the smaller picture in terms of references, quotes, examples, value, and such.

2. Crafting a Strong Thesis Statement

Once you have chosen an argument, you will need to articulate it. This, however, cannot be accomplished with such meaningless formulations as “this paper argues” or “the purpose of this paper is.” You must announce your argument with no introductory fluff or throat clearing. Make a declarative statement with the aim of making readers think, “so what?” The look on their faces should ask, “why is this argument significant? Why should I be interested in it?” A strong thesis directly answers the questions of the audience. While formulating a thesis is an analytical act, a thesis statement is also an organic textual performative. A compelling thesis is a focal point that tells all parties involved—writer, reader, even the essay where it stands. It lays the foundation that allows an essay to be focused, analytical, and intelligent.

The foundation of an excellent analytical essay is an equally strong thesis. This integral element of the paper should inform the reader about the position the essay takes on the chosen topic. An effective thesis takes a stand, providing a reasoned judgment that neither requires the defense nor the refutation of the obvious. In crafting a thesis, it is not enough to simply identify a topic—hunger, love, beauty, etc. Instead, find a topic that presses on the mind, that raises questions. Rather than thesis topics, as some instructors label them, the following should be seen as thesis arguments. Choose one that appeals to you, one that makes you want to test it and to play the devil’s advocate.

3. Structuring Your Essay for Analytical Clarity

Here is an approach to help you do that: Organize your essay. Many forms of writing benefit from creative and engaging structure. Your essay is not one of them! With the analytical essay, facts and analysis of facts are paramount, and you must organize your essay in an organized way. This doesn’t mean that you need to write in a boring, unvarying structure, but that you need to take care with your structure in order to avoid confusing your audience. Once you have organized your ideas and constructed a thesis statement to serve as a roadmap for the rest of your essay, everything else will flow from there. While writers sometimes start with a thesis, they sometimes prefer to write the body of the essay first and then follow with a thesis. Once you have found your structure, the rest of the work should follow. You must identify and follow the logical structure of your argument to avoid confusing your reader.

Structuring your essay for analytical clarity. Keeping your essay organized and coherently structured can be difficult when there are many interesting components to be pulled in. One of the things you must remember about your essay is that it is your job to explain information to your reader, and one of the more difficult aspects of your essay structure is making sure that you unfold information in a logical, systematic, and compelling way. By the time your reader is through, they need to understand what you are explaining.

4. Supporting Your Thesis with Evidence and Analysis

Research is incredibly important in the construction of a comprehensive evidentiary base for your argument, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. When conducting research, an effective way to figure out what to use and not to use is to cross-reference the evidence and make sure it’s credible. You don’t want to base the defense of your thesis on something that is speculative, unverified, or absurd. Research should be your “proof”; once you have your research in hand, it is necessary to display effective critical thinking. You need to show your reader that you can interpret, synthesize, and refute evidence. The process of base arguments—interpretation, synthesis, and refutation—is explained in more detail below, but even this structure is flexible. What matters is the ability of counter evidence to support the conclusion you’re trying to make.

After identifying a thesis, many students are lost when it comes to figuring out how to support that thesis with relevant evidence. In many ways, the rest of the structure of an analytical paper is going to depend largely on the sort of evidence you incorporate. So, in many ways, the rest of the paper is almost an afterthought and can be written largely on the fly—provided, of course, that one’s research is conducted well and one is able to interpret the findings effectively.

5. Concluding Your Analytical Essay

Remember that your goal is not to introduce new ideas, and certainly not to give the reader the impression that you doubt the validity of your thesis. The best conclusions are those for which the final sentence recognizes a stopping point; a note of interest or a deft turn can be the icing on the cake. At the very least, your readers should not think that the essay was superficial, wordy, or written without having done the research. Above all, these final comments should bring a message that is to the point and relevant. In reality, it’s your last shot at impressing the reader and reinforcing your argument! All the hard work has paid off. Now bask in the glory of having twiddled your thumbs to the final stage.

– Provide a fitting sense of closure. Whatever your thesis phrasing, restate it within the conclusion, shortly along with a sentence that will develop into the resonating idea or a message that would be credible for your audience. Make commentators want to reflect on and agree with your viewpoints.

– Reinforce your thesis. In some longer essays, the conclusion could lead into a broader discussion or contrast with the “enemies” thesis. Either way, don’t open a new topic in your conclusion.

– Summarize what your paper has said. The conclusion should not simply restate the thesis or introduce new ideas but should refer back to the introduction, tying everything up. In other words, reword the same points you did in the body. Restate your thesis as well as your supporting points. Side note: Please do not repeat your supporting details word for word from the body of your paper.

After presenting your argument and supporting the various points throughout the body of the paper, you will need to tie everything together, effectively ending the paper. When writing the conclusion, follow these general guidelines: