Analytical Writing in 3 Simple Steps

Writing with Andrew

31 Oct 202212:32

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video script offers a straightforward guide to analytical writing, emphasizing the importance of breaking down subjects into individual components and explaining their roles. It illustrates the process through the example of a pen, highlighting the need for specificity, significance, and validation in analysis. The speaker encourages viewers to focus on details that contribute to the overall purpose and to explain their thought process clearly.

Takeaways

📚 Analysis is a common type of analytical writing that requires focused attention to detail rather than collecting information from various sources.
🔍 The process of analysis involves breaking down an object into its individual parts and explaining the role each piece plays in contributing to its overall purpose.
📝 The script uses the example of a pen to illustrate how to identify and explain the function of each part in contributing to the pen's purpose of writing.
🤔 Analysis begins with answering three key questions: 'What', 'So What', and 'How Do You Know', which guide the analytical process.
🔑 The 'What' question is about documenting the individual pieces of the object being analyzed, requiring specificity and attention to detail.
📐 The 'So What' question involves explaining the significance of the identified details and how they contribute to the object's overall purpose.
🔬 The 'How Do You Know' question is about validating the analysis by showing the logical steps taken to interpret the details and explaining the thought process.
📈 Focusing on significant details is crucial; not every detail needs to be discussed, but those that contribute most to the object's purpose should be highlighted.
📚 The script emphasizes that analysis is not just about identifying details but also about explaining how these details work and their contribution to the whole.
🎨 The example of a poem's rhythm and its connection to nursery rhymes is used to demonstrate how to answer the 'So What' question by explaining the effect on the reader.
📝 The final takeaway is that analysis, even for advanced academic work like a PhD, is about answering these three questions effectively, regardless of the order.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the provided video script?
-The main focus of the video script is to explain the process of analytical writing, specifically how to perform analysis by answering three key questions: what, so what, and how do you know.
What is the primary goal of analysis in writing according to the script?
-The primary goal of analysis in writing is to explain how something works by breaking it down into its individual parts and explaining the role each piece plays in contributing to the object's overall purpose.
What are the three key questions that need to be answered in an analytical paper?
-The three key questions are: what are the individual pieces of the thing being analyzed, so what is the significance of these details, and how do you know that your analysis is valid.
Why is it important to be specific when identifying details in an analysis?
-Being specific is important because it provides more convincing evidence for the analysis, allowing the reader to understand the actual details and how they contribute to the overall argument or explanation.
What is an example given in the script to illustrate the process of breaking down an object for analysis?
-The example given is a pen, which is broken down into its components such as the barrel, cap, nib, grip, and converter, and then explaining how each part contributes to the pen's purpose of writing.
What should an analyst do after identifying specific details in their analysis?
-After identifying specific details, an analyst should explain the significance of those details to their readers, showing how they contribute to the object's overall purpose.
How does the script suggest showing the validity of an analysis to the readers?
-The script suggests showing the validity of an analysis by explaining the logical steps taken to interpret the details, essentially 'showing your work' to the readers so they can follow the thought process.
What is the importance of explaining the thought process in an analysis?
-Explaining the thought process is important because it helps the readers understand how the analyst arrived at their conclusions, making the analysis more transparent and convincing.
Can the order of the three key questions be changed in an analytical paragraph?
-Yes, the order of the three key questions can be changed in an analytical paragraph as long as all the pieces are present and the analysis is clear and coherent.
What is the purpose of the 'how do you know' step in the analysis process?
-The 'how do you know' step is to establish the credibility of the analysis by showing the readers the source of the knowledge and the reasoning behind the conclusions drawn from the analysis.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Analytical Writing

The paragraph introduces the concept of analytical writing, emphasizing its commonality in academic settings. It explains that analysis requires a different approach than research writing, focusing on deep and detailed examination of a single subject. The speaker aims to guide the audience through the process of writing an analytical paper by addressing three fundamental questions: 'What', 'So what', and 'How do you know'. The goal of analysis is to break down an object into its parts and explain how each contributes to its overall function, using the example of a pen to illustrate this process.

05:01

🔍 The Art of Detail in Analysis

This paragraph delves into the importance of identifying and articulating specific details in analytical writing. It stresses the need for precision and thoroughness when documenting the individual components of the subject under analysis. The speaker advises against listing every detail but rather focusing on significant ones that contribute most to the object's purpose. The paragraph also discusses the importance of explaining the significance of these details, using the example of an author's word choice to demonstrate how to answer the 'So what' question effectively.

