analytical essay vs descriptive essay

Critical Writing 101

Descriptive vs analytical vs critical writing.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | April 2017

Across the thousands of students we work with , descriptive writing (as opposed to critical or analytical writing) is an incredibly pervasive problem . In fact, it’s probably the biggest killer of marks in dissertations, theses and research papers . So, in this post, we’ll explain the difference between descriptive and analytical writing in straightforward terms, along with plenty of practical examples.

Descriptive vs Analytical Writing

Writing critically is one of the most important skills you’ll need to master for your academic journey, but what exactly does this mean?

Well, when it comes to writing, at least for academic purposes, there are two main types – descriptive writing and critical writing. Critical writing is also sometimes referred to as analytical writing, so we’ll use these two terms interchangeably.

To understand what constitutes critical (or analytical) writing, it’s useful to compare it against its opposite, descriptive writing. At the most basic level, descriptive writing merely communicates the “ what ”, “ where ”, “ when ” or “ who ”. In other words, it describes a thing, place, time or person. It doesn’t consider anything beyond that or explore the situation’s impact, importance or meaning. Here’s an example of a descriptive sentence:

  “Yesterday, the president unexpectedly fired the minister of finance.”

As you can see, this sentence just states what happened, when it happened and who was involved. Classic descriptive writing.

Contrasted to this, critical writing takes things a step further and unveils the “ so what? ” – in other words, it explains the impact or consequence of a given situation. Let’s stick with the same event and look at an example of analytical writing:

“The president’s unexpected firing of the well-respected finance minister had an immediate negative impact on investor confidence. This led to a sharp decrease in the value of the local currency, especially against the US dollar. This devaluation means that all dollar-based imports are now expected to rise in cost, thereby raising the cost of living for citizens, and reducing disposable income.”

As you can see in this example, the descriptive version only tells us what happened (the president fired the finance minister), whereas the critical version goes on to discuss some of the impacts of the president’s actions.

Ideally, critical writing should always link back to the broader objectives of the paper or project, explaining what each thing or event means in relation to those objectives. In a dissertation or thesis, this would involve linking the discussion back to the research aims, objectives and research questions – in other words, the golden thread .

Sounds a bit fluffy and conceptual? Let’s look at an example:

If your research aims involved understanding how the local environment impacts demand for specialty imported vegetables, you would need to explain how the devaluation of the local currency means that the imported vegetables would become more expensive relative to locally farmed options. This in turn would likely have a negative impact on sales, as consumers would turn to cheaper local alternatives.

As you can see, critical (or analytical) writing goes beyond just describing (that’s what descriptive writing covers) and instead focuses on the meaning of things, events or situations, especially in relation to the core research aims and questions.

Need a helping hand?

But wait, there’s more.

This “ what vs so what”  distinction is important in understanding the difference between description and analysis, but it is not the only difference – the differences go deeper than this. The table below explains some other key differences between descriptive and analytical writing.

Should I avoid descriptive writing altogether?

Not quite. For the most part, you’ll need some descriptive writing to lay the foundation for the critical, analytical writing. In other words, you’ll usually need to state the “what” before you can discuss the “so what”. Therefore, description is simply unavoidable and in fact quite essential , but you do want to keep it to a minimum and focus your word count on the analytical side of things.

As you write, a good rule of thumb is to identify every what (in other words, every descriptive point you make) and then check whether it is accompanied by a so what (in other words, a critical conclusion regarding its meaning or impact).

Of course, this won’t always be necessary as some conclusions are fairly obvious and go without saying. But, this basic practice should help you minimise description, maximise analysis, and most importantly, earn you marks!

Let’s recap.

So, the key takeaways for this post are as follows:

• Descriptive writing focuses on the what , while critical/analytical writing focuses on the so what .
• Analytical writing should link the discussion back to the research aims, objectives or research questions (the golden thread).
• Some amount of description will always be needed, but aim to minimise description and maximise analysis to earn higher marks.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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19 Comments

Thank you so much. This was helpful and a switch from the bad writing habits to the good habits.

Great to hear that, Sarah. Glad you found it useful!

I am currently working on my Masters Thesis and found this extremely informative and helpful. Thank you kindly.

I’m currently a University student and this is so helpful. Thank you.

It really helped me to get the exact meaning of analytical writing. Differences between the two explains it well

Thank you! this was very useful

With much appreciation, I say thank you. Your explanations are down to earth. It has been helpful.

Very helpful towards my theses journey! Many thanks 👍

very helpful

very helpful indeed

Thanks Derek for the useful coaching

Thank you for sharing this. I was stuck on descriptive now I can do my corrections. Thank you.

I was struggling to differentiate between descriptive and analytical writing. I googled and found this as it is so helpful. Thank you for sharing.

I am glad to see this differences of descriptive against analytical writing. This is going to improve my masters dissertation

Thanks in deed. It was helpful

Thank you so much. I’m now better informed

Busy with MBA in South Africa, this is very helpful as most of the writing requires one to expound on the topics. thanks for this, it’s a salvation from watching the blinking cursor for hours while figuring out what to write to hit the 5000 word target 😂

It’s been fantastic and enriching. Thanks a lot, GRAD COACH.

Wonderful explanation of descriptive vs analytic writing with examples. This is going to be greatly helpful for me as I am writing my thesis at the moment. Thank you Grad Coach. I follow your YouTube videos and subscribed and liked every time I watch one.

Very useful piece. thanks

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Analytical essay vs. Descriptive essay

When experts apply for educational courses, scholarships, grants, or careers, they have to write an essay or prepare an application letter to go with their application resources. Analytical and descriptive essays are two sorts of essays that an admissions committee or prospective employer may seek. If you’re applying for an educational course, a research award, a scholarship, or a job, you might want to discover these writing patterns.

What is an analytical essay

An analytical essay is a writing assignment that demonstrates the effect or outcome of a particular activity or event. Analytical essays look at specific aspects of a procedure, event, or subject. Analytical essay writers must also consider how these components converse with one another. Since descriptive elements are common in analytical essays, they also provide a fresh outlook or reasoning for readers to take into account.

They provide more precise details, data, and proof to back up abstract thoughts and perspectives than descriptive essays do. Analytical essays could also assess a topic’s positive aspects and shortcomings, make educated decisions about it and draw inferences relying on research. Keywords used in analytical essays involve distinction, comparison, and examination. The core attributes of analytical writing are assessment and comparison, and it goes further than simply stating an event, a person, or a thing. This writing style answers why what, and what. One must know to convey their content in an argumentative context. It demands the ability to purpose and give evidence to the viewer. There are numerous techniques to express reasoning, but the subject must be well-organized, practical, and contribute to a final result. The primary goal of an analytical essay is not to give information or figures to the audience, but to analyze the statistics and compare and verify them to conclude. Analytical writing could be employed in academic works to measure and interpret precise details. As a result, that’d be beneficial for correlating statistical data or theories.

How to write an analytical essay

What is a descriptive essay

A descriptive essay is a writing task that concentrates solely on what something is or what occurred. Rather than introducing reasoning, descriptive essays introduce the audience with simple factual information. The writer’s objective is usually to describe what happened, showcase key points, or analyze their insight on a particular topic. Descriptive essays could concentrate on an individual, place, or thing, recount an event, or give a short outline of a theory. The words how, specify, and summarize are used by authors in descriptive essays. When writing a descriptive essay, concentrate on adding your primary idea as transparent, reliable, and specific. Introduce supporting factual data and relevant facts in a cohesive manner. Descriptive writing is widely perceived as the most basic kind of educational writing because it merely seeks to provide the audience with statistics and details. This writing style effectively answers the questions of what, when, where, and who. The ideal instances of descriptive essays are an article overview or the findings of a scientific study. A few of the terms utilized by educators to imply that they prefer descriptive writing are summarize, gather, describe, outline, document, recognize, and so on. When discussing a person, place, or thing, descriptive writing is regularly used by the author to convey the entire perception to the audience. It prompts the use of rich language and strongly packed text full of analogies to present the viewer with a striking picture as if they were witnessing the scenario of writing. Although a few parts are solely descriptive, this writing technique is employed as an opening to other forms of writing. A descriptive essay can focus on the following essay description topics;

• A descriptive essay can be about a location, divided into a geographical area, weather, politics, religion, and customs.
• Discovering an event in history in proper sequence, starting with a paragraph about what induced it, then moving on to an explanation of the incident itself, and finally ending with its implications.
• A news item that includes a synopsis of the event, perspective about the persons affected, details about the location where it happened, and understanding of related events.

Difference between Analytical vs. Descriptive essay

Since analytical and descriptive essays are widely known alternatives in educational and professional setups, there are some key distinctions between these two forms of writing. Here are a few of the most significant differences between analytical and descriptive essays;

• A descriptive essay provides a summary of an event, person, place, or object, while an analytical essay concentrates on the repercussions of an event.
• A descriptive essay states the factual data, while an analytical essay can broaden an appropriate issue or theory by incorporating the latest questions and discussions.
• An analytical essay concentrates on reasoning, facts, and framework, so a descriptive essay is about comparisons, metaphors, and rich perceptual language.
• A descriptive essay gives non-biased details, while an analytical essay identifies if a response has a positive or negative impact.
• An analytical essay’s primary objective is to assess, examine, and identify something, while a descriptive essay’s overall purpose is to reveal information and details.
• A descriptive essay enables the audience to establish their own opinions, while an analytical essay builds an outcome.
• Analytical essays emphasize why and what, and descriptive essays focus on what, when, and where.

As the name implies, an analytical essay means examining a subject. Maintain your analytical essay concentrated on the key topic and avoid turning it into a synopsis. Prepare your essay before you begin, including what you should say initially, last, and so on. Establish a powerful introduction that contains a well-developed dissertation that will serve as the foundation of your essay. Utilize the body paragraphs to back up your essay with solid reasoning and all related details. Finish the analytical essay with a quick description of the entire essay, and you may add your own opinions on the issue.

