How to Analyze a Text
Ask a few key questions.
The word “analyze” is often difficult for students to define.
Sometimes, when college students see the words “analyze,” they translate the word into meanings something more along the lines of “summarize.”
This leads to potential problems for the student because if one of their instructors asks them to “analyze” something, the student can write a very well written grammatically correct paper and still not do what the assignment calls for. Therefore, it is important that students understand exactly what “analyze” means.
The word “analyze” means: “to separate (a material or abstract entity) into constituent parts or elements or essential features” and “to examine critically, as to bring out the essential elements.” In contrast, the word “summarize” means to “state or express in concise form.”
The purpose of this article is to equip students with the skills necessary to “analyze” a text.
The Purpose
The first thing that students must do to analyze a text is to ask: “What is the main purpose of the text?”
Communication does not occur in a vacuum — it is something that exists socially. Therefore, before a writer creates a text, the writer must have a reason for creating the text —…