10:01

📘 Validating Analysis: Show Your Work

The final paragraph discusses the necessity of validating one's analysis by showing the logical steps taken to interpret the details. It emphasizes the need for transparency in the thought process to ensure the audience understands and trusts the analysis. The speaker uses the example of a poem's rhythm to illustrate how to answer the 'How do you know' question, making the implicit explicit for the reader. The paragraph concludes with an encouragement to be explicit in one's reasoning, even if it seems obvious, to ensure clarity and understanding for the audience.

🎓 Real-World Application of Analysis

In this paragraph, the speaker provides a real-life example of academic analysis from their own experience as a PhD candidate. The example demonstrates how to answer the three key questions within a paragraph, focusing on the analysis of a video to explain the creator's persona. The speaker reminds the audience that answering these questions is essential in every paragraph of an analytical paper, and that the order of answering can vary. The paragraph serves as a practical illustration of the analytical process discussed throughout the script.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Analytical Writing

Analytical writing is a form of academic writing that involves the critical examination of a subject matter. In the context of the video, it refers to the process of breaking down a subject into its components to understand how it functions or operates. The script mentions various types of analysis like rhetorical analysis and literary analysis, emphasizing the importance of focused attention to detail rather than collecting information from multiple sources.

💡Rhetorical Analysis

Rhetorical analysis is a method of analyzing the persuasive techniques used by an author or speaker. The video script refers to this as a type of analysis, suggesting that understanding how an author uses language to influence an audience is a key part of the analytical process. It is mentioned in the context of explaining how details contribute to the overall persuasive purpose of a text.

💡Literary Analysis

Literary analysis involves the detailed examination of a literary work to understand its meaning, significance, and structure. The script uses this term to illustrate that even though literary texts can be complex, the basic process of analysis remains the same, requiring the identification and explanation of the work's components and their contribution to the overall message.

💡Focused Attention

Focused attention in the script refers to the concentration on a single subject or text required for analysis, as opposed to the broader research that might involve gathering information from various sources. The video emphasizes that this kind of attention to detail is crucial for an in-depth understanding of the subject matter being analyzed.

💡Significant Details

Significant details are the particular aspects of a subject that are most important for understanding its overall function or message. The video script stresses the importance of identifying these details and explains that they should contribute to the object's purpose. For example, when analyzing a pen, the focus would be on parts that enable writing, rather than decorative elements.

💡Patterns

In the context of the video, patterns refer to consistent elements or techniques used by a creator or author. Identifying these patterns can help in pinpointing significant details for analysis. The script suggests that patterns, or deviations from them, can indicate important aspects of a subject that contribute to its overall purpose.

💡Purpose

The purpose in analysis is the intended function or goal of the subject being analyzed. The video script explains that every detail identified should contribute to understanding this purpose. Whether analyzing a pen or a poem, the aim is to explain how each part works towards achieving the overall objective.

💡Ethos

Ethos in the script refers to the persona or character that a creator or author projects to their audience. It is part of the rhetorical strategy used to establish credibility and trust. The video gives an example of analyzing a 'Physics Girl' video to understand how the creator communicates her ethos to the audience.

💡Nostalgic Tone

A nostalgic tone is a sentiment that evokes memories of the past. The video script uses the example of a poem's rhythm being reminiscent of nursery rhymes to illustrate how certain details can contribute to a nostalgic tone, thereby enhancing the emotional impact of the poem.

💡Thought Process

The thought process in the context of the video refers to the logical steps an analyst takes to interpret the details of a subject. It is important to make this process explicit to the reader to demonstrate the validity of the analysis. The script suggests that showing your work, as you would in a math problem, helps the reader understand how conclusions are reached.

💡Validity

Validity in the script pertains to the soundness of an analysis. It is crucial for the reader to trust the analyst's interpretation of the subject. The video emphasizes the need to demonstrate how the analysis is valid, by explaining the logical reasoning behind the conclusions drawn from the details observed.

Highlights

Introduction to the concept of analytical writing and its importance in academic settings.

Explanation of the difference between analytical writing and research writing.

The three fundamental questions that guide the process of analysis.

The definition of analysis as explaining how something works by breaking it down into its parts.

The example of a pen to illustrate the basic process of analysis.

Importance of focusing on the most significant details in the object of analysis.

The necessity of being specific and thorough when identifying details in analysis.

The role of patterns and unusual elements in identifying significant details.

How to answer the 'so what' question by explaining the significance of details.

The importance of showing how details contribute to the object's overall purpose.

Differentiating between merely pointing out details and explaining their function.

The process of answering the 'how do you know' question to validate the analysis.

Showing work and thought process to make the analysis convincing to readers.

The adaptability of the three questions in different orders within paragraphs.

Real-life example of academic analysis from a PhD candidate's work.

Demonstration of how the three questions are answered in a practical analytical paragraph.

Encouragement to engage with the content and ask questions for further assistance.

Final thoughts on the simplicity of analysis once the three questions are understood.

Transcripts

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