Transcript How to Write Literary Analysis (A Research Paper)

How to Write Literary Analysis
(A Research Paper)
OCHS English Dept.
• Define any unknown terms.
• What is the context of the question?
• Identify any parts of the question that are
confusing.
• Finally, decide what information/knowledge you
will need to answer the question.
Step 1: Understand How to Answer
the Question
• The first mistake many students make is to simply cut and paste
from websites, creating one master document.
• The problem—no processing! Teachers are interested in what YOU
think, not what you were able to find on Google.
• Instead, READ the sources you find (and make a list of the URLs,
books, or articles), and develop an understanding of the issues
involved on your essay’s topic.
Step 2: Do the Research
• Whether you are writing an expository
essay, or an argumentative essay, once
you understand the issues, develop a
position.
– Example: You’ve spent 4 days reading online
about how Edgar Allen Poe’s life was full of
death, lies, and tragedy.
– Position: EAP wrote stories and poems that
reflected his life experience.
Step 3: Develop a Position
• Now, go back to your sources, and I
know this sounds crazy, but re-read
them—this time trying to find
evidence that can support your
claim/position.
– Example: my position is that Edgar
Allen Poe’s life was full of tragedies
and that this is reflected in his
writing.
– I read, in one of my sources, that his
first wife cheated on him while he
was away in college. I will write this
quote down, and use it as evidence
in my paper.
Step 4: Gather Evidence
• Now I will go look for more evidence from my other sources,
making sure each time, to get the information I need to cite
them properly.
• As I am finding evidence, I will probably find
similarities/connections that I can link up in my paper.
• Once I have found enough evidence to support my
claim/position, I will start to write my paper.
Step 5: Repeat Gathering Evidence
• A thesis is going to be a one sentence
summary of your claim or position.
• You don’t need to put evidence in your
thesis—this is your interpretation of how
to best answer the essay question.
• Generally, your thesis should be the last
sentence of your first paragraph.
Step 6:
Writing a
Thesis
Step 7: Write the
Essay
• Now, simply explain why or how you have
come to believe that your thesis is correct.
• When appropriate, use the evidence you’ve
collected to support your statements. Hint: the
longer your essay, the more evidence and
research you will need to do.
• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence,
explaining what that paragraph is generally
about.
• A good way to write a conclusion is to restate your position or
claim, basically showing that you’ve answered the essay question
using evidence.
• The last thing to do in a conclusion is to show how what you’ve
written relates to the world of your intended audience, OR to
explain what else, related to your research, it might be interesting
to know more about.
Step 8: Write a Conclusion
• Edit your essay.
• Read it aloud to make sure there are no errors.
• Make sure your sources are cited correctly (hint: if you
have questions, ask your teacher).
• Read your essay again, or have someone else take a
look at it once more, to make perfectly sure there
aren’t mistakes.
Step 9: RE-READ AND EDIT YOUR
ESSAY!
• List all of the resources you used for evidence.
• Make sure you have all the information for each work that you cite
(hint: if you have questions, ask your teacher).
• Now, staple the WCP to the back of your essay. Congrats! You’re
done…
Step 10: Works Cited
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