A comprehensive Guide on how to write an analytical essay

Analytical essays are applied in different fields to explore the symbolic and deeper meaning of a written piece or a book. In an academic setting, these essays help assess students’ understanding of a subject or a topic. The process of writing an analytical essay improves their critical thinking skills, and ability to have different perspectives. It also improves students’ writing skills which are essential throughout their course. In this blog, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide on writing a strong and conclusive analytical essay. Keep reading for more insights and tips from our professional writing experts.

 

What is an analytical essay?

An analytical essay involves an in-depth examination of a subject, a film, a book, or a concept. This involves poring over the different perspectives of the topic, and analysing the arguments and evidence keenly to express key points and a strong conclusion.

Structure and outline of an analytical essay

An analytical essay follows the common essay structure which consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and the conclusion. Discussed below are the elements of each section of an analytical essay outline;

Introduction

The introduction is a crucial part of your essay, it gives the writer a platform to captivate the readers’ attention. It should consist of the following;

• A hook or statement aiming to grab the attention of the audience.
• Background information on the subject matter.
• A thesis statement stating your main idea or position.

Body paragraphs

An analytical essay body usually carries 3-paragraphs each discussing a different point or issue. All your paragraphs should start with a topic sentence that highlights the key point you will be discussing in that particular paragraph. It should then be supported by evidence to back up your point or argument. Body paragraphs should include;

• Paragraph 1

Topic sentence to set the direction of your entire paragraph.

Evidence to back up your main point or argument.

Employ transition phrases to help shift to paragraph 2

• Paragraph 2

Topic sentence to set the direction of your entire paragraph.

Evidence to back up your main point or argument.

Ensure a smooth transition to paragraph 3.

• Paragraph 3

Topic sentence to set the direction of your entire paragraph.

Evidence to back up your main point or argument.

Transition sentence to set up the conclusion.

Conclusion

This is the last section of your essay. It carries a summary of your entire essay. No new ideas or concepts should be included in this section. An analytical essay conclusion consists of the following;

• Restate your thesis statement.
• Summarize your main points.
• End with mind-provoking closing remarks.

 

How to write an analytical essay

Steps to Writing An Analytical Essay

1.      Study and review your research topic 2.      Determine your viewpoint and take a position 3.      Craft your thesis statement 4.      Formulate topic sentences 5.      Design an outline for your paper 6.      Write a draft 7.      Edit, revise and proofread your final  draft

 

 

Step 1:Study and research on your topic

Whether you are analysing a topic, a book, or a film, it is essential to conduct research. If you are analysing a film or a book, review and study it severally, noting down the main points.

Step 2:Determine your viewpoint

Next, establish your viewpoint on the subject matter. Consider whether there is enough information to support your stance.

Step 3:Craft your thesis statement

After establishing your viewpoint, it’s time to craft your thesis statement. The thesis statement is an important part of analytical essay writing. It highlights the main idea or viewpoint that you will be discussing in your essay. Your thesis also sets the direction for your essay and therefore it should be clear and concise.

Step 4:Formulate topic sentences for your body paragraphs

Topic sentences introduce the main argument in every paragraph. Formulate topic sentences for each of your paragraphs. These sentences should be brief and direct to the point. Also, they should link back to your thesis statement.

Step 5:Construct your outline

An outline aids in ensuring your analytical essay has a good flow. Organize your main ideas and how you want them to appear in your essay sections. The outline consists of the introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Remember, a good outline is the gateway to a well-written essay.

Step 6:Write the first draft of your essay

Have you completed all the above steps? It is now time to put down your ideas in writing. Following the outline you created, ensure you incorporate all ideas and evidence you had planned to in your essay.

Ensure your introduction is engaging, begin with a hook that grasps the attention of the reader. Then provide background information on your topic and do not forget to include your thesis statement.

When developing your body paragraphs, ensure each discusses a different main point. The main points should be introduced in the topic sentence. Back up your point with evidence to support your arguments or claims. Make use of transition phrases and words throughout your essay to connect your ideas and to ensure a smooth transition of your body paragraphs.

Wrap up your essay by providing a compelling conclusion. The conclusion is the last part your audience reads, it should therefore seek to leave a lasting impression on your reader.

Step 7:Edit, revise, and proofread your  essay 

This involves the following;

• Read through your essay to ensure that all your points aim to back up your thesis.
• Ensure you have incorporated all your ideas and any other significant details.
• Scan your essay for any grammatical, punctuation, or spelling mistakes.
• Run your essay through a plagiarism checker to ensure it is plagiarism-free.
• Share your essay with your peers or other writers for feedback.

 

 

 

 

Tips on how to write an analytical essay

1.      Understand your assignment instructions. 2.      Review and reread the piece, article or film you are analyzing until you fully understand it. 3.      Analyze your evidence critically, do not summarize. 4.      Acknowledge other perspectives on the topic. 5.      Do not include all your observations from the subject you are examining but instead Select a few main points to include in your essay.

 

 

Summing up

To wrap it all up, an analytical essay assignment can be challenging but with the necessary guidance and skills, it is easy to handle. We hope that this guide equips you with the skills needed to compose a good analytical essay that will earn you good grades.

However, if you still require help with your analytical essay, you can engage our experts for all your assignment help needs. Original content, plagiarism free and high grades are a guarantee at very affordable prices.

 

You can also read our guide on  200 Essay Topic Ideas For Students which is a good source of essay topics regardless of the sort of paper you are required to write. In your coursework you will need to write a lot of essays, and we are here to help  you through that process.

 

Analytical Essay Example

In the next section, we  will look closely at an example of an analytical essay. As discussed in prior sections, an analytical essay involves an in-depth examination of a book, subject, a film, an event, or a concept. In this case, the essay focuses on the concept of employee motivation.

 

 

Process Theories in Employee Motivation

1.Introduction

Employee motivation remains a crucial aspect of organizational productivity, as motivated employees are more likely to be loyal, and to commit to the goals of the firm (Putra, Cho and Liu, 2017).  This therefore makes it important for managers to determine and understand the different ways of motivating employees. Motivation can either be intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation derives from an internal drive such as learning, whereas extrinsic motivation arises from external pressures such as monetary rewards (Chen at al., 2018) (This beginning section puts forward the background information for the analytical essay). This discussion looks into process theories of motivation in light of their ability to motivate employees both intrinsically, and extrinsically.  It is expected that through such evaluation, managers can better understand if, and how employees can be motivated basing on process theory approaches (This statement comprises the thesis statement). That given, the discussion commences with a brief overview on definitions of process theories. In the subsequent sections, the discussion then underlines three process related theories: the expectancy theory, equity theory, and the operant conditioning theory.

• The above introduction section includes background information on the subject matter, an and a thesis statement stating the main idea. The section also gives a brief statement underlining the structure or outline of the analytical essay.
• The next paragraphs below progress swiftly into discussing the specific theories of motivation. As discussed in the guide, each paragraph refers to a specific concern, before a new issue in underlined in each subsequent paragraph

 

2.Process theories of motivation

Process theories of motivation link to how particular behavior is initiated and maintained (Badoni, 2017). (This first sentence illustrates how you create a topic sentence for each paragraph that you write in your analytical essay.) Thus, the theories pay attention to how and why individuals stay motivated(Ibid.). That considered, the major process theories of motivation consist of expectancy theory, operant conditioning, equity theory, and goal theory. These theories are looked into in detail in the next sections.

 

2.1 Equity theory

Equity theory derives from the concept of fairness. Specifically, it is projected that employees will seek to   find a balance between their input at the workplace, and what they receive in return. (Again, in these commencing sentences, we see how to create topic sentences to introduce concepts in the course of writing an analytical essay). In the event that an employee recognizes a high level of equality between the two factors, then their motivation levels become elevated. Contrastingly, a low perception of impartiality will equally translate to lowered motivation of the worker (Biwa, 2017). To illustrate, in an instance where two employees are within the same job category, and bear the same job responsibilities, but a single one of them is paid more, then the person receiving lower   payment will feel discontented. Even   where the troubled employee may have been content with their job at the start, their motivation will decline the moment they gather information concerning their more favored colleague. The implication therefore, is that employees will compare their own input and outcomes to those of their fellow employees. Only where fairness is perceived to exist in both instances, will the employee then feel motivated. This denotes the need for managers to maintain a fair work environment, where each worker is treated in an impartial manner.

