Writing
The Analytical Paragraph
What is an Analytical Paragraph?
 A paragraph is a written text (roughly 7
– 10 sentences in length) based on the
development of a single idea which may
stand alone or relate to a larger topic
(lengthier essay).
Paragraph + Analysis = Analytical Paragraph
(A written text based on the analysis of a subject)
STRUCTURE
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Topic Sentence
Embedded Text Evidence
Analysis of Text Evidence
Transition
Repeat Steps B & C you should have at
least two pieces of textual evidence to
effectively support your topic sentence
Concluding Sentence
A. TOPIC SENTENCE
The topic sentence establishes a guideline for
what the paragraph is going to be about. You
should address T.A.G. in your topic sentence:
Title, Author, Genre.
Choose which statement you agree with the most:
“John Proctor is a good man.”
or
“John Proctor is not a good man.”
Add T.A.G. to the position to make a complete
topic sentence: In the play, The Crucible, by
Arthur Miller, the character of…
INTRODUCTION OF EVIDENCE
 Introduce the textual evidence you are going
to use by providing context, or a frame of
reference, for the quote.
 This sentence should be the sentence in which
you embed the first piece of textual evidence.
 You could include: who is involved in the
example/quote, why it happened, what is going
on in general, when it all happened (in terms
of the story) and/or where it is all taking place
Introduction of Evidence
 Provide context for your textual evidence in a
way that flows within your paragraph.
 For example:
In the excerpt from Nickel and Dimed: On
(Not) Getting By in America, Barbara
Ehrenreich goes undercover and takes a
minimum wage paying job as a maid, “gloating
internally about [her] ability to keep up with,
and sometimes outwork, women twenty or
thirty years younger than [herself], but it turns
out this comparative advantage says less about
[her] than it does about them” (114).
EVIDENCE
Select direct evidence from the text that
supports your assertion in the topic
sentence and allows for elaboration
(analysis).
Tip: Do NOT over-quote. Use only what is
needed to make the point. Avoid quotes
that simply repeat what you have already
said, that are too complex to support one
idea or don’t have anything to do with the
topic sentence in the first place.
Provide Textual Evidence
 On Part II of your handout, fill in the
Quote #1 blank by creating one
sentence that provides the context for
your textual evidence and includes
the quote itself.
 Don’t forget page numbers!
ANALYSIS (Commentary)
 For each piece of textual evidence, you
need to explain (analyze) how the
evidence supports your topic sentence.
 Your commentary demonstrates your
knowledge and understanding of the
complexities of the selection.
 After the reader reads the commentary,
he/she should have a very clear
understanding of how you related the
textual evidence to the topic sentence.
 NEVER SAY: “In this quote…”
Analysis (Commentary)
 Use snippets of text from your textual evidence to
clarify your analysis.
 Instead of saying:
As a maid, Ehrenreich felt a sense of pride, but it
was insignificant compared to the reality of her
younger co-workers.
 Say:
Ehrenreich felt a sense of pride as she “[gloated]
internally” about her ability to “keep up with” and
“outwork” the younger maids; however, her pride
was overshadowed by a more significant truth
about her co-workers.
Quote #1 Analysis
 On Part II of your handout, fill in
Analysis of Quote #1 by providing
two to three sentences of
commentary.
 Try to use snippets (specific words or
phrases) from Quote #1 to clarify
your analysis. Do not echo!
TRANSITION
 A good analytical paragraph will have at
least two solid examples to support the
main idea and you can’t just slap another
example in after your analysis of the first.
Therefore, you must show the connection
between the previous example and the one
you’re about to provide…
 The TRANSITION to the next quote can be
a word, phrase or complete sentence.
Transition to Quote #2
 You may use transitions such as:
Furthermore…
In addition to…
Later in the play…
Can you think of any other phrases or
words that would work as a transition
in your analytical paragraph?
Transition to Quote #2
 On Part II of your handout, fill in the
Quote #2 blank by creating a
sentence that transitions to your
second quote in a way that provides
the context of the textual evidence
and includes the quote itself.
 CIRCLE your transition on your
handout.
Analysis (Commentary)
On Part II of your handout, fill in
Analysis of Quote #2 using two to three
sentences of commentary.
Try to use snippets (specific words or
phrases) from Quote #2 to clarify your
analysis. Do not echo!
CONCLUDING SENTENCE
 Wrap-up your paragraph in one sentence
by summarizing the position you took and
supported in your paragraph.
 Do not simply restate your topic sentence!
Example:
Based on the experience that Barbara
Ehrenreich describes, it is evident that the
“American Dream” is no longer accessible to
all people and that “hard work” doesn’t always
pay off.
Conclude your paragraph
 On Part II of your handout, fill in the
Concluding Sentence blank with a
statement that reiterates your
position on John Proctor’s character.
 DO NOT restate the topic sentence!
Good job!
If you carefully followed the steps in the
previous slides, you should have an
effective analytical paragraph.
Go through this same process to
respond to all of the prompts on your
semester exam, and you should pass
with flying colors!!!