1. Writing Analytically Chapter 1 Sections 1-3 How to think of good ideas

2. Definition of Analysis
Analysis “goes after an understanding of what something means, its nature, by zeroing in on the function of significant detail” (Rosenwasser and Stephen 7).

3. Tracing impressions back to causes
Identify your feelings and impressions about a topic you are writing about
Describe as many concrete details as you can about your topic
Carefully examine those details and notice as much about them as you can
Try to understand which details led you to your impressions, and why

4. Evaluative/abstract language versus concrete language
Concrete words let readers examine the details so they can understand the topic for themselves
Abstract and evaluative words say more about you than your topic – readers will know your opinion but not the details on which you based your ideas

5. Showing vs telling
Showing conveys the significant details of your topic using description
Description works as a form of analysis because it requires you to choose which details are important to include
Telling gives your opinion and impressions without details
Telling leads to vague, overly general thinking and writing

6. Negative capability Get comfortable with being uncertain
Look for questions to ask before you look for answers
Avoid judging until you’ve considered all the information
Staying in uncertainty helps you see the details more clearly, keep an open mind, and ultimately write better essays

7. Counterproductive habits
Overgeneralizing – making claims that are too broad to be supported by your evidence
Judgment reflex – jumping immediately to judgments
Debate-style argument – pro/con, either/or
Naturalizing your assumptions – assuming your opinion is “natural” or “obvious” and must be true for everyone
These habits all cause you to ignore large amounts of detail and evidence.

8. Opinions
Opinions are beliefs that we learn from our cultures, families, and religions
Opinions aren’t our own but rather the products of society
Opinions often repeat clichés, generalizations, or conventional wisdom
Examples: “Love is blind”; “Watching violent movies causes people to commit crimes”; “Today’s youth don’t know how to work hard.”

9. Ideas
Ideas are what you come to after carefully asking questions and examining evidence
Ideas are not the same as opinions: they are the result of your unique thinking
Good ideas are small in scope and answer a question you have
Good ideas take into account things that don’t seem to fit

10. Good thesis statements
are created after you think and write, not before
develop (evolve) over the course of your paper
allow you to explore and discover your topic
are about what the details of your topic mean
are arguable – other people can question or disagree
A thesis statement is an idea, not an opinion or a fact.

11. How to find good ideas
Notice and focus – notice lots of details about your topic, pick the three most important, and explained why you chose the three
Interesting, strange, revealing and significant – start your thinking by exploring details that catch your attention or puzzle you
Answer “So what?” – explore why your topic matters, why what you’ve noticed is important