• In the previous paragraph (2.1) of this analytical essay example, we see that the main topic discussed was the equity theory of motivation. In the next paragraph (2.2), this analytical essay example proceeds to introduce a new topic, which is the expectancy theory of motivation. Following that, the essay discusses operant conditioning as an additional theory (2.3). As we have mentioned in the guide, it is always important to integrate a new idea in each paragraph. Don’t forget to begin with a topic sentence as we have already highlighted for you in the preceding sections.

 

2.2 Expectancy theory

The expectancy theory of motivation bases on a belief that a certain set of actions will lead to a particular outcome (Lloyd and Mertens, 2018). Where there   is   a particular level of effort therefore, a matching level of performance can be expected (Soyoung and Sungchan, 2017). Thus, in this instance, motivation is expected to occur where there exists a perception of an operational relationship between performance and result, and the result is viewed as   means of fulling needs. As such, a fundamental aspect of this theory in the organizational context is that employees will experience higher levels of motivation where they are presented with something they want, and believe to be satisfying (Lloyd and Mertens, 2018). At the same time however, presenting employees with what they want is not adequate; employees must be made to believe that they possess the   capacity to achieve what they want. For managers to motivate employees basing on the expectancy theory framework therefore, they must present employees with the needed resources (time, and physical resources), create opportunity for employees to build on the appropriate skills, and support employees in getting their work done. Such support may   for example, be provided through bottom-up communication, and management support. To this extent therefore, this process theory of motivation is assumed to be suited for employee motivation.

 

2.3 Operant conditioning

Operant conditioning bases on an assumption that individuals will naturally gravitate towards doing activities for which they will be compensated, and will at the same time, evade actions that may   attract punishment (Zigarmi, Robert and Shuck, 2018). Further, operant conditioning evidences that individual learning emanates from their operation within the environment. Through the learning process therefore, the individual discerns the consequences of their behavior, which in turn, impacts whether they repeat or evade such behavior in future (Black et al., 2019). Operant conditioning thus assumes that learning occurs through three key steps: stimulus, response, and consequence (Asadullah et al., 2019). Stimulus is defined as the perceived event that the individual   then responds to. In this connection, response is the reaction produced by the individual as a result of exposure to the stimuli, and lastly, consequence encompasses the occurrence that arises in relation to the   given response(Ibid.). The consequence will as such, determine whether the response persists in future. Where the response recurs, then   behavioral reinforcement is attained.

 

3.Effectiveness of process motivation theories in employee motivation

In light of the issues identified above, it is evident that process theories can indeed, help organization managers to motivate employees. Even so, some gaps are evident when it comes to process theories of motivation. Specifically, process theories focus on the individual’s internal motivation, rather than groups. This is the case despite the fact that   individuals must work in a group context within organizations. Thus, a gap may arise in relation to positively influencing the motivation requirements of an employee body as a unit.  In addition, the theories assume that individuals possess identical needs, and observe a singular, common process of decision making. In reality however, such needs may largely   vary (Badubi, 2017). With each of the identified process theories therefore, comes an all-inclusive gap in implementation. That given, for managers to effectively   motivate employees, individual process theories need not be applied separately, but in combination with other theories. Similarly, process theories ought to be combined with content theories of motivation. Content theories look into the ‘what’ aspects that motivate employees. Thus, by combining these theories with process theories, managers can achieve more beneficial outcomes on employee motivation.

• Following discussion of the main topics in each of the paragraphs (2., 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 3), this analytical essay draws to a conclusion. In the conclusion   highlighted below, you can see that the essay simply summates concerns already underlined in the prior sections. The conclusion is succinct, and no new information is introduced. As we have emphasized in our guide on analytical essay writing, the conclusion should have no new ideas.

 

4.Conclusion

This essay discusses the significance of process theories of motivation. Process theories evidence that individuals will involve in certain behavior either because they find contentment in it, or because they are avoiding particular unwanted outcomes. The discussion thus evidences that overall; process theories are fit for motivating employees. However, to achieve better outcomes, managers need to combine several theories, and also consider incorporating content motivation theories.

 

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