critical analysis writing vocabulary

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument . Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

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Academic Phrasebank

Being critical.

• GENERAL LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS
• Being cautious
• Classifying and listing
• Compare and contrast
• Defining terms
• Describing trends
• Describing quantities
• Explaining causality
• Giving examples
• Signalling transition
• Writing about the past

As an academic writer, you are expected to be critical of the sources that you use. This essentially means questioning what you read and not necessarily agreeing with it just because the information has been published. Being critical can also mean looking for reasons why we should not just accept something as being correct or true. This can require you to identify problems with a writer’s arguments or methods, or perhaps to refer to other people’s criticisms of these. Constructive criticism goes beyond this by suggesting ways in which a piece of research or writing could be improved. … being against is not enough. We also need to develop habits of constructive thinking. Edward de Bono

Highlighting inadequacies of previous studies

Previous studies of X have not dealt with … Researchers have not treated X in much detail. Such expositions are unsatisfactory because they … Most studies in the field of X have only focused on … Such approaches, however, have failed to address … Previous published studies are limited to local surveys. Half of the studies evaluated failed to specify whether … The research to date has tended to focus on X rather than published studies on the effect of X are not consistent. Smith’s analysis does not take account of …, nor does she examine …

The existing accounts fail to resolve the contradiction between X and Y. Most studies of X have only been carried out in a small number of areas. However, much of the research up to now has been descriptive in nature … The generalisability of much published research on this issue is problematic. Research on the subject has been mostly restricted to limited comparisons of … However, few writers have been able to draw on any systematic research into … Short-term studies such as these do not necessarily show subtle changes over time … Although extensive research has been carried out on X, no single study exists which … However, these results were based upon data from over 30 years ago and it is unclear if … The experimental data are rather controversial, and there is no general agreement about …

Identifying a weakness in a single study or paper

Offering constructive suggestions.

The study would have been more interesting if it had included … These studies would have been more useful if they had focused on … The study would have been more relevant if the researchers had asked … The questionnaire would have been more useful if it had asked participants about … The research would have been more relevant if a wider range of X had been explored

Introducing problems and limitations: theory or argument

Smith’s argument relies too heavily on … The main weakness with this theory is that … The key problem with this explanation is that … However, this theory does not fully explain why … One criticism of much of the literature on X is that … Critics question the ability of the X theory to provide … However, there is an inconsistency with this argument.

A serious weakness with this argument, however, is that … However, such explanations tend to overlook the fact that … One of the main difficulties with this line of reasoning is that … Smith’s interpretation overlooks much of the historical research … Many writers have challenged Smith’s claim on the grounds that … The X theory has been criticised for being based on weak evidence. A final criticism of the theory of X is that it struggles to explain some aspects of …

Introducing problems and limitations: method or practice

The limitation of this approach is that … A major problem with the X method is that … One major drawback of this approach is that … A criticism of this experimental design is that … The main limitation of this technique, however, is … Selection bias is another potential concern because …

Perhaps the most serious disadvantage of this method is that … In recent years, however, this approach has been challenged by … Non-government agencies are also very critical of the new policies. All the studies reviewed so far, however, suffer from the fact that … Critics of laboratory-based experiments contend that such studies … There are certain problems with the use of focus groups. One of these is that there is less …

Using evaluative adjectives to comment on research

Introducing general criticism.

Critics question the ability of poststructuralist theory to provide … Non-government agencies are also very critical of the new policies. Smith’s meta-analysis has been subjected to considerable criticism. The most important of these criticisms is that Smith failed to note that … The X theory has been vigorously challenged in recent years by a number of writers. These claims have been strongly contested in recent years by a number of writers. More recent arguments against X have been summarised by Smith and Jones (1982): Critics have also argued that not only do surveys provide an inaccurate measure of X, but the … Many analysts now argue that the strategy of X has not been successful. Jones (2003), for example, argues that …

Introducing the critical stance of particular writers

Smith (2014) disputes this account of … Jones (2003) has also questioned why … However, Jones (2015) points out that … The author challenges the widely held view that … Smith (1999) takes issue with the contention that … The idea that … was first challenged by Smith (1992). Smith is critical of the tendency to compartmentalise X. However, Smith (1967) questioned this hypothesis and …

Jones (2003) has challenged some of Smith’s conclusions, arguing that … Another major criticism of Smith’s study, made by Jones (2003), is that … Jones (2003) is probably the best-known critic of the X theory. He argues that … In her discussion of X, Smith further criticises the ways in which some authors … Smith’s decision to reject the classical explanation of X merits some discussion … In a recent article in Academic Journal, Smith (2014) questions the extent to which … The latter point has been devastatingly critiqued by Jones (2003), who argues that … A recently published article by Smith et al. (2011) casts doubt on Jones’ assumption that … Other authors (see Smith, 2012; Jones, 2014) question the usefulness of such an approach.

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Writing a Critical Analysis

What is in this guide, definitions, putting it together, tips and examples of critques.

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This guide is meant to help you understand the basics of writing a critical analysis. A critical analysis is an argument about a particular piece of media. There are typically two parts: (1) identify and explain the argument the author is making, and (2), provide your own argument about that argument. Your instructor may have very specific requirements on how you are to write your critical analysis, so make sure you read your assignment carefully.

Critical Analysis

A deep approach to your understanding of a piece of media by relating new knowledge to what you already know.

Part 1: Introduction

• Identify the work being criticized.
• Present thesis - argument about the work.
• Preview your argument - what are the steps you will take to prove your argument.

Part 2: Summarize

• Provide a short summary of the work.
• Present only what is needed to know to understand your argument.

Part 3: Your Argument

• This is the bulk of your paper.
• Provide "sub-arguments" to prove your main argument.
• Use scholarly articles to back up your argument(s).

Part 4: Conclusion

• Reflect on  how  you have proven your argument.
• Point out the  importance  of your argument.
• Comment on the potential for further research or analysis.
• Cornell University Library Tips for writing a critical appraisal and analysis of a scholarly article.
• Queen's University Library How to Critique an Article (Psychology)
• University of Illinois, Springfield An example of a summary and an evaluation of a research article. This extended example shows the different ways a student can critique and write about an article
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Home » Critical Analysis – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

Critical Analysis – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

Table of Contents

Critical Analysis

Definition:

Critical analysis is a process of examining a piece of work or an idea in a systematic, objective, and analytical way. It involves breaking down complex ideas, concepts, or arguments into smaller, more manageable parts to understand them better.

Types of Critical Analysis

Types of Critical Analysis are as follows:

Literary Analysis

This type of analysis focuses on analyzing and interpreting works of literature , such as novels, poetry, plays, etc. The analysis involves examining the literary devices used in the work, such as symbolism, imagery, and metaphor, and how they contribute to the overall meaning of the work.

Film Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting films, including their themes, cinematography, editing, and sound. Film analysis can also include evaluating the director’s style and how it contributes to the overall message of the film.

Art Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting works of art , such as paintings, sculptures, and installations. The analysis involves examining the elements of the artwork, such as color, composition, and technique, and how they contribute to the overall meaning of the work.

Cultural Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting cultural artifacts , such as advertisements, popular music, and social media posts. The analysis involves examining the cultural context of the artifact and how it reflects and shapes cultural values, beliefs, and norms.

Historical Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting historical documents , such as diaries, letters, and government records. The analysis involves examining the historical context of the document and how it reflects the social, political, and cultural attitudes of the time.

Philosophical Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting philosophical texts and ideas, such as the works of philosophers and their arguments. The analysis involves evaluating the logical consistency of the arguments and assessing the validity and soundness of the conclusions.

Scientific Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting scientific research studies and their findings. The analysis involves evaluating the methods used in the study, the data collected, and the conclusions drawn, and assessing their reliability and validity.

Critical Discourse Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting language use in social and political contexts. The analysis involves evaluating the power dynamics and social relationships conveyed through language use and how they shape discourse and social reality.

Comparative Analysis

This type of analysis involves examining and interpreting multiple texts or works of art and comparing them to each other. The analysis involves evaluating the similarities and differences between the texts and how they contribute to understanding the themes and meanings conveyed.

Critical Analysis Format

Critical Analysis Format is as follows:

I. Introduction

• Provide a brief overview of the text, object, or event being analyzed
• Explain the purpose of the analysis and its significance
• Provide background information on the context and relevant historical or cultural factors

II. Description

• Provide a detailed description of the text, object, or event being analyzed
• Identify key themes, ideas, and arguments presented
• Describe the author or creator’s style, tone, and use of language or visual elements

III. Analysis

• Analyze the text, object, or event using critical thinking skills
• Identify the main strengths and weaknesses of the argument or presentation
• Evaluate the reliability and validity of the evidence presented
• Assess any assumptions or biases that may be present in the text, object, or event
• Consider the implications of the argument or presentation for different audiences and contexts

IV. Evaluation

• Provide an overall evaluation of the text, object, or event based on the analysis
• Assess the effectiveness of the argument or presentation in achieving its intended purpose
• Identify any limitations or gaps in the argument or presentation
• Consider any alternative viewpoints or interpretations that could be presented
• Summarize the main points of the analysis and evaluation
• Reiterate the significance of the text, object, or event and its relevance to broader issues or debates
• Provide any recommendations for further research or future developments in the field.

VI. Example

• Provide an example or two to support your analysis and evaluation
• Use quotes or specific details from the text, object, or event to support your claims
• Analyze the example(s) using critical thinking skills and explain how they relate to your overall argument

VII. Conclusion

• Reiterate your thesis statement and summarize your main points
• Provide a final evaluation of the text, object, or event based on your analysis
• Offer recommendations for future research or further developments in the field
• End with a thought-provoking statement or question that encourages the reader to think more deeply about the topic

How to Write Critical Analysis

Writing a critical analysis involves evaluating and interpreting a text, such as a book, article, or film, and expressing your opinion about its quality and significance. Here are some steps you can follow to write a critical analysis:

• Read and re-read the text: Before you begin writing, make sure you have a good understanding of the text. Read it several times and take notes on the key points, themes, and arguments.
• Identify the author’s purpose and audience: Consider why the author wrote the text and who the intended audience is. This can help you evaluate whether the author achieved their goals and whether the text is effective in reaching its audience.
• Analyze the structure and style: Look at the organization of the text and the author’s writing style. Consider how these elements contribute to the overall meaning of the text.
• Evaluate the content : Analyze the author’s arguments, evidence, and conclusions. Consider whether they are logical, convincing, and supported by the evidence presented in the text.
• Consider the context: Think about the historical, cultural, and social context in which the text was written. This can help you understand the author’s perspective and the significance of the text.
• Develop your thesis statement : Based on your analysis, develop a clear and concise thesis statement that summarizes your overall evaluation of the text.
• Support your thesis: Use evidence from the text to support your thesis statement. This can include direct quotes, paraphrases, and examples from the text.
• Write the introduction, body, and conclusion : Organize your analysis into an introduction that provides context and presents your thesis, a body that presents your evidence and analysis, and a conclusion that summarizes your main points and restates your thesis.
• Revise and edit: After you have written your analysis, revise and edit it to ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and well-organized. Check for spelling and grammar errors, and make sure that your analysis is logically sound and supported by evidence.

When to Write Critical Analysis

You may want to write a critical analysis in the following situations:

• Academic Assignments: If you are a student, you may be assigned to write a critical analysis as a part of your coursework. This could include analyzing a piece of literature, a historical event, or a scientific paper.
• Journalism and Media: As a journalist or media person, you may need to write a critical analysis of current events, political speeches, or media coverage.
• Personal Interest: If you are interested in a particular topic, you may want to write a critical analysis to gain a deeper understanding of it. For example, you may want to analyze the themes and motifs in a novel or film that you enjoyed.
• Professional Development : Professionals such as writers, scholars, and researchers often write critical analyses to gain insights into their field of study or work.

Critical Analysis Example

An Example of Critical Analysis Could be as follow:

Research Topic:

The Impact of Online Learning on Student Performance

Introduction:

The introduction of the research topic is clear and provides an overview of the issue. However, it could benefit from providing more background information on the prevalence of online learning and its potential impact on student performance.

Literature Review:

The literature review is comprehensive and well-structured. It covers a broad range of studies that have examined the relationship between online learning and student performance. However, it could benefit from including more recent studies and providing a more critical analysis of the existing literature.

Research Methods:

The research methods are clearly described and appropriate for the research question. The study uses a quasi-experimental design to compare the performance of students who took an online course with those who took the same course in a traditional classroom setting. However, the study may benefit from using a randomized controlled trial design to reduce potential confounding factors.

The results are presented in a clear and concise manner. The study finds that students who took the online course performed similarly to those who took the traditional course. However, the study only measures performance on one course and may not be generalizable to other courses or contexts.

Discussion :

The discussion section provides a thorough analysis of the study’s findings. The authors acknowledge the limitations of the study and provide suggestions for future research. However, they could benefit from discussing potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between online learning and student performance.

Conclusion :

The conclusion summarizes the main findings of the study and provides some implications for future research and practice. However, it could benefit from providing more specific recommendations for implementing online learning programs in educational settings.

Purpose of Critical Analysis

There are several purposes of critical analysis, including:

• To identify and evaluate arguments : Critical analysis helps to identify the main arguments in a piece of writing or speech and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. This enables the reader to form their own opinion and make informed decisions.
• To assess evidence : Critical analysis involves examining the evidence presented in a text or speech and evaluating its quality and relevance to the argument. This helps to determine the credibility of the claims being made.
• To recognize biases and assumptions : Critical analysis helps to identify any biases or assumptions that may be present in the argument, and evaluate how these affect the credibility of the argument.
• To develop critical thinking skills: Critical analysis helps to develop the ability to think critically, evaluate information objectively, and make reasoned judgments based on evidence.
• To improve communication skills: Critical analysis involves carefully reading and listening to information, evaluating it, and expressing one’s own opinion in a clear and concise manner. This helps to improve communication skills and the ability to express ideas effectively.

Importance of Critical Analysis

Here are some specific reasons why critical analysis is important:

• Helps to identify biases: Critical analysis helps individuals to recognize their own biases and assumptions, as well as the biases of others. By being aware of biases, individuals can better evaluate the credibility and reliability of information.
• Enhances problem-solving skills : Critical analysis encourages individuals to question assumptions and consider multiple perspectives, which can lead to creative problem-solving and innovation.
• Promotes better decision-making: By carefully evaluating evidence and arguments, critical analysis can help individuals make more informed and effective decisions.
• Facilitates understanding: Critical analysis helps individuals to understand complex issues and ideas by breaking them down into smaller parts and evaluating them separately.
• Fosters intellectual growth : Engaging in critical analysis challenges individuals to think deeply and critically, which can lead to intellectual growth and development.

Advantages of Critical Analysis

Some advantages of critical analysis include:

• Improved decision-making: Critical analysis helps individuals make informed decisions by evaluating all available information and considering various perspectives.
• Enhanced problem-solving skills : Critical analysis requires individuals to identify and analyze the root cause of a problem, which can help develop effective solutions.
• Increased creativity : Critical analysis encourages individuals to think outside the box and consider alternative solutions to problems, which can lead to more creative and innovative ideas.
• Improved communication : Critical analysis helps individuals communicate their ideas and opinions more effectively by providing logical and coherent arguments.
• Reduced bias: Critical analysis requires individuals to evaluate information objectively, which can help reduce personal biases and subjective opinions.
• Better understanding of complex issues : Critical analysis helps individuals to understand complex issues by breaking them down into smaller parts, examining each part and understanding how they fit together.
• Greater self-awareness: Critical analysis helps individuals to recognize their own biases, assumptions, and limitations, which can lead to personal growth and development.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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How to write a critical analysis

Unlike the name implies a critical analysis does not necessarily mean that you are only exploring what is wrong with a piece of work. Instead, the purpose of this type of essay is to interact with and understand a text. Here’s what you need to know to create a well-written critical analysis essay.

What is a critical analysis?

A critical analysis examines and evaluates someone else’s work, such as a book, an essay, or an article. It requires two steps: a careful reading of the work and thoughtful analysis of the information presented in the work.

Although this may sound complicated, all you are doing in a critical essay is closely reading an author’s work and providing your opinion on how well the author accomplished their purpose.

Critical analyses are most frequently done in academic settings (such as a class assignment). Writing a critical analysis demonstrates that you are able to read a text and think deeply about it. However, critical thinking skills are vital outside of an educational context as well. You just don’t always have to demonstrate them in essay form.

How to outline and write a critical analysis essay

Writing a critical analysis essay involves two main chunks of work: reading the text you are going to write about and writing an analysis of that text. Both are equally important when writing a critical analysis essay.

Step one: Reading critically

The first step in writing a critical analysis is to carefully study the source you plan to analyze.

If you are writing for a class assignment, your professor may have already given you the topic to analyze in an article, short story, book, or other work. If so, you can focus your note-taking on that topic while reading.

Other times, you may have to develop your own topic to analyze within a piece of work. In this case, you should focus on a few key areas as you read:

• What is the author’s intended purpose for the work?
• What techniques and language does the author use to achieve this purpose?
• How does the author support the thesis?
• Who is the author writing for?
• Is the author effective at achieving the intended purpose?

Once you have carefully examined the source material, then you are ready to begin planning your critical analysis essay.

Step two: Writing the critical analysis essay

Taking time to organize your ideas before you begin writing can shorten the amount of time that you spend working on your critical analysis essay. As an added bonus, the quality of your essay will likely be higher if you have a plan before writing.

Here’s a rough outline of what should be in your essay. Of course, if your instructor gives you a sample essay or outline, refer to the sample first.

• Background Information

Critical Analysis

Here is some additional information on what needs to go into each section:

Background information

In the first paragraph of your essay, include background information on the material that you are critiquing. Include context that helps the reader understand the piece you are analyzing. Be sure to include the title of the piece, the author’s name, and information about when and where it was published.

“Success is counted sweetest” is a poem by Emily Dickinson published in 1864. Dickinson was not widely known as a poet during her lifetime, and this poem is one of the first published while she was alive.

After you have provided background information, state your thesis. The thesis should be your reaction to the work. It also lets your reader know what to expect from the rest of your essay. The points you make in the critical analysis should support the thesis.

Dickinson’s use of metaphor in the poem is unexpected but works well to convey the paradoxical theme that success is most valued by those who never experience success.

The next section should include a summary of the work that you are analyzing. Do not assume that the reader is familiar with the source material. Your summary should show that you understood the text, but it should not include the arguments that you will discuss later in the essay.

Dickinson introduces the theme of success in the first line of the poem. She begins by comparing success to nectar. Then, she uses the extended metaphor of a battle in order to demonstrate that the winner has less understanding of success than the loser.

The next paragraphs will contain your critical analysis. Use as many paragraphs as necessary to support your thesis.

Discuss the areas that you took notes on as you were reading. While a critical analysis should include your opinion, it needs to have evidence from the source material in order to be credible to readers. Be sure to use textual evidence to support your claims, and remember to explain your reasoning.

Dickinson’s comparison of success to nectar seems strange at first. However the first line “success is counted sweetest” brings to mind that this nectar could be bees searching for nectar to make honey. In this first stanza, Dickinson seems to imply that success requires work because bees are usually considered to be hard-working and industrious.

In the next two stanzas, Dickinson expands on the meaning of success. This time she uses the image of a victorious army and a dying man on the vanquished side. Now the idea of success is more than something you value because you have worked hard for it. Dickinson states that the dying man values success even more than the victors because he has given everything and still has not achieved success.

This last section is where you remind the readers of your thesis and make closing remarks to wrap up your essay. Avoid summarizing the main points of your critical analysis unless your essay is so long that readers might have forgotten parts of it.

In “Success is counted sweetest” Dickinson cleverly upends the reader’s usual thoughts about success through her unexpected use of metaphors. The poem may be short, but Dickinson conveys a serious theme in just a few carefully chosen words.

What type of language should be used in a critical analysis essay?

