Many students struggle with academic writing. It is due to the lack of time, tons of assignments, and countless variations of essays. Dozens of tasks make students misunderstand what they have to do. It especially touches analytical essays. What is this paper, and what should you write? The analytical assignment is a piece of writing that aims to present an in-depth analysis of a particular topic.
You should not confuse it with an argumentative and persuasive essay. It is not about persuading your reader or presenting for and against arguments for your problem. You should analyze the theme by dividing it into several aspects. If you believe academic writing is not your strongest side, you will find these tips helpful.
1. Determine the Topic
You should clearly define the topic of your essay in case you are free to choose one. Make sure your theme is not too broad. Remember that page count is limited, and you need to cover the topic within the assigned word count. Therefore, you need to narrow it. As a rule, analytical essays are written about a particular book, person, situation, etc. For instance, if you decide to analyze climate changes, stick to the causes of climate fluctuations.
If your teacher gives you a theme for analysis, it will be way easier. As a rule, you will get a specific subject for investigation.
2. Follow the Outline
Developing a logical and consistent outline for your essay is crucial. It is what you should do before you start working on your draft. A consequential template will help you arrange your ideas and deliver a high-quality paper. The outline should have the following elements:
- Introduction. It should include a thesis statement that specifies your topic.
- Body. It should consist of several paragraphs. Each of them should contain a topic sentence, evidence supporting your idea, and the switch to the next section.
- Conclusion. You have to rewrite your thesis statement and summarize the aspects and findings of your analysis.
3. Determine the Aspects of Your Analysis
An analytical essay requires you to divide your topic into several sections and analyze each of them separately.
For example, if your theme is to analyze the features of the movie-based novel, the aspects of your analysis may include:
- How the author renders visual methods of character development
- How the author presents the sequence of events
- How the author represents the environment of the movie
4. Write Introduction Later
Many students struggle to start with the introduction. But it is much easier to write an introduction after you complete the body of your paper. You will get much more knowledge of the theme during the writing process and therefore be able to craft a compelling opening to your subject.
5. Find Relevant Sources
Some topics for analytical essays require a different level of research. For instance, if you analyze a book, you gather most of the data from the literary work itself. On the other hand, if you deal with a particular theory (evolution theory, big bang theory, etc.), you have to support your arguments with substantial evidence.
Make sure you draw information from the relevant sources. Try to find the most recent findings to build your analysis if you write a paper on some scientific discoveries and theories. It will be ideal if you support your paper with research of no more than 3-4 years old.
6. Use Helpful Writing Tools
Your essay should be not only well-structured and valuable, but also free from grammar, spelling mistakes, and plagiarism. You can install a checker application or use online professional writing services and tools. Here is the list of necessary extensions:
- Grammar and spelling checkers
- Plagiarism checkers
- Citation generators
They will help you not only polish your writing but ensure it passes the plagiarism requirements. Checking your paper on plagiarism is obligatory. Even if you write an essay without copying any material, you will have to check it for uniqueness anyway. And you will have to make some alterations. Usually, the software recognizes clichés and citations as matching content. To get a high originality percentage, you need to rewrite and paraphrase the matching elements.
You can use a to polish your work and even order an original paper from professionals.
7. Proofread Your Paper
After you finish your final draft, spend some time reading it attentively. You will definitely notice some mistakes here and there. You need to proofread your paper after you check it for plagiarism as well.
Read your essay once again the next day. It will help you polish your work. If you have no time for this, you can search for the cheapest essay writing service to send your paper on revision.
Conclusion
The crucial aspects of a perfect analytical essay include an engaging topic, a clear and concise outline, authoritative sources, flawless grammar, and 100% originality. Follow this approach, and you will always receive excellent marks. If you are not sure of some analytical essay aspects or are short of time, you can use essay writing services to get professional help.