The descriptive essay is in which the student has to identify something—a thing, person, location, experience, perception, scenario, and so on. This genre motivates students to write a written record of a specific experience. Besides, this genre facilitates artistic freedom, with the intent of developing a colorful and progressing impression in the minds of the viewer.

How to write a descriptive essay

Paraphrasing tool

How To Write an Analytical Essay

If you enjoy exploring topics deeply and thinking creatively, analytical essays could be perfect for you. They involve thorough analysis and clever writing techniques to gain fresh perspectives and deepen your understanding of the subject. In this article, our expert research paper writer will explain what an analytical essay is, how to structure it effectively and provide practical examples. This guide covers all the essentials for your writing success!

What Is an Analytical Essay

An analytical essay involves analyzing something, such as a book, movie, or idea. It relies on evidence from the text to logically support arguments, avoiding emotional appeals or personal stories. Unlike persuasive essays, which argue for a specific viewpoint, a good analytical essay explores all aspects of the topic, considering different perspectives, dissecting arguments, and evaluating evidence carefully. Ultimately, you'll need to present your own stance based on your analysis, synthesize findings, and decide whether you agree with the conclusions or have your own interpretation.

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How to Structure an Analytical Essay

Crafting an excellent paper starts with clear organization and structuring of arguments. An analytical essay structure follows a simple outline: introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction: Begin by grabbing the reader's attention and stating the topic clearly. Provide background information, state the purpose of the paper, and hint at the arguments you'll make. The opening sentence should be engaging, such as a surprising fact or a thought-provoking question. Then, present your thesis, summarizing your stance in the essay.

Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph starts with a clear topic sentence guiding the reader and presents evidence supporting the thesis. Focus on one issue per paragraph and briefly restate the main point at the end to transition smoothly to the next one. This ensures clarity and coherence in your argument.

Conclusion: Restate the thesis, summarize key points from the body paragraphs, and offer insights on the significance of the analysis. Provide your thoughts on the topic's importance and how your analysis contributes to it, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Meanwhile, you might also be interested in how to write a reflection paper , so check out the article for more information!

How to Write an Analytical Essay in 6 Simple Steps

Once you've got a handle on the structure, you can make writing easier by following some steps. Preparing ahead of time can make the process smoother and improve your essay's flow. Here are some helpful tips from our experts. And if you need it, you can always request our experts to write my essay for me , and we'll handle it promptly.

Step 1: Decide on Your Stance

Before diving into writing, it's crucial to establish your stance on the topic. Let's say you're going to write an analytical essay example about the benefits and drawbacks of remote work. Before you start writing, you need to decide what your opinion or viewpoint is on this topic.

• Do you think remote work offers flexibility and improved work-life balance for employees?
• Or maybe you believe it can lead to feelings of isolation and decreased productivity?

Once you've determined your stance on remote work, it's essential to consider the evidence and arguments supporting your position. Are there statistics or studies that back up your viewpoint? For example, if you believe remote work improves productivity, you might cite research showing increased output among remote workers. On the other hand, if you think it leads to isolation, you could reference surveys or testimonials highlighting the challenges of remote collaboration. Your opinion will shape how you write your essay, so take some time to think about what you believe about remote work before you start writing.

Step 2: Write Your Thesis Statement

Once you've figured out what you think about the topic, it's time to write your thesis statement. This statement is like the main idea or argument of your essay.

If you believe that remote work offers significant benefits, your thesis statement might be: 'Remote work presents an opportunity for increased flexibility and work-life balance, benefiting employees and employers alike in today's interconnected world.'

Alternatively, if you believe that remote work has notable drawbacks, your thesis statement might be: 'While remote work offers flexibility, it can also lead to feelings of isolation and challenges in collaboration, necessitating a balanced approach to its implementation.'

Your thesis statement guides the rest of your analytical essay, so make sure it clearly expresses your viewpoint on the benefits and drawbacks of remote work.

Step 3: Write Topic Sentences

After you have your thesis statement about the benefits and drawbacks of remote work, you need to come up with topic sentences for each paragraph while writing an analytical essay. These sentences introduce the main point of each paragraph and help to structure your essay.

Let's say your first paragraph is about the benefits of remote work. Your topic sentence might be: 'Remote work offers employees increased flexibility and autonomy, enabling them to better manage their work-life balance.'

For the next paragraph discussing the drawbacks of remote work, your topic sentence could be: 'However, remote work can also lead to feelings of isolation and difficulties in communication and collaboration with colleagues.'

And for the paragraph about potential solutions to the challenges of remote work, your topic sentence might be: 'To mitigate the drawbacks of remote work, companies can implement strategies such as regular check-ins, virtual team-building activities, and flexible work arrangements.'

Each topic sentence should relate back to your thesis statement about the benefits and drawbacks of remote work and provide a clear focus for the paragraph that follows.

Step 4: Create an Outline

Now that you have your thesis statement and topic sentences, it's time to create an analytical essay outline to ensure your essay flows logically. Here's an outline prepared by our analytical essay writer based on the example of discussing the benefits and drawbacks of remote work:

Step 5: Write Your First Draft

Now that you have your outline, it's time to start writing your first draft. Begin by expanding upon each point in your outline, making sure to connect your ideas smoothly and logically. Don't worry too much about perfection at this stage; the goal is to get your ideas down on paper. You can always revise and polish your draft later.

As you write, keep referring back to your thesis statement to ensure that your arguments align with your main argument. Additionally, make sure each paragraph flows naturally into the next, maintaining coherence throughout your essay.

Once you've completed your first draft, take a break and then come back to review and revise it. Look for areas where you can strengthen your arguments, clarify your points, and improve the overall structure and flow of your essay.

Remember, writing is a process, and it's okay to go through multiple drafts before you're satisfied with the final result. Take your time and be patient with yourself as you work towards creating a well-crafted essay on the benefits and drawbacks of remote work.

Step 6: Revise and Proofread

Once you've completed your first draft, it's essential to revise and proofread your essay to ensure clarity, coherence, and correctness. Here's how to approach this step:

• Check if your ideas make sense and if they support your main point.
• Make sure your writing style stays the same and your format follows the rules.
• Double-check your facts and make sure you've covered everything important.
• Cut out any extra words and make your sentences clear and short.
• Look for mistakes in spelling and grammar.
• Ask someone to read your essay and give you feedback.

What is the Purpose of an Analytical Essay?

Analytical essays aim to analyze texts or topics, presenting a clear argument. They deepen understanding by evaluating evidence and uncovering underlying meanings. These essays promote critical thinking, challenging readers to consider different viewpoints.

They're also great for improving critical thinking skills. By breaking down complex ideas and presenting them clearly, they encourage readers to think for themselves and reach their own conclusions.

This type of essay also adds to academic discussions by offering fresh insights. By analyzing existing research and literature, they bring new perspectives or shine a light on overlooked parts of a topic. This keeps academic conversations lively and encourages more exploration in the field.

Analytical Essay Examples

Check out our essay samples to see theory in action. Crafted by our dissertation services , they show how analytical thinking applies to real situations, helping you understand concepts better.

With our tips on how to write an analytical essay, you're ready to boost your writing skills and craft essays that captivate your audience. With practice, you'll become a pro at analytical writing, ready to tackle any topic with confidence. And, if you need help to buy essay online , just drop us a line saying ' do my homework for me ' and we'll jump right in!

Do Analytical Essays Tend to Intimidate You?

Give us your assignment to uncover a deeper understanding of your chosen analytical essay topic!

How to Write an Analytical Essay?

What is an analytical essay.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Analytical vs Descriptive: Which Should You Use In Writing?

Are you confused about the difference between analytical and descriptive? Look no further, as this article will provide a clear explanation of the two terms.

Analytical and descriptive are both proper words in the English language that are used to describe different approaches to analyzing data. Analytical refers to a method of breaking down complex ideas into smaller, more manageable parts in order to better understand them. Descriptive, on the other hand, refers to a method of summarizing and describing data in a way that is easily understandable to others.

Throughout this article, we will explore the differences between these two approaches and how they can be used to improve your understanding of data analysis.

Define Analytical

Analytical refers to the process of breaking down complex ideas or concepts into smaller, more manageable parts in order to better understand them. It involves examining something in great detail, often using a scientific or mathematical approach, to identify patterns, relationships, and underlying causes. An analytical approach is characterized by a focus on logic, reason, and objectivity, and is often used in fields such as science, engineering, and business to solve complex problems.

Define Descriptive

Descriptive, on the other hand, refers to the process of describing or summarizing something in a way that is easy to understand. It involves providing a clear and concise account of something, often using language that is simple and straightforward. A descriptive approach is characterized by a focus on observation, interpretation, and subjectivity, and is often used in fields such as literature, art, and social sciences to provide insights into human behavior and experiences.

Here is a table that summarizes the differences between analytical and descriptive approaches:

How To Properly Use The Words In A Sentence

Choosing the right words to use in a sentence can make all the difference in effectively communicating your message. In writing, two words that are often used interchangeably but have distinct meanings are analytical and descriptive. Here’s how to use them properly in a sentence:

How To Use Analytical In A Sentence

Analytical refers to the process of breaking down complex ideas or information into smaller parts to better understand it. Here are some examples of how to properly use analytical in a sentence:

• She used an analytical approach to solve the math problem.
• The report provided an analytical breakdown of the company’s financial performance.
• His analytical skills helped him identify the root cause of the issue.

Notice how in each sentence, analytical is used to describe the process of breaking down complex information into smaller parts. This is the proper way to use analytical in a sentence.