Because critical analysis papers are written in an academic setting, you should use formal language, which means:

• No contractions
• Avoid first-person pronouns (I, we, me)

Do not include phrases such as “in my opinion” or “I think”. In a critical analysis, the reader already assumes that the claims are your opinions.

Your instructor may have specific guidelines for the writing style to use. If the instructor assigns a style guide for the class, be sure to use the guidelines in the style manual in your writing.

Additional t ips for writing a critical analysis essay

To conclude this article, here are some additional tips for writing a critical analysis essay:

• Give yourself plenty of time to read the source material. If you have time, read through the text once to get the gist and a second time to take notes.
• Outlining your essay can help you save time. You don’t have to stick exactly to the outline though. You can change it as needed once you start writing.
• Spend the bulk of your writing time working on your thesis and critical analysis. The introduction and conclusion are important, but these sections cannot make up for a weak thesis or critical analysis.
• Give yourself time between your first draft and your second draft. A day or two away from your essay can make it easier to see what you need to improve.

Frequently Asked Questions about critical analyses

In the introduction of a critical analysis essay, you should give background information on the source that you are analyzing. Be sure to include the author’s name and the title of the work. Your thesis normally goes in the introduction as well.

A critical analysis has four main parts.

• Introduction

The focus of a critical analysis should be on the work being analyzed rather than on you. This means that you should avoid using first person unless your instructor tells you to do otherwise. Most formal academic writing is written in third person.

How many paragraphs your critical analysis should have depends on the assignment and will most likely be determined by your instructor. However, in general, your critical analysis paper should have three to six paragraphs, unless otherwise stated.

Your critical analysis ends with your conclusion. You should restate the thesis and make closing remarks, but avoid summarizing the main points of your critical analysis unless your essay is so long that readers might have forgotten parts of it.

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Critical Analysis

What does the term 'critical analysis' mean in the context of academic writing?

Showing critical analysis in academic writing could mean:

• Demonstrating your understanding of reading / evidence (This appears to demonstrate that…This implies…This could result in…);
• Showing reasoning and conclusions from your reading / reflections (Therefore…As such…);
• Considering questions such as ‘why’, what if’, and ‘so what’;
• Showing you understand how  different ideas / evidence / perspectives relate to each other (This is linked to Smith's concept of X…Building on Jones (2012), Green (2016) suggests…);
• Demonstrating an understanding of how theories or research apply in your practice / context;
• Identifying possible limitations of research / theory and how these relate to your own arguments or own context (In the context of international development…In terms of learning in the Science classroom…);
• Identifying how something could be interpreted or done differently (in relation to your reading and / or practice).

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Critical analysis: home.

• Reading Critically

What is Critical Analysis?

Analysis is a word that is also often used when taking a critical approach to something. It could be that you look at some evidence and if you think it is good quality, you may choose to include that in your essay or writing to help support your argument. When you have analysed different sets of evidence you may  synthesize all the ideas gathered from multiple sources bringing together the relevant information into a different argument or idea. 

To evaluate something or someone, you think and consider it or them in order to make a judgment about it/them; this could be as simple as how good or bad they are. When you critically evaluate something or someone you consider how judgments vary from different perspectives and how some judgments are stronger than others. This often means creating an objective, reasoned argument for your overall case, based on the evaluation from different perspectives.

Taking a critical approach when you are studying involves constantly asking questions and keeping an open mind.

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What Is a Critical Analysis Essay? Simple Guide With Examples

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You’ve already written a basic essay of some kind, so you’ve already performed a bit of analysis. Really, you already have all the tools and know-how to tackle a critical analysis essay. Unlike other essays, critical analysis essays ask that you go a little deeper into other people’s ideas to build your own responses to art, media, and the world at large. Simple, right?

What Is a Critical Analysis Essay?

Okay, there’s admittedly maybe a little more to it than just that. A critical analysis essay is a form of writing that asks you to:

• Analyze a subject, which may include a historical document, a scientific theory, or a piece of art or media (books, poems, movies, even other essays)
• Determine what the author of that piece is trying to say
• Respond with ideas of your own, backed up with evidence from other texts or media

Critical analysis branches out into things like literary criticism , genre studies, and editorial journalism. If you want to think about it on a smaller scale: Have you read a tweet thread or blog post and thought, “Hey, I have a differing opinion!” or “I agree with this”? Have you then responded to that post or thread with your own opinion? Congrats! You did a little critical analysis!

General Structure and Format of a Critical Analysis Essay

You’ll find some variations in form and structure with the critical analysis essay. As you get more comfortable with it, you can absolutely change things around and get creative. Otherwise, don’t overthink the format too much.

Your typical critical analysis essay is made up of:

• An introduction paragraph, including your opinion about the piece you're analyzing
• A paragraph (potentially more) summarizing the thing that you’re analyzing
• the actual analysis of the piece, which will usually include your opinion about that piece
• an evaluation of the author’s success in achieving their intended goal
• a larger idea or argument within the text that you can elaborate on
• A concluding paragraph  that sums up your analysis and relates it to your audience

Sometimes, the summary paragraph is shortened and folded into the introduction.

Critical Analysis Essay Example

Seeing is believing (and understanding). We can’t help you with your actual critical analyzing, but we can at least give you an example of a critical analysis essay to show you how it might look. Note that we’re not in the business of giving away free essays, and that this is purely to help you see a (fairly incomplete) critical analysis essay in the works.

• DESCRIPTION critical analysis example essay with comments
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• PERMISSION Owned by YourDictionary, Copyright YourDictionary

The Introduction Paragraph

With your introduction , you want to hook readers, broadly introduce the ideas that you’ll talk about, and give readers a reason to read the essay in its entirety. The most important part of the intro is the thesis , which states your central argument. In its most general sense, that includes what you think about the piece and the larger idea you think it might present.

The party is one of the most well-known social events across all cultures. Once reserved for celebrating birthdays, holidays, and other specific occasions, the modern party has grown beyond those limits, often sprouting up without singular intent or reason. Parties are a hub for social interaction among youths and have naturally been a space of uncertainty as attendees attempt to both “have fun” and “be cool.” While the instructional video Show Off! How To Be Cool At Parties engages with some decidedly uncool ideas, it presents the idea of “coolness” as attainable, and grounds the archetype of the “Cool Person at the Party” within historical contexts.

The Summary Paragraph(s)

Following the introduction, you have your summary of the piece or object that you are critically analyzing. Depending on the work and the requirements of the assignment, this might expand to more than one paragraph. Some classes may also do without it completely (your professor, who has read The Great Gatsby , probably doesn’t need you and the 15 other students in the class to summarize it.)

The summary generally shouldn’t be an in-depth, beat-by-beat retelling of the thing that you’re analyzing. You want to give enough details that your reader knows what you’re talking about without having to necessarily read or watch what you’re analyzing.

Show Off! How To Be Cool At Parties (Stunts, Tricks and Gags to Amaze Your Friends) is an instructional video released on VHS in 1986. Nearly a half-hour long, the video stars Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role on The Cosby Show, and a cast of relatively unknown actors and comedians as they attempt to instruct the viewer on the fine art of being cool around other people. Despite the central thesis of the video, much of its material is uncool, impractical, or downright strange. For example, there is some suspension of disbelief that even young children of the 1980s would find coolness in pretending to be attacked by a dog or playing the air piano.

The Analysis Paragraphs

This is where you’ll really get into your critical analysis. Along with presenting your own opinions and engaging with the chosen text, you should draw evidence from other authoritative sources, which can support your argument and present new ideas that you can build off of.

Through a modern lens, Show Off! possesses a toothlessness, but this may be a direct response to the events of its time. According to Haynes Johnson of the Washington Post, 1986 was “A Year of National Shocks,” a time when “events seemed out of control.” In the waning years of the Cold War, 1986 was underlined by two major disasters: the failed launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger in January and the nuclear explosion at Chernobyl in April. These events sowed doubt about global technologies and fear in the systems and infrastructure designed to care for us. Retreating to the mundanities of nose whistling and “catching” an invisible ball in a paper bag were as much about staying grounded as they were maintaining a sense of control. Much of Show Off! is built on the archetype of the “Cool Person at the Party.” This archetype is largely left to the imagination of the viewer as funny, dexterous, readily armed with props and parlor tricks, and attainable by anyone. In the essay “Myth and Archetype in Science Fiction,” author Ursula K. Le Guin states that “nobody can invent an archetype by taking thought, any more than he can invent a new organ in his body.” She goes on to say that myth and archetypes are a means of communication and that “alienation isn’t the final human condition, since there is a vast human ground on which we can meet, not only rationally, but aesthetically, intuitively, emotionally.” Given global uncertainties, the process of becoming a cool person at a party is equivalent to reaching for connection, familiarity, and communication.

The Concluding Paragraph

Your conclusion should restate the thesis, act as a general wrap-up for your essay, and consider questions or ideas beyond what you discussed in the body paragraphs. A critical analysis essay can also end with a call to action about engaging with the analyzed piece, but this isn’t a requirement.

In conclusion, Show Off! How To Be Cool At Parties is an instructional video that acts as a direct response to politics and trauma of the time through the social archetype of the cool person at a party. Although it presents a hazy idea of what “coolness” could look like, the video begs the opposite question: How does one become uncool at parties? Warner’s introduction to the video includes the rule of having fun, not for one’s own sake, but to ensure that one’s friends are having fun. Perhaps the true turning point of “cool” is thinking outward.

Let’s Get Critical!

Critical analysis essays can be difficult for people of all education levels. Learning to think (and write) critically comes with practice, so don’t be afraid to play around with your language. Discover new ways to engage with what you read, watch, experience, or listen to using our helpful tips for writing a critical analysis essay.

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Writing a Critical Analysis of a Literary Text

Building a Better Thesis Statement Copyright © by Neta Gordon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write a Critical Analysis Essay: Examples & Guide

A critical analysis essay is an academic paper that requires a thorough examination of theoretical concepts and ideas. It includes a comparison of facts, differentiation between evidence and argument, and identification of biases.

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

Crafting a good paper can be a daunting experience, but it will be much easier if you have the right approach. In this guide by our custom writing team, you will find:

• Different types of critical analysis;
• Best ways to structure your essay;
• Two excellent critical analysis essay examples.
• 📝 Critical Analysis Definition
• ✍️ Writing Guide
• ✅ Critical Analysis Types
• 📑 Examples & Tips

📝 What Is a Critical Analysis?

