How to Write an Analytical Essay: Structure and Examples

Analytical writing can be hard, especially if you have little or no experience with this writing style. The following steps and examples will help you write your analytical essay successfully.

Analytical Essay Structure

In general, analysis essays focus on certain issues, opinions or problems, providing an in-depth analysis. To do an analytical project, divide your subject into parts, evaluate them and give evidence to justify your position.

The following are the main parts to be included into this type of assignment:

• Introduction should give general information on the subject, including broad context and potential value of findings.
• A thesis statement should be the narrowest part of the introduction. Include your overall position in a condensed form here.
• The main body consists of weighty arguments and evidence supporting them. Every new paragraph explores a new argument.
• The conclusion briefly repeats the main claim and central arguments used in the paper.

Thesis Examples for Analytical Essays

Here are some samples of thesis statements which could become the central elements of your analytical projects:

1. The leadership qualities of a manager, including those of a clear vision, inspiring people and taking the responsibility for the result, are of paramount importance for effective crisis management and the company success.
2. The spread of the awareness on the causes and effects of the global warming among the population can have positive effects on personal behaviors.
3. The experience of Justin Bieber reveals the potential benefits and risks of using a personality of a celebrity for marketing of a product or service.
4. The phenomenon of inappropriate body image perception and unhealthy eating habits in adolescents is interrelated with the unhealthy beauty standards promoted by the popular culture.
5. The findings of recent studies have shown that violent computer games have no to little effects on teenagers' behaviors, no matter how much time is spent in video game reality.

Analytical Essays: 10 Dos and Don'ts

To do your analytical projects right, you may want to consider the following 5 recommendations:

1. Use evidence from primary and secondary sources.
2. Consider possible counterarguments.
3. Discuss practical implications.
4. Add relevant examples to make it more persuasive.
5. Include transitions between different parts to make it flow.

The 5 most common mistakes to avoid are the following:

1. Including too much summary.
2. Choosing a too broad topic.
3. Neglecting logical structure.
4. Sticking to one or a few arguments.
5. Using the first person "I" or "we".

So, good luck with your analytical thinking essays.