How To Use Descriptive In A Sentence

Descriptive refers to the act of using words to paint a picture or provide a detailed account of something. Here are some examples of how to properly use descriptive in a sentence:

• The author’s descriptive writing style allowed me to vividly imagine the setting of the story.
• She provided a descriptive account of her trip to the Grand Canyon.
• The artist’s use of descriptive language in the painting helped evoke strong emotions in the viewer.

Notice how in each sentence, descriptive is used to describe the act of providing a detailed account or painting a picture with words. This is the proper way to use descriptive in a sentence.

More Examples Of Analytical & Descriptive Used In Sentences

Analytical and descriptive are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. Analytical refers to the process of breaking down complex information into smaller parts to gain a better understanding of it. Descriptive, on the other hand, refers to the process of describing something in detail. Here are some examples of how these terms can be used in sentences:

Examples Of Using Analytical In A Sentence

• She took an analytical approach to solving the problem, breaking it down into smaller parts and analyzing each one individually.
• The report was very analytical, providing detailed data and analysis on each aspect of the project.
• He approached the project from an analytical perspective, carefully considering each step before taking action.
• She used an analytical tool to analyze the data and identify patterns and trends.
• The analytical process helped to identify the root cause of the problem.
• He used an analytical approach to evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing campaign.
• The analytical report provided valuable insights into customer behavior.
• She used an analytical framework to evaluate the success of the project.
• He applied an analytical approach to the financial data to identify areas for improvement.
• The analytical method helped to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the product.

Examples Of Using Descriptive In A Sentence

• The descriptive language in the book painted a vivid picture of the setting and characters.
• The report was very descriptive, providing detailed information on each aspect of the project.
• She used descriptive words to create a sensory experience for the reader.
• The descriptive analysis provided a detailed overview of the data.
• He used descriptive language to explain the complex scientific concepts to the audience.
• The descriptive approach helped to provide a clear understanding of the problem.
• She used descriptive statistics to summarize the data and identify trends.
• The descriptive report provided a comprehensive overview of the market.
• He applied a descriptive approach to the customer feedback to identify areas for improvement.
• The descriptive method helped to provide a detailed understanding of the product features.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

When it comes to data analysis, it’s important to understand the difference between analytical and descriptive methods. Unfortunately, many people use these terms interchangeably, which can lead to confusion and inaccurate results. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Mistake #1: Using Descriptive Analysis For Predictive Purposes

Descriptive analysis is all about summarizing data and identifying patterns and trends. It’s great for gaining insights into what has happened in the past, but it’s not designed for predicting future outcomes. One common mistake people make is assuming that descriptive analysis can be used to make accurate predictions. This is incorrect because descriptive analysis doesn’t take into account the many variables that can impact future outcomes.

To avoid this mistake, it’s important to use analytical methods when you need to make predictions. Analytical methods are designed to identify relationships between variables and make accurate predictions based on those relationships.

Mistake #2: Using Analytical Methods For Descriptive Purposes

On the flip side, some people make the mistake of using analytical methods for descriptive purposes. Analytical methods are designed to identify relationships between variables, but they don’t provide a simple summary of the data like descriptive methods do. This can lead to confusion and inaccurate results when the goal is simply to gain an understanding of what has happened in the past.

To avoid this mistake, it’s important to use descriptive methods when you need a simple summary of the data. Descriptive methods can provide valuable insights into what has happened in the past and help you identify patterns and trends.

Mistake #3: Failing To Consider The Context

Another common mistake people make is failing to consider the context when choosing between analytical and descriptive methods. The best method to use depends on the specific situation and the questions you’re trying to answer. For example, if you’re trying to understand why sales have been declining, you might use a combination of descriptive and analytical methods to gain a full understanding of the situation.

To avoid this mistake, it’s important to carefully consider the context before choosing a method. Think about the questions you’re trying to answer and the specific situation you’re dealing with.

Mistake #4: Relying Too Much On Automated Tools

Finally, many people make the mistake of relying too much on automated tools when conducting data analysis. While these tools can be helpful, they’re not a substitute for human analysis and critical thinking. It’s important to carefully review the results generated by these tools and make sure they make sense in the context of the specific situation.

To avoid this mistake, it’s important to use automated tools as a starting point, but not rely on them completely. Always review the results carefully and use your own critical thinking skills to identify any potential issues or inaccuracies.

Context Matters

When it comes to writing, the choice between analytical and descriptive writing styles depends heavily on the context in which they are used. Analytical writing is characterized by a logical and systematic approach that breaks down a topic into its individual components for in-depth analysis. On the other hand, descriptive writing focuses on providing a detailed picture of a subject, often using sensory details to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind.

Examples Of Different Contexts

The choice between analytical and descriptive writing styles can vary depending on the context in which they are used. Here are some examples:

Academic Writing

In academic writing, the choice between analytical and descriptive writing styles depends on the discipline and the type of assignment. For example, in a scientific research paper, analytical writing is typically used to break down complex data and explain the significance of the findings. However, in a literature review, descriptive writing may be used to provide a comprehensive overview of the research on a particular topic.

Marketing and Advertising

In marketing and advertising, the choice between analytical and descriptive writing styles depends on the target audience and the goals of the campaign. For example, if the goal is to persuade customers to buy a product, descriptive writing may be used to create a sensory experience that appeals to their emotions. However, if the goal is to provide information about a product’s features and benefits, analytical writing may be used to break down the details and explain how they meet the customer’s needs.

In journalism, the choice between analytical and descriptive writing styles depends on the type of story and the intended audience. For example, in a news story, analytical writing may be used to provide a detailed analysis of the facts and the implications of an event. However, in a feature story, descriptive writing may be used to provide a vivid portrait of a person or a place.

Creative Writing

In creative writing, the choice between analytical and descriptive writing styles depends on the genre and the author’s style. For example, in a mystery novel, analytical writing may be used to provide clues and solve the crime, while descriptive writing may be used to create a sense of atmosphere and suspense. However, in a romance novel, descriptive writing may be used to create a romantic mood and convey the emotions of the characters.

Overall, the choice between analytical and descriptive writing styles depends on the context in which they are used. By understanding the audience, the goals, and the genre of the writing, writers can make an informed choice that will help them achieve their objectives.

Exceptions To The Rules

While the rules for using analytical and descriptive writing styles are generally straightforward, there are certain exceptions where these rules may not apply. In such cases, it is important to identify these exceptions and offer explanations and examples for each case.

Exception 1: Creative Writing

When it comes to creative writing, the rules for using analytical and descriptive writing styles may not apply. In creative writing, the focus is often on using language in a way that is expressive and emotive, rather than on providing information or analysis. As such, writers may choose to use a more descriptive style to create a mood or atmosphere, or to convey a certain tone or emotion.

For example, in a poem, a writer may use descriptive language to create a vivid image or to evoke a certain feeling, without necessarily providing a detailed analysis of the subject matter. Similarly, in a work of fiction, a writer may use descriptive language to create a sense of place or to develop a character, without necessarily providing a detailed analysis of their thoughts or actions.

Exception 2: Scientific Writing

When it comes to scientific writing, the rules for using analytical and descriptive writing styles may also differ. In scientific writing, the focus is often on providing clear and concise information, rather than on using language in a way that is emotive or expressive. As such, writers may choose to use a more analytical style to present data or to explain complex concepts.

For example, in a scientific paper, a writer may use analytical language to present the results of a study, or to explain the methodology used to conduct the study. Similarly, in a technical report, a writer may use analytical language to explain how a particular system or process works, or to evaluate its performance.

Exception 3: Persuasive Writing

When it comes to persuasive writing, the rules for using analytical and descriptive writing styles may also vary. In persuasive writing, the focus is often on convincing the reader to take a particular action or to adopt a particular viewpoint. As such, writers may choose to use a more emotive or descriptive style to appeal to the reader’s emotions or to create a sense of urgency.

For example, in a political speech, a writer may use descriptive language to create a sense of patriotism or to evoke a sense of outrage. Similarly, in a marketing campaign, a writer may use descriptive language to create a sense of desire or to appeal to the reader’s sense of self-worth.

Practice Exercises

Now that we have a better understanding of the differences between analytical and descriptive writing, it’s time to put that knowledge into practice. Here are a few exercises to help you improve your understanding and use of these writing styles:

Read the following sentence and determine whether it is analytical or descriptive:

“The sunset was beautiful.”

Answer: Descriptive

Explanation: This sentence is describing the sunset using an adjective. It is not analyzing or breaking down any specific aspect of the sunset.

“The company’s profits increased by 20% last quarter.”

Answer: Analytical

Explanation: This sentence is analyzing the company’s profits by stating that they increased by 20% in the last quarter. It is not simply describing the profits.

Write a descriptive sentence about your favorite food.

Example answer: “The creamy, rich texture of a perfectly cooked risotto melts in your mouth with every bite.”

Write an analytical sentence about your favorite hobby.

Example answer: “By practicing yoga regularly, I have noticed an increase in my flexibility and a decrease in my stress levels.”

By practicing these exercises, you can improve your understanding and use of analytical and descriptive writing styles. Remember, analytical writing involves breaking down and analyzing specific aspects of a topic, while descriptive writing involves painting a picture or describing a topic in detail.

In conclusion, the difference between analytical and descriptive writing styles lies in their approach to language use. Analytical writing focuses on breaking down complex ideas into smaller parts and analyzing them in detail, while descriptive writing aims to paint a vivid picture of a subject by using sensory language and vivid imagery.

It is important to understand the nuances of these two styles of writing in order to effectively communicate your message to your audience. Analytical writing can be useful in academic and scientific contexts, while descriptive writing can be more effective in creative writing and marketing.

Key Takeaways

• Analytical writing breaks down complex ideas into smaller parts and analyzes them in detail.
• Descriptive writing aims to paint a vivid picture of a subject by using sensory language and vivid imagery.
• Understanding the nuances of these two styles of writing can help you effectively communicate your message to your audience.