Criticism is the process of appraising things such as works of art and literature. It comes from the word meaning “able to make judgments”. A critical analysis essay is often referred to as a critical thinking essay, critical response paper, critical evaluation essay, and summary and response essay.

When we hear the word “criticism,” we often associate it with negative judgments. However, to criticize doesn’t necessarily mean to find faults. Even though criticism involves active disagreement, it strives to understand the meaning further and evaluate its efficiency. We call it constructive criticism .

In other words, critical analysis is an evaluation of a piece of work that promotes its better understanding . Have a look at this comparison and see what critical analysis is and what it isn’t:

Aside from art and literature, critical analysis is often used in theoretical research, nursing, and social work. In any of these areas, you have an opportunity to exercise your critical faculties.

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Analysis in Writing: Definition & Examples

Analysis is a step you take before writing any paper. It’s aimed at evaluating and interpreting the sources. To do it, you break them down and study them in detail. You can learn more from this article on critical analysis by Southeastern Louisiana University .

In the following table, we’ve compiled several forms of analysis in writing and illustrated each type with a topic example:

What Is the Difference between Summary and Analysis?

Students often confuse analysis with summary and get a lower grade as a result. Here is how two notions differ. A summary is a brief restatement of the text’s main points that involves paraphrasing. An analysis is a detailed examination of the evidence that uncovers something new.

Check out this comparison to understand the difference better:

✍️ How to Write a Critical Analysis Essay

Now, we will show you the steps to writing a critical analysis with examples to guide you through this process. Keep in mind that the purpose of your critical analysis paper is to help readers understand a subject to a full extent.

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Critical analysis consists of two stages: critical reading and critical writing. Read on to learn more about them.

Critical Reading Examples & Definition

Critical reading a technique that involves discovering and evaluating the text’s meaning and incorporating it into what you already know. It’s the first stage of critical analysis.

According to Cleveland State University, critical reading occurs after you’ve skimmed the research material and decided where to focus your efforts. While you are reading, use the following techniques to stay on track:

• Determine the central claim and identify how it is argued;
• Look for the large patterns that give purpose, order, and meaning to arguments;
• Contextualize the text within an original historical, political, or religious context;
• Distinguish the kinds of reasoning and methodology the text employs;
• Examine the evidence;
• Recognize manipulations.

When it comes to recognizing manipulations, authors use three persuasive appeals to convince their readers of something: ethos , pathos , and logos .

Now, let’s apply the critical reading techniques to an actual text:

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The death estimates during the US invasions of Tokyo were exaggerated by a factor of ten to twenty. The wartime casualty estimates were based on inaccurate assumptions. The data was not updated to exclude the civilians’ deaths and justify the strategic decision to drop off an atomic bomb.

• What is the text saying?  US bombs killed up to two million people.
• What is the text doing?  The death estimates were exaggerated to downplay the casualties and emphasize the importance of dropping the atomic bomb.

When you are able to recognize these persuasive modes in your reading, you can master them in writing.

What Is Critical Writing: Definition & Techniques

Critical writing is a process of commenting on another piece of work using several writing strategies. It is the second stage of critical analysis.

Want to know how to write critically? Have a look at the following tips:

• Take a critical stance: recognize that every text comes from a perspective and is subject to interpretation.
• Pay close attention: look not only for the facts but also for explanations.
• Think big picture : put your sources in context with the time it was written.
• Bring yourself in: consider the connections between several texts and add your own perspective.

When it comes to the critical writing, certain strategies can be beneficial. Yet, others are better to avoid. We’ve compiled the most important dos and don’ts in the table below:

Want to learn more? Check out our article on critical writing .

Critical Analysis Essay Topics: How to Choose

Now that you’ve learned about critical analysis, there is a big question to answer: how do you choose the topic for your essay? It might require using a specific strategy to make the right choice.

Many students find it helpful to have a list of critical thinking questions to answer while brainstorming. We’ve prepared them for you:

• Theme : How well does the author approach the central theme? Are the arguments strong enough?
• Organization : Is this piece of work well-structured and easy to follow?
• Audience : Who is the audience? Are there any manipulations the author is using to persuade the reader?
• Tone : Is there a specific tone used by the author throughout their work? How does it affect the reader?
• Bias and informational gaps : Does the author look at their work from several angles? Are there any contradicting arguments or missing information?
• Word choice : Does the author invent new words? Is the vocabulary serious or silly, casual or technical? How does it affect the overall writing?
• Logos : Does the author use logic to prove their point?
• Ethos : Does the author have any proof of their credibility? Do they claim to be an expert? In what ways is the reader’s trust gained?
• Pathos : Does the author use emotion to connect with the reader? Does the writing appeal to common beliefs and values?

Answering these questions will help you with deciding on critical thinking essay topics. If you want some additional inspiration, feel free to use our topic generator .

Critical Analysis Template

After carefully analyzing all of your sources, you can start writing your first draft using our critical analysis template. Use this outline to structure your essay and to ensure your arguments are related to your thesis.

How to Start a Critical Analysis Essay

To create an outstanding opening paragraph, you may want to start it with a hook. It can be a quote from your source or a rhetorical question. Be sure to make it catchy so that it will grab your reader’s attention.

After you’re done with the hook, write the following:

• the work’s title and some background information,
• an outline of the main ideas from your sources,
• your thesis statement.

Here are two introduction examples for your inspiration:

What happens when there is a considerable wage gap between the upper and middle classes? The unsurprising reality forces poor people to use credit cards to pay off their debt. Credit card industries collect interest from those who can’t pay off their debt right away.

A romantic novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is about overcoming social stereotypes in the name of love. Its main character, Elizabeth Bennet, has to fight against her discrimination against wealthy men like Mr. Darcy to find love and be happy.

Critical Analysis Essay: Thesis

A thesis statement is what you are aiming to prove. Ideally, it should be the first thing you write because every other part of your critical analysis paper will be connected to it.

To create a strong thesis statement, you want to start with a broader idea of what you would like to critique. Then, you narrow it down. Choose a debatable thesis so you can back it up with evidence from your sources and anchor your entire paper around it.

The examples below will help you write your essay’s thesis:

People in positions of power are less likely to recognize the social injustice than marginalized groups of the civilian population.

In a 1989 American superhero film Batman, Tim Burton subverts the concept of heroism by refraining Batman from murder and making him morally ambiguous.

Critical Analysis Essays: Summary and Response

The body paragraphs of a critical essay consist of your source’s summary and a response with arguments.

A summary should present specific facts from your source to help your reader understand your arguments better. You can use these sentence starters to structure a summary:

• The book is about…
• The theme of the article is…
• The author argues that…
• The author concludes…
• The main character is…
• The main points are…

The main plot of Elizabeth Bennet’s plan to save her family from poverty intersects with stereotypes that romantic love and marriage don’t go together. She does not accept a marriage proposal from Mr. Darcy because she does not want to be walking proof that women marry for money. The rejected proposal leads Darcy to open up and change Elizabeth’s perception of him.

A response should present your main arguments that support your thesis statement. Each argument is a sub-thesis that connects to your central thesis. It’s crucial to discuss each point in detail and prove it with strong evidence.

Your arguments should be:

• clear, informative, and persuasive;
• well-researched and backed up with solid evidence;
• connected to your thesis.

At first, Elizabeth Bennet sees Mr. Darcy only as a powerful man with wealth and high social status. For her, he represents a marriage of convenience that she is so desperately trying to fight against. After Mr. Darcy attempts to separate Jane and Bingley, Elizabeth gets proof for her ideas about powerful men who do everything in their power to destroy a loving relationship for a better financial suit.

Critical Essay Outline: Conclusion

The final stage of essay writing is to ensure you have proven your arguments. The goal of your conclusion is to remind the reader of your thesis and the essay’s main points. You may also want to leave them with some final statements for consideration.

Keep in mind that the concluding paragraph is not a place to introduce new evidence. Instead, you can do the following:

• Restate your thesis;
• Summarize your main ideas;
• Talk about the work’s overall performance or outcome;
• Identify potential opportunities for further research or investigation.

Elizabeth Bennet struggles with the societal association of marriage with financial stability. Eventually, she marries a rich man, Mr. Darcy, but she marries him for love rather than his money and social status. Her pride and prejudice towards him were destroyed by his acts of kindness and true love. Their relationship had a rough start, but both of them could get their happy ending by breaking out of old beliefs and habits.

✅ Types of Critical Analysis

Choosing the correct type of analysis will help you stay on track with your research objectives. It will give you the anchor to develop your essay around in a systematic manner.

Critical analysis can be categorized into 4 main types:

• Literary analysis gives a critical evaluation of a literary text.
• Article analysis reflects upon arguments presented in an article.
• Media analysis essay interprets messages conveyed through visual media, music, or radio.
• Cultural analysis interprets cultural phenomena and practices.

Literary Analysis: Definition & Characteristics

Literary analysis is an argument that expresses one’s critical evaluation of a poem, novel, short story, or play. A critique of literature has the same characteristics as other types of critical essays. The difference is the kind of information you can include in this type of essay.

Here’s how to analyze literature:

You will find more interesting info in our article on literary analysis essays .

How to Write an Analysis of an Article

Critical analysis of an article aims to analyze the writing strategies and techniques an author uses to develop their argument. The process is a little different than persuading the reader to accept a particular point of view. Here is a sample outline:

Critical Film Analysis: Types & How to Write

Film analysis goes beyond the plot structure and includes composition elements such as camera work, lighting, costume choices, etc. After watching the film at least twice, you can select what type of film analysis you will be performing. Check out the types and see what they’re about:

• Semiotic analysis involves interpretation of signs and symbols within a film.
• Narrative analysis examines the story the film seeks to tell.
• Historical analysis is an examination of a film’s relationship to a cultural or historical context.
• Mise-en-scène analysis is an analysis of compositional elements used in a scene or a single shot.

Once you’ve chosen a topic, use this outline to guide you through the writing process:

You can learn more from our article on film analysis .

