How to Write a Critical Analysis

The purpose of writing a critical analysis is to evaluate a piece or body of work in a field such as writing, painting or filmmaking. Critical analysis is a way for the writer to express his opinion or evaluation of a text. It's also a way to break down the piece and study the parts. The best way to begin a critical analysis is with a critical reading.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

How to Write a Critical Analysis

1. Start by reading all the material completely and thoroughly. Once done with the reading, think about the issues raised in the subject. This is where taking notes while you read is very important. Jotting down the notes of what you thought about something, where you disagreed with something and so forth. These notes will help you write the analysis. These notes can also be used to help form a thesis for the paper.
2. Select one of the ideas that has lingered in your mind. Some of the things you might be looking for are ideas that you agree with, disagree with, find uncomfortable or even something you agree with but believe needs to looked into more. Keep these ideas in your mind to help with writing.
3. Think about which idea has lingered in your mind that you wish to investigate for the paper. Think of questions of what your feelings are about this issue and what reasons that you can use to support these feelings. If you like what you have come up with, you are ready to form a preliminary thesis. If for some reason, you do not like these ideas, go back over the work and see if new ideas come to your mind for the preliminary thesis.
4. Write down a preliminary thesis statement that names the topic, asserts your ideas about this topic and suggest the arrangement of the paper's argument.
5. Read over the paper and find details that support the arguments you are trying to make in your thesis. In a critical analysis you are able to assume the reader is familiar with the reading material. As the writer you can use quotations and references to the text should only be used to support your viewpoint and help with the thesis.
6. Start writing the first draft by writing the introduction that will explain what you are writing about and end the introduction paragraph with the thesis statement. Each of the following paragraphs should prove the thesis statement you have made and end it with a conclusion statement that restates the thesis and keeps the article together.
7. After you finisht he rough draft, leave it for a few days. Come back to the draft after 2 to 3 days and start the first editing. Make sure that the paper flows well and make sense.
8. Once you have finished the paper and all of the edits, read the paper out loud. This will help find the last editing issues and help you see if there are any other needs done for the paper.

Tips & Warnings

• This is a simple outline for writing a critical analysis that might be helpful.
• I. Background information to help your readers understand the nature of the work
• A. Information about the work
• 1. Title
• 2. Author
• 3. Publication information
• 4. Statement of topic and purpose
• B. Thesis statement indicating writer's main reaction to the work
• II. Summary or description of the work
• III. Interpretation and/or evaluation
• A. Discussion of the work's organization
• B. Discussion of the work's style
• C. Effectiveness
• D. Discussion of the topic's treatment
• E. Discussion of appeal to a particular audience