1. Analysis and Structure Part 2: In the Academic Context

2. What were analysis & critical analysis again? Listen to the following and make some notes. [Tip on note-taking: only note the important points – here the stages involved in critical analysis. Don’t worry about all of the examples/development of the points]: http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/ html/criticalanalysis.mp3 http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/ html/criticalanalysis.mp3

3. Notes from Recording: Main points 1. Identify key debates/issues referred to in title. Why set this assignment? What theories should I use? 2. Identify your point of view (p.o.v) on these issues. (– I sentence. Lawyer in court). 3. Give evidence for your p.o.v – why do you believe what you do? Your reasons? ‘Crit writing is a set of reasons’. 4. Find proof for your reasons – evaluate the evidence. Question everything – opinion or evidenced argument. Are there other ways of look at the issue? 5. Debate: Weigh up different ps.o.v - Strengths and weaknesses. YOU should dialogue with the perspectives. 6. Structure. (Think of reader. Persuade reader. What order will make sense for the reader? Think of the different themes)

4. A Definition of Argument Argument means ‘taking up a particular stance on a topic and providing evidence drawn from the specified course content and literature’. Garner and Lillis (2001, 125) Argument means ‘taking up a particular stance on a topic and providing evidence drawn from the specified course content and literature’. Garner and Lillis (2001, 125)

5. So. We are interested in: 1. The ISSUES chosen to talk about a topic 2. The PERSPECTIVE given on the themes/issues. The claims made about the issues. 3. The EVIDENCE given to back up the perspective (why do you hold this perspective??

6. Remember last week’s essay: ‘Why do some students succeed at exams, whereas others don’t?’ Issue 1: ‘Student Responsibility’. I began my paragraph with my Perspective (Argumentative Point) on this issue: Issue 1: ‘Student Responsibility’. I began my paragraph with my Perspective (Argumentative Point) on this issue: Both the individual’s problems with personal organisation and her/his attitude to learning might be considered the essence of student success or failure. Evidence for (EG: Tanner & Wright’s theories) and against? Implications of perspectives? Both the individual’s problems with personal organisation and her/his attitude to learning might be considered the essence of student success or failure. Evidence for (EG: Tanner & Wright’s theories) and against? Implications of perspectives?

7. Is this critical writing, then? Freud believed that we pass through five stages at different periods in our life. These stages are Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency and Genital. Freud believes that we pass through the oral sage at 0-18 months. This is where most of our functioning is based around the mouth, biting and chewing. Anal occurs at 18-36 months, where the person is centered on bowel and bladder control. (From Garner and Lillis, 2005, 119) Freud believed that we pass through five stages at different periods in our life. These stages are Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency and Genital. Freud believes that we pass through the oral sage at 0-18 months. This is where most of our functioning is based around the mouth, biting and chewing. Anal occurs at 18-36 months, where the person is centered on bowel and bladder control. (From Garner and Lillis, 2005, 119)

8. Critical Writing involves dialogue with information No. It’s just information. No. It’s just information. How? There is no ‘claim’ being made about Freud here. How? There is no ‘claim’ being made about Freud here. We aren’t being told to think anything about his theories. We aren’t being told to think anything about his theories.

9. Handout: English essay Identify the main issue discussed Identify the main issue discussed The perspective given on the issue The perspective given on the issue The evidence given for the perspective The evidence given for the perspective

10. The theme of private life versus public life is manifest in all the spying that takes place in Hamlet. For example, when Hamlet speaks to his mother in her bedchamber, he is being spied upon by Polonius and, in turn, the ghost of the King. Conversely, when Claudius is at prayer, Hamlet spies on him. At the beginning of Act 3, Scene 1, Claudius and Polonius spy on Hamlet so that, ‘Seeing unseen’, they may check on his state of mind. This spying gives rise to counter-surveillance. If welok at the missing stage direction from Quarto 1 – ‘Enter Hamlet reading a book’ – we suspect that the ‘To Be or not to Be’ soliloquy is in fact a ruse. Hamlet acts out a moment of introspection in order to mislead Claudius and Polonius because he either knows they are watching, or suspects they might be. The consequence of this for the theme of private life versus public life is that there is no private life. All the spying in the play puts private lives under surveillance and makes them public. (Myers 2002, 59) The theme of private life versus public life is manifest in all the spying that takes place in Hamlet. For example, when Hamlet speaks to his mother in her bedchamber, he is being spied upon by Polonius and, in turn, the ghost of the King. Conversely, when Claudius is at prayer, Hamlet spies on him. At the beginning of Act 3, Scene 1, Claudius and Polonius spy on Hamlet so that, ‘Seeing unseen’, they may check on his state of mind. This spying gives rise to counter-surveillance. If welok at the missing stage direction from Quarto 1 – ‘Enter Hamlet reading a book’ – we suspect that the ‘To Be or not to Be’ soliloquy is in fact a ruse. Hamlet acts out a moment of introspection in order to mislead Claudius and Polonius because he either knows they are watching, or suspects they might be. The consequence of this for the theme of private life versus public life is that there is no private life. All the spying in the play puts private lives under surveillance and makes them public. (Myers 2002, 59)

11. English essay General Theme = The relationship between the public and private General Theme = The relationship between the public and private –Sub-theme = Theme of spying Perspective = The boundaries between public and private are blurred – what is the private? Perspective = The boundaries between public and private are blurred – what is the private? Evidence = egs of spying in text Evidence = egs of spying in text

12. Read the Extract from the History essay on the Handout and: Identify the main issue/theme discussed Identify the main issue/theme discussed The perspective given on the issue The perspective given on the issue The evidence given for the perspective The evidence given for the perspective

13. History Essay General Theme & Perspective = Need to ward off German threat = prime reason for continuation of coalition govt General Theme & Perspective = Need to ward off German threat = prime reason for continuation of coalition govt Evidence = Ref to secondary source (Addison) (Is this sufficient evidence?) Evidence = Ref to secondary source (Addison) (Is this sufficient evidence?)