By continuing to learn about grammar and language use, you can further improve your writing skills and become a more effective communicator. Whether you are writing for academic, creative, or professional purposes, mastering the art of analytical and descriptive writing can help you achieve your goals and connect with your audience on a deeper level.

Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.

Academic writing

• Thinking about grammar
• Correct punctuation
• Writing in an academic style

Styles of writing

Descriptive writing, analytical writing, reflective writing.

• Effective proof reading

When you’re asked to write an assignment you might immediately think of an essay, and have an idea of the type of writing style that’s required.

This is likely to be a ‘discursive’ style, as often in an essay you’re asked to discuss various theories, ideas and concepts in relation to a given question. For those coming to study maths and science subjects, you might be mistaken in thinking that any guidance on writing styles is not relevant to you.

In reality, you’ll probably be asked to complete a range of different assignments, including reports, problem questions, blog posts, case studies and reflective accounts. So for the mathematicians and scientists amongst you, you’re likely to find that you’ll be expected to write more at university than perhaps you’re used to. You may be asked to write essays, literature reviews or short discussions, in which all the advice on this course, including the advice below, is of relevance. In addition, even writing up your equations or findings will require you to carefully consider your structure and style. Different types of assignment often call for different styles of writing, but within one assignment you might use a variety of writing styles depending on the purpose of that particular section.

Three main writing styles you may come across during your studies are:  descriptive ,  analytical  and  reflective . These will require you to develop your writing style and perhaps think more deeply about what you’ve read or experienced, in order to make more meaningful conclusions.

The diagram below shows examples of each of these writing styles. It takes as an example a trainee teacher’s experience within a classroom and shows how the writing style develops as they think more deeply about the evidence they are presented with.

All of these forms of writing are needed to write  critically . You’ll come across the term  critical  in lots of contexts during your studies, for example critical thinking, critical writing and critical analysis. Critical writing requires you to:

• view a topic from a variety of angles

• evaluate evidence

• present a clear conclusion

• and reflect on the limitations of your own argument.

So how will you know which writing style is needed in your assignments? As mentioned, most academic assignments will require a certain amount of description but your writing should mainly be analytical and critical. You’ll be given an assignment brief and marking guidelines, which will make clear the expectations with regards to writing style. Make sure you read these carefully before you begin your assignment.

It’s unlikely that you’ll be asked to only write  descriptively , though this form of writing is useful in certain sections of reports and essays. You’ll need elements of description in essays before you go on to analyse and evaluate. The description is there to help the reader understand the key principles and for you to set the scene. But description, in this case, needs to be kept to a minimum.

However  descriptive  writing is often used in the methodology and findings sections of a report, or when completing a laboratory report on an experiment. Here you’re describing (for instance) the methods you adopted so that someone else can replicate them should they need to. Descriptive writing focuses on answering the ‘what?’ ‘when’ and ‘who’ type questions.

Analytical  writing style is often called for at university level. It involves reviewing what you’ve read in light of other evidence. Analytical writing shows the thought processes you went through to arrive at a given conclusion and discusses the implications of this. Analytical writing usually follows a brief description and focuses on answering questions like: ‘why?’ ‘how?’ and ‘so what?’

Have a look at our LibGuide on Critical Analysis: Thinking, Reading, and Writing for more in-depth guidance on analytical writing.

Not all writing will require you to write  reflectively . However you might be asked to write a reflective account after a work placement or find that at the end of a report it might be appropriate to add some personal observations. This style of writing builds on analysis by considering the learning you’ve gained from practical experience. The purpose of the reflection is to help you to make improvements for the future and, as such, it is a more ‘personal’ form of academic writing often using the first person. Evidence still has a key role in reflective writing; it’s not just about retelling your story and how you felt. And evidence in the case of reflection will include your own personal experience which adds to the discussion. Reflective writing focuses on future improvements and answers questions like ‘what next?’

• Practice-based and reflective learning LibGuide More details on thinking and writing reflectively.
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Analytical vs. Descriptive Writing: Definitions and Examples

Scholars at all levels are expected to write. People who are not students or scholars often engage in writing for work, or to communicate with friends, family, and strangers through email, text messages, and social media. Academia recognizes two major types of writing—descriptive writing and analytical writing—which are both used in non-academic situations as well. As you might expect, descriptive writing focuses on clear descriptions of facts or things that have happened, while analytical writing provides additional analysis.

Descriptive writing is the most straightforward type of academic writing. It provides accurate information about "who", "what", "where", and "when". Examples of descriptive writing include:

• Summarizing an article (without offering additional insight)
• Stating the results of an experiment (without analyzing the implications)
• Describing a newsworthy event (without discussing possible long-term consequences)

High school students and undergraduates are most commonly asked to write descriptively, to show that they understand the key points of a specific topic (e.g. the major causes of World War II).

Analytical writing goes beyond summarizing information and instead provides evaluation, comparison, and possible conclusions. It addresses the questions of "why?", "so what?", and "what next?". Examples of analytical writing include:

• The discussion section of research papers
• Opinion pieces about the likely consequences of newsworthy events and the steps that should be taken in response.

High school students and undergraduates are sometimes asked to write analytically to "stretch their thinking". Possible topics might include "Could World War II have been avoided?" and "How can CRISPR-Cas9 technology improve human health?". The value of any such analysis is entirely dependent on the writer's ability to understand and clearly explain relevant information, which would be explained through descriptive writing. For graduate students and professional researchers, the quality of their work is at least partially based on the quality of their analysis.

The following table from The Study Skills Handbook by Stella Cottrell (2013, 4th edition, Palgrave Macmillan, page 198) is commonly used to summarize the differences between descriptive writing and analytical writing.

Description and analysis are also used in spoken communication such as presentations and conversations, and in visual communication such as diagrams and memes. In all of these cases, it is important to communicate clearly and effectively, and to use reliable sources of information.

Descriptive writing and analytical writing are often used in combination. In job application cover letters and essays for university admission, adding analytical text can provide context for otherwise unremarkable statements.

• Descriptive text: "I graduated from Bear University in 2020 with a B.S. in Chemistry and a cumulative GPA of 3.056."
• Analytical text: "While I struggled with some of my introductory courses, I proactively sought help to fill gaps in my understanding, and earned an "A" grade for all five of my senior year science courses. Therefore, I believe I am a strong candidate for . . ."

Combining description and analysis can also be very effective when discussing the significance of research results.

• Descriptive text: "Our study found significant (>2 ug/L) concentrations of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in blood samples from all 5,478 study participants."
• Analytical text: "These results are alarming because the sample population included people who range in age from 1 month old to 98 years old, who live on five different continents, who reside in extremely rural areas and in urban areas, and who have little to no direct contact with products containing PFAS. PFAS are called "forever chemicals" because they are estimated to take hundreds or thousands of years to degrade. According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), PFAS can move through soils to contaminate drinking water, and bioaccumulate in animals. Further research is urgently needed to better understand the adverse effects that PFAS have on human health, to identify the source of PFAS in rural communities, and to develop a method to sequester or destroy PFAS that have already entered the environment."

In both of the examples above, the analytical text includes additional facts (e.g. "A" grade for senior science courses; 1 month old to 98 years old) that help strengthen the argument. The student's transcript and the research paper's results section would contain these same facts—along with many others—written descriptively or presented in graphs, tables, or lists. For the analytical text, the author is trying to persuade the reader, and has therefore selected relevant facts to support their argument.

In the example about PFAS, the author's argument is further strengthened by citing additional information from a reputable source (the CDC). In reports where the author is supposed to be unbiased (e.g. a journalist writing descriptively), a similar effect can be obtained by quoting reputable sources. For example, "Professor of environmental science Kim Lee explains that PFAS are. . ." In these situations, it is often appropriate to present opposing views, as long as they come from reputable sources. This strategy of quoting or citing reputable sources can also be effective for students and professionals who do not have strong credentials in the topic under discussion.

Analytical writing supports a point of view

People cannot choose their own facts, but the same facts can be used to support very different points of view. Let's consider some different points of view that can be supported by the PFAS example from above.

• Scientific point of view: "Further research is urgently needed to better understand the adverse effects that PFAS have on human health, to identify the source of PFAS in rural communities, and to develop a method to sequester or destroy PFAS that have already entered the environment."
• Policy point of view: "Legislative action is urgently needed to ban the use of all PFAS, instead of banning new PFAS one at a time. Abundant and reliable data strongly indicates that all PFAS have similar effects, even if they have small differences in chemical composition. Given such evidence, the impetus must be on the chemical industry to prove safety, rather than on the general public to prove harm."
• Legal point of view: "Chemical companies have known about the danger of PFAS for years, but hid the evidence and continued to use these chemicals. Therefore, individuals and communities who have been harmed have the right to sue for damages."

These three points of view focus on three different fields (science, policy, and law), but all have a negative view of PFAS. The next example shows how the same factual information can be used to support opposing views.

• Descriptive text: " According to Data USA , the average fast food worker in 2019 was 26.1 years old, and earned a salary of $12,294 a year."
• Point of view #1: "These data show why raising the minimum wage is unnecessary. Most fast food workers are young, with many being teenagers who are making extra money while living with their parents. The majority will eventually transition to jobs that require more skills, and that are rewarded with higher pay. If we mandate that companies pay low-skill workers more than required by the free market, then more highly skilled workers will also demand a pay raise. This will hurt businesses, contribute to inflation, and have no net benefit."
• Point of view #2: "These data show why raising the minimum wage is so important. On average, for every 16-year-old working in fast food for extra money, there is a 36-year-old trying to make ends meet. As factory jobs have moved overseas, employees without specialized skills have turned to fast food for steady employment. According to the UC Berkeley Labor Center , for families with someone working full-time (40 hours/week) in fast food, more than half are enrolled in public assistance programs. These include Medicaid, food stamps, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Therefore, taxpayers are subsidizing companies that pay poverty wages, so that their employees can have access to basic necessities like food and healthcare."