How to Write a Cultural Analysis Essay

Critical analysis essay refers to your comment upon one specific cultural aspect that works or doesn’t work in a society. After you’ve chosen a topic for your cultural analysis paper, you can start drafting your outline. Here is how the structure of this kind of paper differs from others:

Critical Analysis Essay Topics

• Critical analysis of qualitative research article. 
• Rhetorical analysis of articles on qualitative studies in healthcare.  
• American Exodus by James N. Gregory: Rhetorical Analysis. 
• Critical analysis of religion and faith .  
• Analyze the sonnet My Mistress’ Eyes by W. Shakespeare .  
• Critical essay on issues of cognitive neuroscience.  
• A Doll House as an example of feminist literature: rhetorical analysis.  
• Conduct a comparative critical analysis of Judaism and Christianity.  
• Rhetorical analysis of an Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf .  
• Semantic meaning of The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath .  
• Critical evaluation of Seligman articles.  
• Analyze psychological literature based on A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by E. Hemingway.  
• Rhetorical analysis of literary devices and expressive means in A Good Man Is Hard to Find .  
• Analyze the characteristic features of drama using the example of Death of a Salesman .  
• Critical analysis of the most popular business strategies .  
• Discuss the problem of childhood obesity in Active Living by Van Kann.  
• Analyze IT strategies and planning.  
• Critical analysis of a controversial art using the example of Home by Yann Arthus-Bertrand.  
• Emotional impact of comedy films.  
• Rhetorical analysis of Sophocles’ Antigone as an example of Greek drama.  
• Influence of Socrate’s philosophy on the ancient Greek playwrights.  
• Critical analysis of Sophocles’ plays.  
• Different sets of values in Everyday Use by A. Walker .  
• Analysis of corporate crimes using the example of Lehman Brothers’ scandal.  
• Critical analysis of a scientific article based on Nursing Pain Management .  
• Different interpretations of A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor. 
• Critical analysis of Longinus’ idea of sublime .  
• The importance of a teacher’s role in Freedom Writers .  
• Critical analysis of the efficiency of CBT. 
• Rhetorical analysis of an article on a proactive care program.  
• The concept of emotional intelligence : critical analysis.  
• Evaluate implementation of Windsome’s risk management strategy to enhance the company’s response to stress.  
• The importance of symbolism in Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s .  
• Critical analysis of Thomas Paine’s pamphlets.  
• Rhetorical techniques used in Hamlet by W. Shakespeare .  
• In-depth analysis of the modern world’s social issues in The Handmaid’s Tale . 
• Social messages in Robinson’s and Kincaid’s stories.  
• Analysis of rhetorical strategies used in Dwellings by Linda Hogan.  
• Critical analysis of issues elucidated in A Loss for Words by J. Thurman.  
• Discuss the problems of alienation and perception in The Things They Carried . 

📑 Critical Analysis Essay Examples & Bonus Tips

The following writing tips will help you understand how to apply your critical thinking skills in practice and write an excellent critical essay on your own.

Critical Essay Format & Free Samples

Looking for some tips on how to format your paper? This section reflects the latest guidelines for citing your sources with the latest APA 7th and MLA 9th publication manuals.

Before you dive into writing your critical analysis paper, get inspired with some compelling essay examples. The first is a film analysis example. You can download the PDF file below:

The Birds  by Alfred Hitchcock is a thriller that derives its suspense from the violence which stands on the borderline with divine retribution. The birds of the film are the symbol of the said violence and primary actors that contribute to the semiotic revelations of the film.

The following critical analysis essay is concerned with a literary work. You can download it below:

Feminism has been influential in various aspects of society for many decades. With the beginning of women’s emancipation, humanity has progressed not only in political and social life but also in science, culture, and literary studies. A feminist standpoint in literature research points to the limited portrayal of the characters in literary works, which showed the world mainly from a patriarchal perspective.

Here’s the list of critical analysis essay examples. You can check them out to get a better understanding of critical analysis and to gain some inspiration.

• Managing Business Risks: A Critical Analysis
• A Critical Analysis of a Research Study Conducted to Establish the Quality of Pain Management
• Nursing Skills for Palliative Care: A Critical Analysis
• Critical Analysis of Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research
• Nighthawks by Edward Hopper: Critical Analysis
• Roosevelt and Obama: Critical Analysis of Two Speeches
• “The Love of My Life” by T. C. Boyle Critical Analysis
• Nursing Education-Practice Gap: Critical Analysis
• Affordable Care Act: A Critical Analysis
• Mother Tongue by Amy Tan: Critical Analysis

Bonus Tips: Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the process of conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information. It is about careful reasoning directed to a goal. The main components of this process include observing, wondering, imagining, experimenting, judging, and deciding.

This type of thinking is instrumental in conducting a critical analysis. To succeed at it, you need to be attentive, confident, and open-minded. Below are some questions that you can ask yourself while thinking critically:

• Why are you being told this?
• What are you not being told?
• Who is telling you this?
• How reliable is this information?
• Are there any manipulations involved?
• How else can you analyze the same material?

Critical thinking is a skill that develops with time and effort. However, you may encounter barriers that can prevent you from making accurate judgments. The following tips will help you overcome them:

• Step back from your personal feelings and biases
• Look for different ways to examine the data
• Check your sources for reliability
• Do your best to detect manipulations in arguments
• Always conceptualize what you are reading
• Challenge your worldview

Want to learn more? Feel free to check out our article on critical thinking essays .

Now you know everything necessary to write a perfect critical analysis essay. Feel free to share this article or leave a comment!

Further reading

• How to Write a Critique Paper: Tips + Critique Essay Examples
• How to Write an Art Critique: Examples & Strategies
• How to Write an Analysis Essay: Examples + Writing Guide
• How to Write a Book Review: Format, Outline, & Example
• How to Write a Rhetorical Analysis Essay: Outline, Steps, & Examples

❓ Critical Analysis Essay FAQs

When analyzing any literary text, it is essential to evaluate the work and use the theme to support your opinion. The response’s goal is to show the reader what the selection of the source and the theme means to you personally.

The purpose of a response to a literature essay is to inform your reader about something interesting and insightful you found in a literary work. It may focus on the characters, plot, or theme of the story.

In a critical essay, choose the formal language and avoid using “I” statements. Focus on the piece you are analyzing, its strengths, and weaknesses. Using the first-person singular will take away the reader’s attention from your argument to you.

A critical source is a source that interprets, analyzes, critiques, and adds to the discussion of the primary source. It is then integrated into critical writing. The best critical sources can be found through library catalogs and scholarly databases.

🔍 References

• Critical Analysis: University of Wollongong
• Some Suggestions on Critically Evaluating Your Reading in History: Carleton College
• Criticism and Critical Analysis: Kansas State University
• Resources for Writers: Analytical Writing: Drew University
• Critical Thinking and Writing: University of Kent
• Writing Critical Essays about Literature: Gallaudet University
• Film Analysis: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Cultural Critique: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• Writing a Critical or Rhetorical Analysis: Bellevue College
• Writing Critical Analysis Papers: University of Washington
• Critical Analysis Template: Thompson Rivers University
• Writing Effective Summary and Response Essays: Colorado State University
• Rhetorical/Critical Analysis: Houston Community College
• Writing Critical Reviews: Queen’s University
• General APA Guidelines: Purdue University
• Using MLA Format: MLA.org
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• Academic skills

Critical thinking

Critical writing.

Students sometimes receive feedback such as "your essay is too descriptive" or "you need to show more critical analysis". While some description may be necessary – for instance if you are providing background information – most university assignments require you to produce work that is analytical and critical in its approach.

Your tutors want to know what you think

Your writing needs to show your interpretation of the evidence and source material, how you have used that information to demonstrate your understanding, and your subsequent position on the topic. Being critical in your writing means engaging in academic debates and research happening in your subject area.

The sources you select, the way you show how they agree or disagree with other pieces of evidence, and the way you structure your argument will all show your thought process and how you have understood the information you have read.

Use evidence to strengthen your position

Always keep your reader in mind and try to anticipate the questions they would ask — refer back to the Critical thinking questions (PDF) to help you with this. You can use evidence to help you strengthen your position, answer readers' questions, and "neutralise" opposing points of view.

Remember to keep descriptive statements to a minimum — there is no need to provide large amounts of background or historical information.

Make sure you move from description to analysis and evaluation . Give your interpretation of the facts, and explain the significance, consequences and implications of the statements you have made.

See our advice on structuring a paragraph for more information on how to attach analysis and evaluation to each point you make.

Descriptive vs critical writing examples

The following examples demonstrate the difference between descriptive writing and critical/analytical writing. They are taken from: Cottrell, S. 2003. The Study Skills Handbook . 2nd ed. London: Palgrave.

State what happened vs identify its significance

To write critically you will need to not only describe what happened, but also identify the significance of what happened.

Descriptive example

"The data shows that the incidence (new cases) of asthma rates in children under 15 years old increased rapidly from 1977, peaking in 1993 and then declining, though rates still remain significantly higher than pre-1976 levels."

Critical example

"The trend, from 1977 until 1993, of a rapid rise in rates of asthma diagnosis in children under 15 years, suggests that one of the causal factors was particularly prevalent during this time, but has since declined in importance or effect."

Explain the theory vs show its relevance

Descriptive writing will explain what the theory says. To write critically you need to go further and show why that theory is relevant.

"Carl Rogers' theory of a person-centred approach focuses on the freedom of the individual to determine what values should be used to measure successful personal outcomes or benefit, and is particularly relevant for social workers when wanting to take into account the diverse needs of the client group."

"Carl Rogers' theory of a person-centred approach is particularly suitable for social workers wanting to work with a client group with diverse needs because it allows the client to determine what values should be used to measure successful outcomes, rather than those externally determined by, for example, the service, state or dominant culture in society."

Note the method used vs indicate its appropriateness

Rather than simply noting the method used, which is the descriptive approach, a critical writer will show how appropriate that method was.

"In addition to competency-based questions, the candidates were asked to complete an in-tray exercise, which required them to allocate different priority levels to tasks, as an appropriate method to measure their likely performance in the actual job."

