1. Writing Analytically

2. What does it mean to “write analytically”?
According to our Everyone’s an Author textbook, “When you analyze something, you break it down into its component parts and think about those parts methodically in order to understand it in some way” (137).
What are “component parts”?
What does it mean to think about them “methodically”?
See list of features of analytical writing on p. 141

3. Writing analytically for Essay #1
Let’s apply each of the characteristics of analytical writing to the essay that you are writing right now.
Characteristic 1: A Question that asks you to take a closer look.
Analysis is usually prompted by curiosity. How does something work? What are the connections between two events or trends? Etc.
Identify the specific question(s) YOU are taking a closer look at.

4. Question Examples
Examples from the reading: The writer of the section on p. 142 asks “Who is Barrack Obama?” with the deeper implication of “What kind of a leader is he?” and the writer quoted on p. 143 asks “What is the impact of Twilight on those who became addicted to it?”
Examples for this essay: 1. How does the genre of science fiction portray diversity and tolerance in the future? Why is that portrayal significant to a modern audience? 2. How are gay and lesbian characters portrayed in TV dramas aimed at teens like Glee and Gossip Girl? Is this portrayal accurate? What are the consequences of this portrayal, for better or worse?

5. Effectiveness Check:
If you were able to easily identify the question your essay will explore more deeply, ask yourself if your essay actually answers that question in a reasoned, logical way that lays out your support for your answer. If not, how could you improve? Are there any paragraphs that aren’t about this question you’ve identified? If so, get rid of them.
If you weren’t able to easily identify the specific question, your essay does not have a narrow enough focus. You need to narrow your topic until you can form it into a question as specific as the ones on the previous slide.
Finally, the result of your analysis should be an answer to the question you asked. That answer would work well as a thesis statement.

6. Writing analytically for Essay #1
Let’s apply each of the characteristics of analytical writing to the essay that you are writing right now.
Characteristic 2: Some description of the subject you are analyzing.
Assume that your readers know what pop culture is, and they know what diversity means, but they may not know about the specific issue you are going to discuss.
Your introduction and your first paragraph are a good place for a brief introduction to the piece of media you will discuss and an overview of the issues with diversity that you will bring up. However, you may find yourself describing individual episodes/songs/scenes in the middle of your essay so your readers will understand your points.

7. Describing the Subject, Cont.
Find balance here. You don’t need to give a long, exhaustive (extremely complete) history of your show/film/etc. You don’t need to give the entire history of the representation of minorities on TV and in film. You do, though, need to give your audience enough background that they can follow your argument if they’ve seen the show/film/etc that you’re talking about, or if they’ve never considered the issues facing the minority communities you’re talking about before.

8. Effectiveness Check:
Do you give your readers a brief description of the bit of pop culture you’ll be analyzing? How long is it? Does it tell someone who is unfamiliar with it what they need to know in order to understand the rest of your argument?
When I give the signal, find someone in the class who hasn’t seen/heard/read your piece of pop culture before. Let them read your description of your piece of pop culture. Do they feel like they know enough to continue with the essay now? Do they feel like you gave them too much information?

9. Writing analytically for Essay #1
Let’s apply each of the characteristics of analytical writing to the essay that you are writing right now.
Characteristic 3: Evidence drawn from close examination of the subject. (See p for different ways to examine closely)
In your case, close examination of the subject means that you have taken a careful, analytical look at the show/film/music/genre, noted patterns, and considered how this piece of media is handling the particular issue about diversity that you chose.
It also means that you have read, understood, and formed responses to others who have asked questions similar to yours.

10. Presenting Evidence
Your job in your essay is to present this evidence, both from your own observations and from your sources, to your readers, along with your own explanations of the significance of what you and your sources noticed.

11. Effectiveness Check:
Does your essay contain a close examination of the subject?
Are you points about the media general, or are they grounded in specific examples, specific characters, songs, etc.?
Does your essay contain quotes or ideas from sources that get at specific issues rather than general ones? And are your responses to those sources complex? (Remember what you did previously with agreeing/disagreeing/doing both?)
What can you do to take a closer look at the bit of pop culture you are examining? How could you dig more deeply into it?

12. Writing analytically for Essay #1
Let’s apply each of the characteristics of analytical writing to the essay that you are writing right now.
Characteristic 4: Insight gained from your analysis. (p )
This is your answer to the question you asked at the beginning. It is your main point, and it should be the central part of your thesis.
What realizations did you make because of all of this close attention you paid to your topic? What conclusions have you come to?

13. Writing Analytically for Essay #1
Characteristic 5: Clear, precise language.
Define terms and explain ideas that may be unfamiliar to your audience. (Remember, your audience already knows what “pop culture” means and what “diversity” means.)
Be as precise as possible. For example, the word “influence” means almost nothing unless you define how the influence is working. For example, to say “The portrayal of women influences people” is vague.
HOW does the influence work? What does it influence people to do?
What ABOUT the portrayal of women are you most interested in?
Who do you mean by “people”?

14. Effectiveness Check:
In your draft, find and mark any places where you offer your reader insight gained from your analysis. Do you explain the significance of the patterns you and your sources have noticed? Do you respond to a source with ideas and connections of your own?
If you can’t fine any places where you’ve done this, you need to add them in. Sharing your insights with your readers is one of the central purposes of this essay. Where might you do that?
Is your language, especially your thesis, clear and precise? What can you do to increase the precision of your word choice?