A primary purpose of analytical writing is to show how facts (explained through descriptive writing) support a particular conclusion or a particular path forward. This often requires explaining why an alternative interpretation is less satisfactory. This is how scholarly work—and good discussions in less formal situations—contribute to our collective understanding of the world.

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Analytical Essay

Definition of analytical essay, difference between an analytical essay and a critical essay, types of analytical essay, examples of analytical essay in literature, example #1: liposuction: the key to energy independence (by barbara ehrenreich).

“I say to my fellow humans: It’s time to stop feeding off the dead and grow up! I don’t know about food, but I have a plan for achieving fuel self-sufficiency in less time than it takes to say ‘Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.’ The idea came to me from reports of the growing crime of French fry oil theft: Certain desperate individuals are stealing restaurants’ discarded cooking oil, which can then be used to fuel cars. So the idea is: why not skip the French fry phase and harvest high-energy hydrocarbons right from ourselves?”

Example #2: Freedom (by Joyce M. Jarett)

“On the first day of school, I was escorted by hordes of national guardsmen. Like a funeral procession, the steady stream of official-looking cars followed me to the campus. Some patrolmen were parked near campus gates, while others, with guns strapped to their sides, stood near building entrances. Though many of my escorts had given me smiles of support, still I was not prepared for what I encountered upon entering my new school.”

This is a paragraph from a process analysis. The author, Joyce M. Jaret, has beautifully described her experience of the security in this paragraph, and how it is deployed when an important figure faces security issues in his life. This is an analysis of the process of security deployment.

Example #3: The Ways of Meeting Oppression (by Martin Luther King, Jr.)

“The third way open to oppressed people in their quest for freedom is the way of nonviolent resistance. Like the synthesis in Hegelian philosophy, the principle of nonviolent resistance seeks to reconcile the truths of two opposites—the acquiescence and violence—while avoiding the extremes and immoralities of both. The nonviolent resister agrees with the person who acquiesces that one should not be physically aggressive toward his opponent; but he balances the equation by agreeing with the person of violence that evil must be resisted. He avoids the nonresistance of the former and the violent resistance of the latter. With nonviolent resistance, no individual or group need submit to any wrong, nor need anyone resort to violence in order to right a wrong.”

Function of Analytical Essay

An analytical essay dissects something such as a concept, an idea, a thing, or even a character . Its major aim is to enhance the understanding of readers. An analysis could be done through a process, definition, classification and division, or comparison and contrast. The thing or idea is broken into several parts, through classification and division, and then analyzed. A process is broken into several steps for analysis. Not only do analytical essays enhance understanding, but they also make readers aware of minute details of things.

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Analytical Essay

Analytical essay generator.

There are different types of essays which I would assume most of you are already familiar with. Persuasive essays , reflective essays , and descriptive essays  are just among the few examples. Essays are rather seen important especially in the life of a student, because it is often what your grades are based on.

Knowing how to start an essay is an important in key in writing effective essay . In addition to that, your point of view will determine the kind of essay you are writing. This article will be able to help you in understanding another kind of essay, which is the analytical essay.

What is an Analytical Essay?- Definition

An analytical essay is a type of academic writing where the writer breaks down a topic or argument into its component parts, evaluates the issue or idea, and presents this breakdown and evaluation to the audience. It aims to convey a deeper understanding and insight into the subject being analyzed. Analytical essays require critical thinking and a clear argumentative structure, often addressing questions of “how” and “why.”

Structure of an Analytical Essay

An analytical essay is structured to break down and examine a specific topic, idea, or argument in depth. The goal is to present a comprehensive analysis that offers insights and a deeper understanding of the subject. Here’s how it’s typically structured:

Introduction

Hook: Start with an engaging sentence to draw in the reader. Background Information: Provide context or background necessary to understand the topic. Thesis Statement: Present a clear, concise statement that expresses the main argument or analysis that the essay will support.

Body Paragraphs

Topic Sentence: Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. Analysis: Present detailed analysis of the evidence. This includes interpreting the evidence, explaining how it supports the thesis, and discussing its implications. Evidence: Include specific examples, quotations, or data that support the analysis. Make sure to properly cite sources. Link: Conclude each paragraph by linking its main idea to the thesis statement, ensuring the essay remains focused on the analysis.

Summary: Briefly summarize the key points made in the essay, reaffirming how they support the thesis. Thesis Restatement: Restate the thesis in a new way, reflecting the insights gained through the analysis. Final Thoughts: Offer final insights, reflections, or a call to action, suggesting the implications of your analysis or areas for further exploration.

Works Cited (if required)

Sources: List all sources cited in the essay in the appropriate format.

How to Write an Analytical Essay: Key Steps

• Choose Your Topic: Select a specific, analyzable topic that interests you.
• Conduct Thorough Research: Gather information from credible sources to support your analysis.
• Formulate a Thesis Statement: Develop a clear, concise thesis that outlines your essay’s main argument.
• Create an Outline: Organize your main points and evidence in a logical structure.
• Write the Essay:

Introduction : Start with a hook, provide context, and present your thesis. Body Paragraphs : Each should include a topic sentence, evidence, analysis, and a concluding sentence linking back to the thesis. Conclusion : Summarize the analysis, restate the thesis, and highlight the importance of your findings.

• Revise and Edit: Review your essay for coherence, accuracy, and errors. Ensure clarity in argumentation and evidence presentation

Analytical Essay Samples

• Essay on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Essay on Cyber Bullying
• Essay on Deforestation
• Essay on Discipline
• Essay on Education Rules

Analytical Essay Examples

Critical analytical.

Poetry Analytical Example

Literary Analytical Essay

Persuasive Analytical

Short Analytical Sample

Comparative Analytical Example

High School Analytical

What is the Purpose of an Analytical Essay?

The purpose of an analytical essay is to break down and examine a piece of literature, film, event, or any other subject, in order to present a thorough understanding and insightful interpretation of it. This type of essay focuses on analyzing the subject’s structure, components, and underlying themes or messages. It aims to reveal deeper meanings, relationships, and complexities within the subject, encouraging readers to see beyond the surface level. Additionally, an analytical essay seeks to support its analysis with evidence, thereby fostering critical thinking and enhancing the reader’s comprehension and appreciation of the subject matter. Through this detailed examination, the essay not only contributes to academic discourse but also aids in developing the writer’s analytical and evaluative skills

Analytical Essay vs. Descriptive Essay: What’s the Difference?

The main difference between an analytical essay and a descriptive essay lies in their purpose and approach to the topic. Each serves a unique goal and employs distinct methods to achieve its objectives.

Importance of Analytical Essay

The aim of analytical essay to start is not to present a story but to analyze and it to make readers understand what the writer intends to accomplish with the essay. Some students who are asked to write an analytical essay tend to tell the readers the next scenario of the story instead of analyzing it. Remember that it is not a narrative essay, rather an essay which is aimed at analyzing the subject.

The importance of analytical essay is to provide readers a more comprehensible understanding of a story or a book by assessing all its important elements. It is a good way of practicing critical thinking by looking at a story from different angles.

How to Conclude an Analytical Essay

The conclusion of any essay, like in an expository essay , is to recap the main point in order for the readers to get a gist of the essay. This process of making a conclusion can also be applied to an analytical essay, except the writer should be able to present two important factors: the analysis and the argument .

• The analysis is the study of the main issue that is presented with its supporting elements, like the plot of the story and the characters.
• The argument is your personal response to the subject and line of reasoning based on the analysis.

How Do You Write a Text Analysis Essay?

To write a text analysis essay, start by reading the text critically to understand its themes, characters, and plot. Develop a thesis that makes a claim about the text, then organize your essay into an introduction, several body paragraphs that support your thesis with evidence from the text, and a conclusion that summarizes your analysis and reiterates the thesis.

What is the Pattern of an Analytical Essay?

The pattern of an analytical essay typically includes an introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs that present evidence and analysis to support the thesis, and a conclusion that summarizes the analysis and reinforces the thesis. Each body paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of the analysis.

Is an Analytical Essay a Persuasive Essay?

An analytical essay is not inherently a persuasive essay, but it can contain persuasive elements. While an analytical essay focuses on breaking down and interpreting information, a persuasive essay aims to convince the reader of a particular viewpoint. However, both may use evidence and reasoning to support their purposes.

What is the Hardest Type of Essay to Write?

The hardest type of essay to write can vary depending on the writer’s skills and interests, but many find persuasive essays challenging due to the need to effectively argue a point of view, using logic, reasoning, and evidence to convince readers to agree with a specific stance.

What is an Analytical vs Descriptive Essay?

An analytical essay breaks down and interprets various aspects of a topic to provide in-depth understanding or argument, focusing on the “how” and “why.” In contrast, a descriptive essay vividly describes a person, place, object, or event, focusing on creating a sensory experience for the reader.

Is an Analytical Essay an Expository Essay?

Yes, an analytical essay can be considered a type of expository essay. Both aim to explain or inform. However, an analytical essay specifically analyzes and interprets elements of a subject to provide deeper insight, while expository essays can also define, explain, or instruct without necessarily analyzing.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Key Steps for Writing an Analytical Essay

Crafting Thesis Statements for Analytical Essays

Analytical Essay Outline: Structure Your Thoughts

Transition Words for Cohesive Analytical Essays

Analyzing Themes: Tips for Analytical Essays

Comparing and Contrasting in Analytical Essays

Using Evidence Effectively in Analytical Essays

Concluding Your Analytical Essay with Impact

Analytical Essay on Historical Events: How-To

Literary Analysis: Dissecting Symbolism in Texts

james daniel hansen, editor

descriptive vs. analytical writing

(This was originally written for and published by the Azusa Pacific University Writing Center.)