"In addition to competency-based questions, candidates were asked to complete an in-tray task prioritisation exercise. This was because it was considered a more effective way to measure likely performance in the actual role as the majority of the job would involve similar tasks, with little interaction with customers and therefore less requirement for highly developed communication skills."

You can apply our critical thinking model to your own work; use our Judging your own work (PDF) questions to help you decide if your writing is critical. These questions will take you through the description-analysis-evaluation stages. Take a look at further examples of descriptive writing vs. critical/analytical writing (PDF)

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4.3: Body of a Critical Analysis

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• Stephen V. Poulter
• Newman University

The Body of a Critical Analysis can be made up of one or more of the Critical Perspectives. What are the Critical Perspectives?

Critical Perspectives

There are generally four ways (or perspectives ) for analyzing a text: writing from the perspective of a reader , writing as if the text is an object of study, writing about or from the perspective of an author , and writing about where a text fits into a particular context .

Assuming you want to use all four of the Critical Perspectives in your essay, the body will have these four major sections:

Reader Analysis: A Reader’s Perspective

Writing from a reader’s perspective means that we seek to understand a text through our own experience, yet we try also to understand how others who may be very different from us seek to understand the same writing through their experience. We will explore this perspective by writing a first impression , writing about favorite lines , as well as writing from different perspectives and through selective reading .

Text Analysis: Text as Object

Writing about the text as an object is a perspective that highlights what makes up that text. We will construct this part of our paper by identifying the patterns , segments , and strategies (devices) in the writing you choose to analyze.

Author Analysis: Understanding Text through Author

Examining whatever we can about an author sometimes gives us another perspective with which to deepen our understanding of the writing we choose. We may look at his or her life, thought processes, behaviors, beliefs , and so on, in order to further understand his or her work.

Context: Text’s Place in History

The fourth perspective from which to view a work has to do with how it fits into a context . This context usually has to do with how a text compares to other texts and works and its effect upon history or society.

The Body of a Critical Analysis is further constructed with patterns in sections under each Perspective:

Reader Analysis patterns:

• First Impression
• Favorite Lines
• Different Perspectives
• Selective Reading

Text Analysis patterns:

• Text Strategies
• Literary Perspectives

Author Analysis patterns:

• Biographical Information
• Social Information
• Literary Information

Context pattern:

• Historical Information

Note that your instructor may, for example, want only a Reader Response (Reader Analysis) paper, or he or she may want some patterns and not others. However, we will go section-by-section and pattern-by-pattern to create a thorough and complete analysis of a work.

Top 94 Analytical Words & Phrases to Use in Your Research Paper

When you work on your analytical paper, you need proper academic language, right?

You are at the right place.

The following ready to use analytical phrases will help you a lot. You’re welcome to use this academic phrase bank by filling in the gaps or for inspiration.

Let’s not lose any minute!

We are starting right now 🏁

• ❗ The Importance of the Topic

🔤 Words to Use in Analytical Paragraph

• 📚 Literature References
• 🗣️ How to Refer to the Author
• 🔍 Contradicting Evidence
• 🕳️ A gap in Knowledge
• 📊 Data from Tables/ Charts
• 📈 Describe Trends
• 📜 Classifications and Listings
• ↔️ Cause and Effect
• ↪️ Writing Conclusion

❗ Analytical Words about the Importance of the Topic

Any paper requires justification of why your topic is relevant. Here are analytical words and phrases for this purpose.

• X has been studied in the recent several decades because
• One of the most significant current discussions is
• In the past years, X has attracted much attention as
• Much attention has been drawn to
• Recently there has been an increasing interest in
• In the recent decades, X has been one of the major interesting research questions due to
• Discussions about X have dominated the research community in recent years/ decades/ months
• X has significantly influenced academic discussion on Y

An analytical paragraph is a paragraph that gives an in-depth analysis of a certain topic. It helps readers make sense of a complex issue and can be written on any subject, including films , music, historical events, philosophy, etc. The peculiarity of an analytical paragraph is that it not only presents information but also analyzes it, that is, explains its components, evaluates its significance, and draws conclusions using specific words and phrases.

Generally, an analytical paragraph contains four sections: a topic sentence, evidence, analysis, and a closing sentence. Below, we’ve listed phrases you can use in each part.

📚 Literature References with Analytical Words

What are the most successful words to use in analytical paragraph about literature ? Let’s see 👇

• There is a consensus between scholars that
• The relationship between X and Y has been widely investigated by
• A number of studies have concluded that
• Previous research has confirmed that
• Several studies agree that
• Previous studies indicate/ demonstrate/ suggest that
• Prior research has documented/ has shown/ has proffered
• The latest studies have found evidence that
• In recent years studies contend about

🗣️ How to Refer to the Author in Analytical Phrases

While writing a literature review, you probably will have several authors you want to pay special attention to. These are the ways to do it succinctly:

• X highlights the need to
• X has pointed out the challenges and strategies for
• X raised several concerns about
• X indicated that
• X has demonstrated that
• X argues/ claims/ suggests/ maintains/ concludes/ offers/ proposes
• In their review/ major study/ analysis/ introduction to/ classic critique, X identify
• X draws on an extensive range of sources to assess
• X highlights the need to break the link between A and B
• X questions whether X is the best Y for

🔍 Analytical Phrases for Contradicting Evidence

Sometimes, you can face a piece of conflicting information. There are multiple ways to place such elements into text.

• Despite prior evidence
• In contrast, the study conducted by X concluded that
• However, this is contrary to a study conducted by X
• However, X has later shown that
• To date, there has been no agreement on
• In the literature on X, the role of Y is debated.
• X has already drawn attention to the paradox in
• Debate continues about
• Several studies have recently challenged this concept, demonstrating
• X found out differences suggesting that

🕳️ A gap in Knowledge Analytical Phrases

Wondering how to introduce a gap in knowledge about your topic? Here are linking words for such situations.

• There has been little discussion about
• Few studies have been carried out on
• Little attention has been paid to
• It is still not known whether
• […] much less is known about X
• Research to date has not yet identified/ determined/ found out
• The impact of X on Y is not clear yet
• Causal factors leading to X remain debatable/ unreliable/ speculative
• This claims about a need to understand the various existing angles of X
• The problem of X has not been investigated/ considered in any of the reviewed resources
• Prior studies have failed to evaluate/ identify/ reveal/ state

📊 Analytical Words for Data from Tables/Charts

Now let’s see how to use analytical words and phrases to describe data from tables and charts .

• As shown in Table 1
• Figure 1 clearly shows/ extrapolate/ presents
• Figure A illustrates/ compares/ evidences
• Figure A exhibits an overview of
• Table A provides the experimental data on X
• In this table, you can see the summary statistics for
• This diagram demonstrated the results obtained from the preliminary analysis of X
• The results of correlational/ comparative/ descriptive analysis are presented in Table A

📈 Analytical Words and Phrases to Describe Trends

For a more in-depth analysis of the data from your visualization, try using these academic phrases.

• The graph shows that there has been a gradual increase in
• The number of Xs is likely to grow after steadily
• X peaked (reached a low) in 1993
• The amount of X is expected to remain steady
• The graph shows that there has been a slight/ sharp/ gradual/ steady decline/ drop/ rise/ increase in
• What stands out/ is striking/ can be clearly seen in this table is
• The rate of X will probably/ is likely to decline steadily

📜 Analytical Words and Phrases for Classifications and Listings

You may use classifications and listings in your text for different purposes. These are some options to include listings in the paper.

• X may be divided into three main categories
• This system of classification needs a revision
• There are three main approaches currently being used in investigating X
• The critical aspects of X can be listed as follows: A, B, and C
• There are three reasons why the X has become so important. These are:
• The section has been included for several reasons: it is …; it illustrates …; and it describes…
• To better understand X’s mechanisms, the author classified it into three distinct types, based on
• X is generally classified into two main types

↔️ Cause & Effect Analysis Words for Essays

If you are writing a cause-effect essay, this part is for you. However, not only cause-effect papers discuss causal relations.

Don’t miss our amazing Cause-Effect Essay Topics Compilation !

↪️ Concluding Words to Use in Analytical Essays

And finally, it’s time to write a good conclusion . Look at these phrases to use in your work.

• This study set out to/ has argued that/ discussed the reasons for
• In this paper, the aim/ goal was to assess/ to examine/ to determine
• This study identified/ showed that
• Another major finding was
• These experiments confirmed that
• A, B, and C emerged as reliable factors of
• The findings reported in this work shed new light on
• The study contributes to our understanding of X in multiple ways
• This project can be seen as the first comprehensive investigation of X
• The empirical findings in this study provide a new understanding of

Use this collection as a starting point or inspiration for your work.

Needless to say, the English language is richer and more flexible than this list. Try to find new word combinations and uncommon usages. However, don’t overplay – it’s still academic writing that requires certain formalities.

That’s all!

Check more useful resources for academic phrases below in the list of references.

Good luck 😊

🔗 References

• Academic Phrasebank, The University of Manchester
• Verbs in Academic Writing; The Writing Centre – University of Toronto
• Vocabulary for Essays; The Learning Centre – The University of Sydney
• Glossary of Research Terms; University of Southern California
• Using Appropriate Words in an Academic Essay

Research Paper Analysis: How to Analyze a Research Article + Example

Film analysis: example, format, and outline + topics & prompts.

50 Verbs of Analysis for English Academic Essays

In English, we often have to analyze data, research, or facts. Do you know how to do this effectively, while using the appropriate verbs of analysis? This list of 50 verbs of analysis in English will help you.

Note: this list is for advanced English learners (CEFR level B2 or above). All definitions are from the Cambridge Dictionary online . 

Definition: to have an influence on someone or something, or to cause a change in someone or something.

Example: Experts agree that coffee affects the body in ways we have not yet studied.

Definition: to increase the size or effect of something.

Example: It has been shown that this drug amplifies the side effects that were experienced by patients in previous trials.

Definition: to say that something is certainly true .

Example: Smith asserts that his findings are valid, despite criticism by colleagues.

Characterizes

Definition: Something that characterizes another thing is typical of it.