14. Analysis helps with your Reading too: You are faced with lots of information. How might you analyse it? This is an extract from a 3rd year BA dissertation. You are faced with lots of information. How might you analyse it? This is an extract from a 3rd year BA dissertation. The student interviewed her flatmates and, therefore, had lots of disparate, rambling information. Her (and your task when you write) was to ANALYSE the info: to make sense of it. What might you do first? Look for patterns: in this case the things the flatmates are mentioning again and again. Group them under general issues/themes.

15. Task Read the following extract from the dissertation and identify: 1. The MAIN THEME/ ISSUE the student chose to analyse the information. 2. The PERSPECTIVE 3. The EVIDENCE

16. Beverly Skeggs’ study has similar traits and strategies to my own study of women at University. Skeggs’ work focuses on the ways in which working class people have elected to go to University in order to move away from their working class environment. Skeggs notes that, for some women in her study, completing college courses was an attempt ‘to escape’ (Skeggs, 1997: 76) the working class predicament and its association with ‘low level skills’ (Walkerdine, 1993: 165). This desire to escape working class roots was particularly poignant in this case study. Hannah has always found University difficult and is unhappy with her degree course in primary school teaching. She has often stated that she would rather be doing hairdressing but, when questioned, says that being a primary school teacher is ‘better’.(…)

17. Analysis: Main Theme Education (IE: Class attitudes to University)

18. Perspective Education is seen as an escape from working-class positioning

19. Evidence: Defending her Analysis How does she prove that she has come up with her theme on the basis of research? (= She mentions a bit of theory) How does she prove that she has come up with her theme on the basis of research? (= She mentions a bit of theory) What EVIDENCE did she give for her point? (A quotation from the interview) What EVIDENCE did she give for her point? (A quotation from the interview)

20. You could do it the other way round Find a theory and see whether any aspects of it apply to your case. Find a theory and see whether any aspects of it apply to your case. (See Skeggs eg) (See Skeggs eg)

21. Social Theory Essay General Theme & Perspective = Mental Health issues are due to contemporary identity problems General Theme & Perspective = Mental Health issues are due to contemporary identity problems –Sub-theme & Perspective = Social Mobility causing fluid identities Evidence = Ref to & discussion of secondary sources to support his points Evidence = Ref to & discussion of secondary sources to support his points

22. As you research… Possible planner for researching critical essays (from Cottrell (2003, 187)):

23. Main proposal/hypothesis/argument Reasons or arguments in favour 1.2.3. Evidence and Examples 123 Opposing Arguments 1. 2. 3. Reasons and Evidence 1. 2. 3. Reasons why my arguments are stronger; weaknesses in the reasoning or evidence for the opposing arguments 1. 2.

24. EG of planning. Is the struggle for autonomy within late capitalist society the struggle against capitalism? What is autonomy? (Introduce debate) What is autonomy? (Introduce debate) Against. The struggle for autonomy IS NOT the struggle against capitalism. Against. The struggle for autonomy IS NOT the struggle against capitalism. 1. Issue 1: Consumerism – pro-autonomy. How? You can create yourself through your consumption. Theorists: Robert Bocock. 2. Issue 2: Time. 3. Issue 3: In favour: The struggle for autonomy IS the struggle against capitalism. In favour: The struggle for autonomy IS the struggle against capitalism. 1. Issue1: Consumerism. Anti-Autonomy. How? Theorists: Lodziak. 2. Issue 2: Time. Anti-Autonomy. How? Theorists: Bowring. 3. Issue 3:

25. Further Reading ***Cottrell, S. (2003) The Study Skills Handbook, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan – Chapters 8 and 10 ***Cottrell, S. (2003) The Study Skills Handbook, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan – Chapters 8 and 10 Fairbairn, G. J. and Winch C. (1991) Reading, Writing and Reasoning: a Guide for Students, Buckingham,:Open University Press Fairbairn, G. J. and Winch C. (1991) Reading, Writing and Reasoning: a Guide for Students, Buckingham,:Open University Press

26. Further Reading Definition of descriptive vs analytical writing (30 seconds to read!): Definition of descriptive vs analytical writing (30 seconds to read!): http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/glo ess.htm#Descriptive http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/glo ess.htm#Descriptive http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/glo ess.htm#Descriptive http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/glo ess.htm#Descriptive See the short bit on analysis at the end of this page: See the short bit on analysis at the end of this page: http://www.wlv.ac.uk/shass/slc/LCSAS TR.html http://www.wlv.ac.uk/shass/slc/LCSAS TR.html http://www.wlv.ac.uk/shass/slc/LCSAS TR.html http://www.wlv.ac.uk/shass/slc/LCSAS TR.html