My professor said I need to “do more analysis” in my papers. I don’t know what she means. I thought I was analyzing, i.e., giving a detailed examination, but she says my writing has been mostly summaries, or descriptions, of what others have said. What do I need to do?

In the Writing Center, we hear about scenarios like this all the time.

Here’s the theory: College is a liminal space for transitioning people from being “students” to being “scholars.” As students, writers must demonstrate that they have understood the content of a course, lecture, book, etc. Scholars, however, go beyond demonstrating understanding or knowledge and make contributions to the field of knowledge; in other words, students sum up the knowledge of others, while scholars create new knowledge. Typically, high school students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of ideas. Undergraduate students continue to demonstrate understanding, but also begin to make contributions to the field of knowledge. Graduate students, on the other hand, are more often required to make contributions to the field, which requires writers to demonstrate knowledge  by  making new contributions to the field. These distinctions are not always true, but they often give an accurate depiction of expectations placed on writers at various education levels.

Descriptive writing is about facts. Descriptive writing tells readers what happened, provides quotes and paraphrases from experts, summarizes the details of an event or case study, and otherwise gives information. Descriptive writing is exactly as the name implies: descriptive. It is what high school and undergraduate students are most often asked to do.

Analytical writing, on the other hand, takes those facts, quotes, paraphrases, details, etc., and then tells readers  why  any of that information matters. A descriptive writer answers the question, “What?” An analytical writer answers the question, “So what?” What does the evidence  mean ? Why is this quote or that piece of data significant? This is the work expected of graduate students and some undergraduate students.

Dr. Raul Pacheco-Vega  has written previously on the distinctions between descriptive and analytical writing , and he has shared color-coded texts to demonstrate those distinctions. Pay attention to the verbs in his sample below. The green text is descriptive; it summarizes what the writer’s interlocutors said. After providing information, the author analyzes it (the orange text), sharing insights learned from this research, comparing and contrasting previously-cited pieces of information, and explaining the significance of the prior information.

Dr. Pacheco-Vega builds on  Graff and Birkenstein’s  They Say / I Say  paradigm to distinguish between descriptive and analytical writing. Description is about what  they  (other authors, scholars, experts, those we are citing) have to say, and analysis is about what  I  (the writer of this paper) have to say  in response to what they say.  In the sample above, green is  they , orange is  I . The author first describes the data learned during research, then analyzes that data, making connections between pieces of data and sharing insights gained from a close reading of the data.

Often, when professors say something like, “this needs more analysis,” they are looking for you to move beyond summaries or descriptions of what others have to say; they are asking you to make a contribution to the field of knowledge by comparing and contrasting different pieces of evidence; considering the strengths and weaknesses of various arguments; assessing the quality, accuracy, and/or credibility of various pieces or collections of data; and/or answering the question, “why does this quote/paraphrase/piece of information  matter ?”

If you can move from  they say  to  I say , you can do analysis!

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Analytical Essay Writing

A Complete Analytical Essay Writing Guide

11 min read

Published on: Sep 8, 2023

Last updated on: Mar 1, 2024

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The daunting task of writing analytical essays leaves many students feeling frustrated, lost, and unsure of where to start.

Inadequate knowledge of analysis techniques often results in poorly constructed arguments and low grades.

The good news is, we‘ve got a solution for you!

Learn our secret to writing high-scoring analytical essays in this comprehensive guide. Learn the strategies, tips, and tricks that will help you to effectively analyze any topic.

Let’s dive deeper into our guide to help you learn better!

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What is an Analytical Essay?

An analytical essay is a form of academic writing that require students to thoroughly explore a subject, critically examine it, and offer insightful interpretations. This type of writing relies on evidence and logical reasoning to provide a comprehensive analysis.

It goes beyond summarizing information or expressing personal opinions. Instead, an analytical essay demands a thorough analysis and evaluation of the topic, enabling readers to gain a deeper understanding.

The Purpose of Writing an Analytical Essay

Writing an analytical essay serves multiple purposes. Let's explore why this form of writing is valuable and what it aims to achieve:

• Critical Thinking Development: An analytical essay helps to develop critical thinking skills by encouraging students to analyze information.
• In-depth Understanding: By engaging in analytical writing, students gain a deeper comprehension of the subject matter. They explore complex concepts, examine underlying themes, and uncover hidden meanings.
• Effective Communication: Analytical essays sharpen students' ability to communicate their thoughts and ideas clearly. Through careful analysis, they learn how to articulate their arguments in a coherent and compelling manner.
• Evidence-Based Analysis: One of the primary objectives of an analytical essay is to support arguments with credible evidence. Students learn how to research information and incorporate it effectively into their writing. 

How to Structure an Analytical Essay?

An analytical essay follows a specific structure to ensure a logical flow of ideas and effective communication of your analysis. In terms of paragraphs, an analytical essay can mostly follow a 5 paragraph essay structure. 

Let's explore the typical analytical essay format:

Remember to maintain a clear and logical progression throughout your essay. Use topic sentences and transitions to ensure coherence within each paragraph and between sections. 

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

How to Write an Analytical Essay in 5 Steps?

Writing an analytical essay may seem daunting, but by breaking it down into steps, you can approach it with confidence.  Here's are detailed steps to help you write an analytical essay:

Step 1: Understand the Prompt and Gather Information

This is the first step while writing any essay. Take time to:

• Carefully read and understand the essay prompt or question.
• Identify key terms, instructions, and the scope of analysis required.
• Conduct thorough research on the topic, gathering relevant information, and sources.

Example: For an essay prompt asking you to analyze the impact of technology on society, you'd carefully read the prompt, identify key terms like " impact " and " society ," and conduct research using reputable sources to gather information on various aspects of this topic.

Step 2: Craft a Strong Thesis Statement

Plan your thesis statement with the help of these steps:

• Develop a clear and concise thesis statement that encapsulates your main argument or analysis.
• Ensure your thesis is specific, debatable, and provides a roadmap for your essay.

Example: If your analysis focuses on the negative effects of technology on social interactions, your thesis might be: "While technology enhances communication, its pervasive use has led to a decline in face-to-face interactions, impacting social relationships negatively."

Analytical Essay Types

Analytical essays come in different types, each with its unique focus and approach. Let's explore some of the common types of analytical essays:

• Literary Analysis Essays: These essays analyze literary works such as novels, short stories, poems, or plays. The focus is on examining themes, characters, literary devices, symbolism, and the overall impact of the author's writing style.
• Rhetorical Analysis Essays: In these essays, the writer analyzes how authors or speakers use rhetorical techniques to persuade their audience. This includes examining elements such as the use of ethos, pathos, logos, tone, and various rhetorical devices.
• Critical Analysis Essays: Critical analysis essays evaluate a specific piece of work, such as an article or a scholarly paper. The goal is to assess the strengths and weaknesses, analyze the author's arguments, and provide an informed evaluation.

Step 3: Plan and Outline Your Essay

Planning an essay is the most crucial step while writing. Here are a few steps to help you outline your essay.

• Organize your thoughts and create an outline that highlights the main points you want to cover.
• Arrange your ideas logically, ensuring a smooth flow from one point to the next.
• Create a separate paragraph for each main idea or argument you plan to discuss. For a detailed discussion on structuring your essay check out our analytical essay outline blog.

Example: Create an outline with main points like the introduction (hook, thesis, background information), body paragraphs (negative impact on face-to-face interactions, examples, and analysis), and conclusion (summary, restating thesis, closing statement).

Step 4: Write the Essay

Ensure that you follow these steps while writing the essay!

• Start with an engaging introduction that hooks the reader and introduces your topic and thesis statement.
• In the body paragraphs, present your arguments, your arguments should support the thesis statement and present each argument with evidence and analysis.
• Analyze the evidence, explaining its significance and how it relates to your thesis.
• Use topic sentences, transitions, and cohesive language to maintain clarity and coherence.
• Address counterarguments, if applicable, and refute them with strong reasoning and evidence.
• Conclude your essay by summarizing your main points, restating the thesis, and providing a thoughtful closing statement.

Example: In the introduction, you might start with a compelling anecdote about people engrossed in their devices. Body paragraphs would dive into specific examples, such as decreased family dinner conversations or fewer in-person gatherings. Use evidence like studies or statistics to support your analysis.

Step 5: Revise and Edit

Follow these steps to revise your essay:

• Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and logical flow.
• Check for grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors.
• Ensure that your analysis is well-supported by evidence and that your arguments are persuasive.
• Seek feedback from peers, professors, or writing centers to get additional perspectives and improve your essay.

Analytical Essay Examples

Following are some of the analytical essay examples that will assist you in writing strong essays. 

Here are some more analytical essay example pdf for you: 

Analytical Essay Outline Example

Analytical Essay Writing Template

Swot Analysis Essay Writing

Check out ' Analytical Essay Examples ' blog for more sample analytical essays for inspiration!

Analytical Essay Topics

Choosing an interesting theme or specific topic for your essay is essential. If you want readers to read and enjoy your work, make sure that you select an exciting analytical essay topic. 

Following is the list of some engaging topics for more ideas check out our analytical essay topics blog.