Example: His early paintings are characterized by a distinctive pattern of blue and yellow.

Definition: to say that something is true or is a fact , although you cannot prove it and other people might not believe it.

Example: Smith claims that the study is the first of its kind, and very different from the 2015 study he conducted.

Definition: to make something clear or easier to understand by giving more details or a simpler explanation .

Example: The professor clarified her statement with a later, more detailed, statement.

Definition: t o collect information from different places and arrange it in a book , report , or list .

Example: After compiling the data, the scientists authored a ten-page paper on their study and its findings.

Definition: to judge or decide something after thinking carefully about it.

Example: Doctor Jensen concluded that the drug wasn’t working, so he switched his patient to a new medicine.

Definition: to prove that a belief or an opinion that was previously not completely certain is true .

Example: This new data confirms the hypothesis many researchers had.

Definition: to join or be joined with something else .

Example: By including the criticisms of two researchers, Smith connects two seemingly different theories and illustrates a trend with writers of the Romanticism period.

Differentiates

Definition: to show or find the difference between things that are compared .

Example: Smith differentiates between the two theories in paragraph 4 of the second part of the study.

Definition: to reduce or be reduced in s i ze or importance .

Example: The new findings do not diminish the findings of previous research; rather, it builds on it to present a more complicated theory about the effects of global warming.

Definition: to cause people to stop respecting someone or believing in an idea or person .

Example: The details about the improper research done by the institution discredits the institution’s newest research.

Definition: to show.

Example: Smith’s findings display the effects of global warming that have not yet been considered by other scientists.

Definition: to prove that something is not true .

Example: Scientists hope that this new research will disprove the myth that vaccines are harmful to children.

Distinguishes

Definition: to notice or understand the difference between two things, or to make one person or thing seem different from another.

Example: Our study seems similar to another one by Duke University: how can we distinguish ourselves and our research from this study?

Definition: to add more information to or explain something that you have said.

Example: In this new paper, Smith elaborates on theories she discussed in her 2012 book.

Definition:  to represent a quality or an idea exactly .

Example: Shakespeare embodies English theater, but few can understand the antiquated (old) form of English that is used in the plays.

Definition: to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have.

Example: Although the study emulates some of the scientific methods used in previous research, it also offers some inventive new research methods.

Definition: to improve the quality , amount , or strength of something.

Example: The pharmaceutical company is looking for ways to enhance the effectiveness of its current drug for depression.

Definition: to make something necessary , or to involve something.

Example: The scientist’s study entails several different stages, which are detailed in the report.

Definition: to consider one thing to be the same as or equal to another thing.

Example: Findings from both studies equate; therefore, we can conclude that they are both accurate.

Establishes

Definition: to discover or get proof of something.

Example: The award establishes the main causes of global warming.

Definition: to make someone remember something or feel an emotion .

Example: The artist’s painting evokes the work of some of the painters from the early 1800s.

Definition: to show something.

Example: Some of the research study participants exhibit similar symptoms while taking the medicine.

Facilitates

Definition: to make something possible or easier .

Example: The equipment that facilitates the study is expensive and of high-quality.

Definition: the main or central point of something, especially of attention or interest .

Example: The author focuses on World War II, which is an era she hasn’t written about before.

Foreshadows

Definition: to act as a warning or sign of a future event .

Example: The sick bird at the beginning of the novel foreshadows the illness the main character develops later in the book.

Definition: to develop all the details of a plan for doing something.

Example: Two teams of scientists formulated the research methods for the study.

Definition: to cause something to exist .

Example: The study’s findings have generated many questions about this new species of frog in South America.

Definition:   to attract attention to or emphasize something important .

Example: The author, Dr. Smith, highlights the need for further studies on the possible causes of cancer among farm workers.

Definition: to recognize a problem , need, fact , etc. and to show that it exists .

Example: Through this study, scientists were able to identify three of the main factors causing global warming.

Illustrates

Definition:   to show the meaning or truth of something more clearly , especially by giving examples .

Example: Dr. Robin’s study illustrates the need for more research on the effects of this experimental drug.

Definition: to communicate an idea or feeling without saying it directly .

Example: The study implies that there are many outside factors (other than diet and exercise) which determine a person’s tendency to gain weight.

Incorporates

Definition: to include something as part of something larger .

Example: Dr. Smith incorporates research findings from 15 other studies in her well-researched paper.

Definition: to show, point , or make clear in another way.

Example: Overall, the study indicates that there is no real danger (other than a lack of sleep) to drinking three cups of coffee per day.

Definition: to form an opinion or guess that something is true because of the information that you have.

Example: From this study about a new medicine, we can infer that it will work similarly to other drugs that are currently being sold.

Definition: to tell someone about parti c ular facts .

Example: Dr. Smith informs the reader that there are some issues with this study: the oddly rainy weather in 2017 made it difficult for them to record the movements of the birds they were studying.

Definition: to suggest , without being direct , that something unpleasant is true .

Example: In addition to the reported conclusions, the study insinuates that there are many hidden dangers to driving while texting.

Definition: to combine two or more things in order to become more effective .

Example: The study about the popularity of social media integrates Facebook and Instagram hashtag use.

Definition: to not have or not have enough of something that is needed or wanted .

Example: What the study lacks, I believe, is a clear outline of the future research that is needed.

Legitimizes

Definition: to make something legal or acceptable .

Example: Although the study legitimizes the existence of global warming, some will continue to think it is a hoax.

Definition: to make a problem bigger or more important .

Example: In conclusion, the scientists determined that the new pharmaceutical actually magnifies some of the symptoms of anxiety.

Definition: something that a copy can be based on because it is an extremely good example of its type .

Example: The study models a similar one from 1973, which needed to be redone with modern equipment.

Definition: to cause something to have no effect .

Example: This negates previous findings that say that sulphur in wine gives people headaches.

Definition: to not give enough c a re or attention to people or things that are your responsibility .

Example: The study neglects to mention another study in 2015 that had very different findings.

Definition: to make something difficult to discover and understand .

Example: The problems with the equipment obscures the study.

Definition: a description of the main facts about something.

Example: Before describing the research methods, the researchers outline the need for a study on the effects of anti-anxiety medication on children.

Definition:   to fail to notice or consider something or someone.

Example: I personally feel that the study overlooks something very important: the participants might have answered some of the questions incorrectly.

Definition: to happen at the same time as something else , or be similar or equal to something else .

Example: Although the study parallels the procedures of a 2010 study, it has very different findings.

Converse International School of Languages offers an English for Academic Purposes course for students interested in improving their academic English skills. Students may take this course, which is offered in the afternoon for 12 weeks, at both CISL San Diego and CISL San Francisco . EAP course graduates can go on to CISL’s Aca demic Year Abroad program, where students attend one semester at a California Community College. Through CISL’s University Pathway program, EAP graduates may also attend college or university at one of CISL’s Pathway Partners. See the list of 25+ partners on the CISL website . Contact CISL for more information. 

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English Works

Building an analytical vocabulary

February 11, 2014

On the Attack: Use the following sentences as a model. Refer to The Language of Persuasion: become an expert for a list of analytical terms and definitions. These words are modelled throughout the Expert Responses for this workbook.

Choose an article in the workbooks, such as Techniques of Persuasion , pp. 39-43 or The Language of Persuasion: become an expert , pp. 35-38.)  Write a series of sentences using the terminology below. In addition, use appropriate and corresponding tone words. (See “critical” and “angry” on Tone List.)

• The radio interviewer casts aspersions upon ( to make a harmful remark or criticism; to find fault with) the expert’s credentials and association with the coal lobby.
• The writer challenges ( to call into question; to take exception to ) the view that more people will commute by public transport.
• The author impugns ( to call into question; to challenge as false ) the expert’s credentials and reliance on outdated sources.
• The environmentalists decry/condemn ( to speak badly/disparagingly of; to disapprove of ) the plan to log sections of the heritage-listed forest in Tasmania.
• The parents’ group is sceptical of ( does not believe in something that most other people accept without question; doubts ) the Government’s plan to introduce Free Fruit Fridays.

• The editor discredits ( to lower other people’s opinion of/on; to cause not to be believed; to destroy confidence in) ) the Government’s proposal to introduce “fat” police to monitor people’s weight and give on-the-job health checks.

See The Language of Persuasion: become an expert, p. 76. Please download the attached tone word test and do a few “match-up” sessions to remember the words. Tone Test One Tone Test Four

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Want Students to Master Literary Analysis? Try Starting With a Vocabulary Lesson 

Unless they understand words such as ‘symbolize’ and ‘connote,’ it’s difficult for students to analyze literature well.

I remember my first experience teaching analysis to high schoolers. After briefly explaining how analysis differed from summary, I asked my students to analyze the carousel scene at the end of The Catcher in the Rye . While they took several minutes to read over their annotations, I eagerly waited for their brilliant discussion of this poignant moment, knowing that I’d hear at least one student make the connection between Holden’s fixation with the carousel and his fear of growing up; perhaps one student might even cleverly conclude that the carousel, in its predictable and circular movement, offers Holden an escape from the linear inevitability of life.

Instead, I received answers like this: “Holden clearly enjoys listening to Phoebe’s ride on the carousel. This shows he’s close to his sister.” Many students still simply summarized what they’d read. Where had my lesson gone wrong? It wasn’t until much later in the year that I realized that students couldn’t tell me what the language was doing because I hadn’t explained to them what language could do.

A Unique Challenge

In his book Clueless in Academe: How Schooling Obscures the Life of the Mind , literary critic Gerald Graff argues that literary analysis poses a unique challenge to students because they don’t encounter the vocabulary they need to talk about texts in the actual literature we ask them to analyze.

This problem is practically unique to the English classroom. In other subjects, course texts include all the essential vocabulary that students might need to write about a particular subject. Students in science read about mitosis, hypotheses, and inertia. Students in social studies learn about barter, constitutional monarchies, and plate tectonics. But in English classes, we may go over random vocabulary lists or quiz students about words they might encounter in a given story, but we don’t often stop and think about the words they need to talk about literature.