Analytical Essay Topics About Psychology

• Explore the Influence of Childhood Experiences on Adult Attachment Styles
• Examine the Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: Patterns and Trends
• Investigate the Psychological Effects of Color in Marketing and Advertising
• Evaluate the Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Cognitive Function
• Analyze the Psychological Factors Contributing to Procrastination
• Examine Personality Types and Coping Mechanisms in Stress
• Study the Impact of Parental Involvement on Academic Achievement
• Investigate the Role of Genetics and Environment in Anxiety Disorders Development
• Analyze the Influence of Music on Mood and Emotional Well-being
• Explore the Psychology of Decision-Making: Cognitive Biases and Rational Thinking

Analytical Essay Topics About Pop Culture

• Examine the Impact of Social Media on Shaping Modern Pop Culture Trends
• Explore the Cultural Significance of Memes in Shaping Online Discourse
• Investigate the Influence of Celebrity Endorsements on Consumer Behavior
• Evaluate the Evolution of Gender Representation in Popular Music Videos
• Analyze the Cultural Implications of Streaming Services on Traditional Media
• Study the Role of Fashion Influencers in Defining Contemporary Style Norms
• Examine the Intersection of Pop Culture and Political Activism in the Digital Age
• Explore the Phenomenon of Fandoms and Their Influence on Popular Culture
• Evaluate the Role of Fan Fiction as a Primary Source in Pop Culture Analysis
• Investigate the Impact of Virtual Influencers on Beauty Standards and Consumer Behavior

Analytical Essay Topics About Art and History 

• Examine the Symbolism and Cultural Context in Renaissance Artworks
• Investigate the Role of Political Propaganda in Art During the Cold War
• Analyze the Evolution of Portraiture in Different Art Movements
• Explore the Impact of Colonialism on Indigenous Art and Cultural Expression
• Study the Use of Religious Themes in Baroque Art and Its Social Commentary
• Evaluate the Influence of Art on Historical Memory and Collective Identity
• Analyze the Intersection of Art and Technology in Contemporary Installations
• Examine the Cultural Appropriation Debate in Modern Art Practices
• Analyze the Depiction of Historical Events in 19th Century Landscape Paintings
• Explore the Influence of Ancient Egyptian Art on Contemporary Design and Imagery

In conclusion, writing an analytical essay requires a thoughtful approach, attention to detail, and a strong grasp of critical thinking.

By implementing these strategies, you will not only engage your readers but also demonstrate your ability to analyze complex subjects, evaluate evidence, and present well-reasoned arguments.

Need a helping hand? Our Essay Writer AI will craft a custom essay tailored to your needs. 

However, if you are looking for professional help, let our essay helper deliver top quality essays.

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What is the purpose of an analytical essay?

An analytical essay is less broad than a summary, but it explores an idea or process in greater depth. The writing of an analytic piece involves critical thinking about some literary text to increase understanding.

What is included in an analytical essay?

Here are some main things that you should include in your analytical essay. 

• Thesis statement 
• Analysis of the topic 
• Strong evidence to support the analysis 

Analytical Essay vs. Descriptive Essay: What’s the Difference?

An analytical essay involves dissecting and interpreting a subject and presenting arguments and evidence from a specific perspective. It requires critical thinking. A descriptive essay , on the other hand, aims to vividly portray a topic through sensory details, painting a clear picture without necessarily offering a deep analysis. Analytical essays explore, interpret, and argue, while descriptive essays focus on creating a sensory experience for the reader.

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The 4 Different Types of Essays

Let’s face it. At some point in your life, you will be required to write an essay — whether for a school homework, college standardized tests or even for work-related purposes.

There are several basic types of essays to choose from, the most common are expository, narrative, persuasive and analytical. Which one you choose really depends on your objectives. We'll explore each type in depth, and offer recommendations on the typical word counts for each essay type.

Expository Essay

An expository essay gives a brief explanation of an issue, idea or theme. Purdue OWL expands on this, offering some common requirements in step form: investigation of an idea, evaluation of evidence, a systematic and detailed explanation of the idea, and a clear and concise statement of an argument about the idea.

Because brevity is required for this type of essay, the recommended length is around 500-800 words.

In order to be effective, an expository essay should possess:

• A clear-cut thesis statement, research question, or statement of intent
• A no-frills approach to answering the question or addressing your thesis - factual evidence to support your claim or position
• Conciseness

The first paragraph of an expository essay should be the shortest since it only seeks to briefly yet clearly state your thesis, research question, or intent. A maximum of 200 words should suffice.

Now, the succeeding paragraphs will be VERY crucial because they should contain all the necessary details to support your thesis statement. That means they would require a bigger chunk of your word count. But remember to still keep them succinct — no- frills, factual, and straightforward.

Finally, the last paragraph will serve as your conclusion to tie it all together. Emphasize your point but don’t dwell on it too much.

Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is all about the storytelling of real-life experiences. This essay type usually relays a personal or experiential account and uses a first-person point-of-view. Any story requires a beginning, middle and end — a narrative essay should be structured in the same way.

According to Essay Info a narrative essay possesses the following qualities:

• It is usually written with a first-person point-of-view
• It contains vivid imagery and sensory details
• It has all the essential elements of a story (i.e. plot, theme, character, setting, style, tone, etc.)

Because descriptive and evocative language is needed for this type of essay, around 1,000 words may be required at the least in order to tell a full-bodied story. Think of a narrative essay as a short version of a novel — each paragraph represents a “chapter” in the story.

Make your essay riveting by adding anecdotes or dialogues into the narrative. Most importantly, end your essay with a conclusion or a personal statement — a takeaway will make your story more memorable to the reader.

Persuasive Essay

A persuasive essay (also referred to as an argumentative essay) makes use of logical reasoning to influence the reader to adopt the writer’s point of view. This essay type works harder compared to other essay types because the writer needs to convince the reader to espouse his position. In order to be eloquent and convincing, a definitive rationale or argument is imperative.

The qualities of a persuasive essay include:

• Factual evidence
• Valid reasoning
• Sustaining the reader’s interest
• A natural progression from one idea to the next - a forceful and convincing conclusion

To create a compelling argument, Scribbr advises an essay length of about 2,500 words . Anything under 2,000 words may be construed as “under-explaining” your point. However, your essay should go beyond just meeting the required length. Your writing should still be concise, on-point and progressive. Avoid fluff or fillers because they will only digress from the topic and may discredit your argument altogether.

Scribbr also provides some useful tips on how to structure paragraphs. It is important for paragraphs “to support a single claim or idea that helps establish the overall argument or purpose of the paper.”

To be able to achieve this, having a topic sentence for every paragraph will be helpful. However, the core of a persuasive essay is its ability to provide substantial evidence to support one’s argument. Additionally, the use of transitional devices will make your sentences more coherent and cohesive.

Analytical Essay

An analytical essay requires the presentation of an argument or claim by breaking down and examining the core components of an issue, idea, or works of art such as films, books, paintings, etc.

Some of its characteristics include:

• An introduction and presentation of argument to highlight the text in the literary work which you will be deliberating about
• An analysis of said text which should be relevant to your argument as well as your own take on whether the author’s goals were met or not supported by examples
• A personal response to demonstrate your in-depth comprehension of the text in formulating your opinion — whether positive or negative

A literary analysis essay can be from 500-700 words. For as long as it covers all the principal points, it need not be lengthy. However, the bulk of your essay should concentrate on the analysis of the text.

Bucks Community College elaborates on these three principles to help you write an essay that has “tight organization and control.”

• Your writing “must stick with great determination to the specific point of development”
• Your essay should have a central idea or thesis that will dictate its development
• Your writing should be systematic and organized such that every paragraph aids the reader to have a deeper understanding of your central idea

Here are some other helpful tips to guide you through writing an analytical essay:

• Always write in the present tense
• Avoid using contractions and informal language or colloquialisms
• Avoid writing in the first person
• Analyze, don’t retell the story
• Be critical — your personal response need not be positive

Now that you have a clearer idea of the different types of essays and how to go about each of them, it’s time to start writing one. Make sure to use our word counter to keep it succinct.

How to Write Essay Titles and Headers

Don’t overlook the title and section headers when putting together your next writing assignment. Follow these pointers for keeping your writing organized and effective.

101 Standout Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

Need a topic for your upcoming argumentative essay? We've got 100 helpful prompts to help you get kickstarted on your next writing assignment.

Writing a Standout College Admissions Essay

Your personal statement is arguably the most important part of your college application. Follow these guidelines for an exceptional admissions essay.

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4 The difference between descriptive and critical writing

It is important that you understand the difference between descriptive writing and adopting a critical stance, and are able to show clear evidence of your understanding in your writing. Table 2 provides some examples of this.

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Difference between Analytical Writing and Critical Writing

I have been spending time online since yesterday trying to understand the difference between analytical summary writing and critical writing. I intend to write an analytical summary essay on the topic of gender bias in academia after going through multiple sources (e.g: two academic research papers, a magazine article and a statistical report).

However, I am getting confused on certain points of analytical writing. Other than a lot of websites that I referred to understand the approach (e.g: this ), I also read some examples of analytical writing, such as this . It seems that the most of the websites/examples suggest adding a thesis in the introduction -- the topic/statement that will be supported in the following paragraphs. However, as in the example above, the thesis seems to stem out of author's own opinions and judgment of the analysed work and doesn't seem to be objective. Isn't it the same in the case of critical writing as well where the writer needs to form opinions and provide evidences to prove their point. What difference then does it leave between analytical and a critical essay?

Am I correct to think that the writer should not form their own opinion, rather extract the hidden meaning from the readings to come up with a thesis? On the other hand, in case of an academic article where the author provides general-specific-general flow and accurate methodology of experiments, if I am not to critique, what shall I specify in the analytical essay that is not evident to the readers of the original academic articles?

• academic-writing
• text-analysis

• Who do you write this for, and why don't you ask them about their expectations? If this is not homework, what is your intention with this essay? –  user5645 Commented Jun 12, 2015 at 7:32
• @what I'm a non-native English speaker and a prospective graduate student following a book on academic writing in which this topic came up, albeit mentioned very briefly in the chapter on summaries. I intend to do it as a personal exercise in case such a writing comes up in future (as my online search suggest that such a writing is very common for graduate students). However, there's not much mentioned beyond instruction of writing an analytical summary essay and so I thought it'd be good to know of the commonly followed method of writing such an essay. –  Cipher Commented Jun 12, 2015 at 7:57

I would not worry about the difference. Every teacher will have a different definition of what analytical writing is and therefore different expectations of what their students should hand in. For an exercise, I would simply take any of the instructions you found and follow that one. If you want you can do different ones and see how the different instructions work for you and how they lead to different outcomes, all of them valid.