While we teach students literary language (simile, metaphor, foreshadow, etc.), teaching them about literary devices doesn’t give them the vocabulary to analyze those devices; students in English class are often asked to write and talk in the academic dark. Writing is already an elusive process, but compounding the inherent difficulties of writing with the unique challenge of writing about literature only sets up students to see the process—as Graff figuratively puts it—as some sort of magic trick: While fun to watch, it is best left to the professionals. By showing students the kind of language literary critics use to make their arguments, we can demystify the ostensibly impossible task of literary analysis, elucidating how scholars carefully examine an author’s diction and explain what that language is doing in a literary work.

When I set about generating a list of words that students might find helpful when analyzing a text, I had to get meta. I ultimately came up with a list of words that I often find myself using to discuss literature. The first list I give students each year generally includes the following words:

To ease students into analysis, I begin by having them analyze forms they’re more comfortable with: artwork, songs, etc. What do the blues in Picasso’s The Old Guitarist evoke? What does a particular ad accomplish in juxtaposing dark and light? How does Adele convey a particular tone in this song? As I introduce these terms, I generally use templates:

• This artist’s use of _____ evokes _____.
• The repetition of _____ underscores _____.
• In juxtaposing _____ and _____ to_____, ...

As the year progresses, I add to this list of words to get students to generate more thoughtful interpretations ( problematizes , complicates , reimagines , etc.), and as students become more comfortable using this language, I gradually release them from templates, asking them to break down dense literary passages without this scaffold.

While students undoubtedly start off misusing (and overusing) some of these terms, they eventually feel more comfortable incorporating this vocabulary into their responses. What’s more, they learn that they can use these terms in different subject areas. And years later, students tell me they still use these words in their classes and conversations to analyze whatever it is they’ve been asked to examine.

Ultimately, it’s not just that these words make students sound smarter; it’s that this language helps students make smarter points by helping them focus on what the language in a given text is doing.

At the end of the school year, students won’t have mastered analysis, but they’ll definitely be capable of providing more nuanced interpretations through this vocabulary. By the time students arrive at Simon’s famous confrontation with the pig’s head near the end of Golding’s Lord of the Flies , they’re equipped to analyze it. They observe the odd juxtaposition of good and evil delineated in the passage. They notice how Golding’s repeated use of violent and grotesque imagery underscores the pig’s sinister presence. After discussing these observations, students can pick up on what this scene symbolizes. Suddenly, it is obvious that the pig’s head on the stick embodies evil and that Simon—the only boy on the island who doesn’t succumb to savagery—is being tempted by the devil.

This close reading always elicits gasps, and it almost always generates comments that attest to the powerful reading we’ve done: “Man,” many students will say, “things just got deep.” And when students inevitably articulate how disturbed they are by what we—through a careful unpacking of Golding’s language—have just discovered, I always respond by pointing out the rich meaning we miss when we don’t think about what the language in a given passage is evoking, underscoring, and/or conveying.

Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > How to use AI to help you improve your vocabulary

How to use AI to help you improve your vocabulary

Expanding your vocabulary can significantly elevate your writing skills. With a strong vocabulary, you can craft vivid sentences, communicate more effectively , and write stronger arguments .

Why is having a strong vocabulary important?

Improving your vocabulary can make your writing more engaging. For example, instead of merely stating a book was ‘good’ in a review, using words like ‘riveting’, ‘captivating’, or ‘thought-provoking’ paints a more vivid picture for your readers. Repeating that the book was good is uninteresting and less appealing. Having an advanced vocabulary can also help you improve your reading comprehension.

Use AI to create vocabulary quizzes

One effective way to improve your word choice is by creating vocabulary quizzes with AI. By taking a few minutes out of your day for a vocabulary quiz, you can easily expand your knowledge of different words. Try these prompts with your preferred AI language model:

• I’m trying to use stronger adjectives in my writing. Can you create a basic 10-question quiz that will help me expand my adjective knowledge?
• Can you create a quiz that tests my knowledge of synonyms for the word “good”?
• Can you create a 15-question advanced vocabulary quiz?

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Ask AI for synonyms

AI can help you identify better synonyms for words. While you can easily do a quick internet search to find synonyms, AI can help you narrow down the right word to use. Here are examples of prompts that you can ask AI:

• I’m writing about really good food. What are some synonyms for “good food”?
• Can you help me find a synonym for “exciting”?
• What’s a synonym I can use for “soft”?

Ask AI for antonyms

Antonyms are another way you can improve your word choice. While synonyms help you find similar words, antonyms help you find words with the opposite meaning. Instead of writing, “Sarah was not friendly” you could find an antonym for the word “friendly” and write, “Sarah was aloof” or “Sarah was unpleasant.” These words are more concise than the phrase “not friendly.” Try these prompts in your preferred AI platform:

• What’s an antonym for the word “funny”?
• What’s an antonym for the word “polite” that’s less than 10 characters long?
• What are five different antonyms I can use for the word “delicious”?

Share what you’ve written with AI

Another way you can use AI as a vocabulary builder is to copy and paste your work into an AI platform. Share your text with AI to pinpoint and upgrade weak word choices, transforming them into compelling vocabulary. You can also ask the AI tool to explain its reasoning behind the changes it made or to provide definitions of the new words that it added to your document.

Other ways you can use AI to improve your vocabulary

There are many other ways AI can help you improve your vocabulary. For example, ask AI to give you the word of the day. Or you can ask AI to find word games that you can play to help you expand your vocabulary. AI is also useful as a dictionary . If you come across a word you don’t know, you can improve your vocabulary by asking AI to define it and give you an example of it in a sentence.

AI is a powerful tool that can help you learn more about the English language. Leverage the power of AI to deepen your understanding and discover the expansive potential of AI writing. Start learning more about AI and how AI writing works today.

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Baltimore bridge collapse: a bridge engineer explains what happened, and what needs to change

Associate Professor, Civil Engineering, Monash University

Disclosure statement

Colin Caprani receives funding from the Department of Transport (Victoria) and the Level Crossing Removal Project. He is also Chair of the Confidential Reporting Scheme for Safer Structures - Australasia, Chair of the Australian Regional Group of the Institution of Structural Engineers, and Australian National Delegate for the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.

Monash University provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU.

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When the container ship MV Dali, 300 metres long and massing around 100,000 tonnes, lost power and slammed into one of the support piers of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, the bridge collapsed in moments . Six people are presumed dead, several others injured, and the city and region are expecting a months-long logistical nightmare in the absence of a crucial transport link.

It was a shocking event, not only for the public but for bridge engineers like me. We work very hard to ensure bridges are safe, and overall the probability of being injured or worse in a bridge collapse remains even lower than the chance of being struck by lightning.

However, the images from Baltimore are a reminder that safety can’t be taken for granted. We need to remain vigilant.

So why did this bridge collapse? And, just as importantly, how might we make other bridges more safe against such collapse?

A 20th century bridge meets a 21st century ship

The Francis Scott Key Bridge was built through the mid 1970s and opened in 1977. The main structure over the navigation channel is a “continuous truss bridge” in three sections or spans.

The bridge rests on four supports, two of which sit each side of the navigable waterway. It is these two piers that are critical to protect against ship impacts.

And indeed, there were two layers of protection: a so-called “dolphin” structure made from concrete, and a fender. The dolphins are in the water about 100 metres upstream and downstream of the piers. They are intended to be sacrificed in the event of a wayward ship, absorbing its energy and being deformed in the process but keeping the ship from hitting the bridge itself.

The fender is the last layer of protection. It is a structure made of timber and reinforced concrete placed around the main piers. Again, it is intended to absorb the energy of any impact.

Fenders are not intended to absorb impacts from very large vessels . And so when the MV Dali, weighing more than 100,000 tonnes, made it past the protective dolphins, it was simply far too massive for the fender to withstand.

Read more: I've captained ships into tight ports like Baltimore, and this is how captains like me work with harbor pilots to avoid deadly collisions

Video recordings show a cloud of dust appearing just before the bridge collapsed, which may well have been the fender disintegrating as it was crushed by the ship.

Once the massive ship had made it past both the dolphin and the fender, the pier – one of the bridge’s four main supports – was simply incapable of resisting the impact. Given the size of the vessel and its likely speed of around 8 knots (15 kilometres per hour), the impact force would have been around 20,000 tonnes .

Bridges are getting safer

This was not the first time a ship hit the Francis Scott Bridge. There was another collision in 1980 , damaging a fender badly enough that it had to be replaced.

Around the world, 35 major bridge collapses resulting in fatalities were caused by collisions between 1960 and 2015, according to a 2018 report from the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure. Collisions between ships and bridges in the 1970s and early 1980s led to a significant improvement in the design rules for protecting bridges from impact.

Further impacts in the 1970s and early 1980s instigated significant improvements in the design rules for impact.

The International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering’s Ship Collision with Bridges guide, published in 1993, and the American Association of State Highway and Transporation Officials’ Guide Specification and Commentary for Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges (1991) changed how bridges were designed.

In Australia, the Australian Standard for Bridge Design (published in 2017) requires designers to think about the biggest vessel likely to come along in the next 100 years, and what would happen if it were heading for any bridge pier at full speed. Designers need to consider the result of both head-on collisions and side-on, glancing blows. As a result, many newer bridges protect their piers with entire human-made islands.

Of course, these improvements came too late to influence the design of the Francis Scott Key Bridge itself.

Lessons from disaster

So what are the lessons apparent at this early stage?

First, it’s clear the protection measures in place for this bridge were not enough to handle this ship impact. Today’s cargo ships are much bigger than those of the 1970s, and it seems likely the Francis Scott Key Bridge was not designed with a collision like this in mind.

So one lesson is that we need to consider how the vessels near our bridges are changing. This means we cannot just accept the structure as it was built, but ensure the protection measures around our bridges are evolving alongside the ships around them.

Second, and more generally, we must remain vigilant in managing our bridges. I’ve written previously about the current level of safety of Australian bridges, but also about how we can do better.

This tragic event only emphasises the need to spend more on maintaining our ageing infrastructure. This is the only way to ensure it remains safe and functional for the demands we put on it today.

• Engineering
• Infrastructure
• Urban infrastructure
• container ships

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