In "professional" academic writing, analytical writing is usually a part of a larger work. For example, a doctoral dissertation starts out with a review of the relevant literature that summarizes the findings of other researchers in the same area and explains how they lay the groundwork for your own research or how your research can improve upon them. A meta analysis does the same, except that it restricts itself to the review and does not continue to describe your own theories or research. Finally, any research article begins with a selective review of the relevant literature (this is part of the "introduction") and deduces hypotheses for your own research from this.

So if you want to see how analytic writing is done beyond homework exercises, any scholarly literature in your field should provide examples. You will soon realize, that there are conventions that everyone follows, but that there are also a wide spectrum of how these conventions are followed or deviations from them.

Take this exercise not as something you learn once and then know forever, but as a first step in building a habit of reading critically, taking concise notes, and writing down what you found in differing formats and for different purposes. There is no one correct format for analytical writing, but there is a correct way to approach this task. Learn this approach. There are a host of books that explain how to write for science. Pick up a few from your local library (don't buy any, you'll soon grow beyond them) and try to apply their recommendations.

As for your more specific question, their answer will depend on the circumstances of your writing, such as allowed maximum length, amount of sources found, is it a single article review or a meta analysis of everything relevant, and so on. Try different things and see how they work out for you. Studying is not about being perfect (althought that's easy to forget when you get marks for every comma you forget), but about trying out things and learning in the process.

• Thanks a lot for the answer. Helps a lot. Would you also be able to add a few links to some meta-analysis papers I could refer to for understanding the kind of language/style/organization/tone/etc. they follow? For e.g. Do they question author's methods, assumptions or add their own conclusions or suggestions etc.? To begin with this exercise, I intend to go more on the lines of meta-analysis review (around 2 pages length after reading 2 academic research papers, 1 magazine article, 1 statistical govt. report) –  Cipher Commented Jun 12, 2015 at 8:53
• Use Google Scholar to locate sources in your field. If you use it from inside the network of your institution, you might have access to more papers, because your institution might have bought that access. Search for something like "[your field] meta analysis". All the writing I mentioned does criticise the writings they review. For example, they might mention that the methodology was deficient. Just make sure you are respectful in your critique. Always assume that mistakes are not deliberate and consider that there might be differing but equally valid theoretical viewpoints. –  user5645 Commented Jun 12, 2015 at 9:13

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Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between a narrative essay and a descriptive essay.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

Frequently asked questions: Writing an essay

For a stronger conclusion paragraph, avoid including:

• Important evidence or analysis that wasn’t mentioned in the main body
• Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
• Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

Your essay’s conclusion should contain:

• A rephrased version of your overall thesis
• A brief review of the key points you made in the main body
• An indication of why your argument matters

The conclusion may also reflect on the broader implications of your argument, showing how your ideas could applied to other contexts or debates.

The conclusion paragraph of an essay is usually shorter than the introduction . As a rule, it shouldn’t take up more than 10–15% of the text.

An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.

To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

Let’s say you’re writing a five-paragraph  essay about the environmental impacts of dietary choices. Here are three examples of topic sentences you could use for each of the three body paragraphs :

• Research has shown that the meat industry has severe environmental impacts.
• However, many plant-based foods are also produced in environmentally damaging ways.
• It’s important to consider not only what type of diet we eat, but where our food comes from and how it is produced.

Each of these sentences expresses one main idea – by listing them in order, we can see the overall structure of the essay at a glance. Each paragraph will expand on the topic sentence with relevant detail, evidence, and arguments.

The topic sentence usually comes at the very start of the paragraph .

However, sometimes you might start with a transition sentence to summarize what was discussed in previous paragraphs, followed by the topic sentence that expresses the focus of the current paragraph.

Topic sentences help keep your writing focused and guide the reader through your argument.

In an essay or paper , each paragraph should focus on a single idea. By stating the main idea in the topic sentence, you clarify what the paragraph is about for both yourself and your reader.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.

Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:

• In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
• In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
• In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory

At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.

Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”

In rhetorical analysis , a claim is something the author wants the audience to believe. A support is the evidence or appeal they use to convince the reader to believe the claim. A warrant is the (often implicit) assumption that links the support with the claim.

Logos appeals to the audience’s reason, building up logical arguments . Ethos appeals to the speaker’s status or authority, making the audience more likely to trust them. Pathos appeals to the emotions, trying to make the audience feel angry or sympathetic, for example.

Collectively, these three appeals are sometimes called the rhetorical triangle . They are central to rhetorical analysis , though a piece of rhetoric might not necessarily use all of them.

The term “text” in a rhetorical analysis essay refers to whatever object you’re analyzing. It’s frequently a piece of writing or a speech, but it doesn’t have to be. For example, you could also treat an advertisement or political cartoon as a text.

The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to explain the effect a piece of writing or oratory has on its audience, how successful it is, and the devices and appeals it uses to achieve its goals.

Unlike a standard argumentative essay , it’s less about taking a position on the arguments presented, and more about exploring how they are constructed.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

• The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
• The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

Your subjects might be very different or quite similar, but it’s important that there be meaningful grounds for comparison . You can probably describe many differences between a cat and a bicycle, but there isn’t really any connection between them to justify the comparison.

You’ll have to write a thesis statement explaining the central point you want to make in your essay , so be sure to know in advance what connects your subjects and makes them worth comparing.

Some essay prompts include the keywords “compare” and/or “contrast.” In these cases, an essay structured around comparing and contrasting is the appropriate response.

Comparing and contrasting is also a useful approach in all kinds of academic writing : You might compare different studies in a literature review , weigh up different arguments in an argumentative essay , or consider different theoretical approaches in a theoretical framework .

If you’re not given a specific prompt for your descriptive essay , think about places and objects you know well, that you can think of interesting ways to describe, or that have strong personal significance for you.

The best kind of object for a descriptive essay is one specific enough that you can describe its particular features in detail—don’t choose something too vague or general.

If you’re not given much guidance on what your narrative essay should be about, consider the context and scope of the assignment. What kind of story is relevant, interesting, and possible to tell within the word count?

The best kind of story for a narrative essay is one you can use to reflect on a particular theme or lesson, or that takes a surprising turn somewhere along the way.

Don’t worry too much if your topic seems unoriginal. The point of a narrative essay is how you tell the story and the point you make with it, not the subject of the story itself.

Narrative essays are usually assigned as writing exercises at high school or in university composition classes. They may also form part of a university application.

When you are prompted to tell a story about your own life or experiences, a narrative essay is usually the right response.

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

An expository essay is a common assignment in high-school and university composition classes. It might be assigned as coursework, in class, or as part of an exam.

Sometimes you might not be told explicitly to write an expository essay. Look out for prompts containing keywords like “explain” and “define.” An expository essay is usually the right response to these prompts.

An expository essay is a broad form that varies in length according to the scope of the assignment.

Expository essays are often assigned as a writing exercise or as part of an exam, in which case a five-paragraph essay of around 800 words may be appropriate.

You’ll usually be given guidelines regarding length; if you’re not sure, ask.

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• Motivation letters
• Reflection papers
• Journal articles
• Capstone projects

Scribbr’s Plagiarism Checker is powered by elements of Turnitin’s Similarity Checker , namely the plagiarism detection software and the Internet Archive and Premium Scholarly Publications content databases .

The add-on AI detector is powered by Scribbr’s proprietary software.

The Scribbr Citation Generator is developed using the open-source Citation Style Language (CSL) project and Frank Bennett’s citeproc-js . It’s the same technology used by dozens of other popular citation tools, including Mendeley and Zotero.

You can find all the citation styles and locales used in the Scribbr Citation Generator in our publicly accessible repository on Github .

The Difference between an Essay and an Analysis

Every day, while you're watching television or driving your car or reading a book, you are analyzing what is in front of you. While that analysis may include complex internal discussions or just passing thoughts, your brain is endlessly analyzing your world.

Essays are short, informative pieces of writing that focus on a specific, chosen topic that comes in four traditional forms. An expository essay requires no real written analysis, just a presentation of facts or positions on that topic. Descriptive essays only require that a writer paint a picture using words that puts a reader inside the scene as if they're experiencing it themselves. A narrative essay tells a story of a personal experience, and an analysis of what the writer learned from that experience may be included. A persuasive essay requires that a writer make arguments that support their point and includes the writer's analysis of those points to reach a conclusion.

An analysis requires an examination that deconstructs something in order to draw conclusions and make decisions. For instance, your brain analyzes the signs and traffic at a four-way stop to determine how to proceed when driving your car. Watching a television show requires your brain to analyze what you are seeing and reach a conclusion about it by making references to what you already know about the story. In both instances, even without thinking too hard about it, you are taking apart the information or experience in front of you to reach a conclusion.

A written analysis requires a writer to look at many different pieces of information available on a topic to form conclusions about it. The writer's thoughts on a topic are broken down into separate points to explain their reasoning and the conclusion is based on the synthesis of all of those separate points to explain how they work together to prove a writer's main point.

So, What's the Difference?

The difference is simply in the definition. An analysis can be performed and expressed verbally, through the decisions you make, or through writing. Analyzing information requires breaking down a topic to see how it works and then drawing a conclusion about it. Not all the essays you write will include an analysis.

An essay, on the other hand, will always require writing. Writing an essay may include forming an analysis of the information in front of you, but it may also require that you simply compile the information in order to present it in an organized structure.