Determine how well the author defines concepts in the text. Another way to approach your analysis is to consider how well the author has defined concepts in the text. If the concepts are poorly or inadequately defined, this will provide you with an easy way to critique the text. Identify what is inadequate or unclear about the definitions and what would have made them easier to follow.[8] For example, if the author’s explanation of greenhouse gasses is long, full of jargon, and confusing, then you might focus on this as part of your critique. Tip: Keep in mind that you can also have a positive critique of the text if you think it was effective. For example, if the author’s description of greenhouse gasses was written in simple, easy to understand language, you might note this as part of your analysis. Image titled Write a Critical Analysis Step 8 4 Examine the author’s use of evidence to see if it’s effective. Whether or not the author has used credible evidence that supports their position is also a great way to critically analyze a text. Look at each of the sources the author has used to check them for credibility. Then, consider if the content of these sources provides good support for the author’s points. If it has, then the author has made good use of logos, or the appeal to logic.[9] For example, if the author has used a website that is known for being biased in favor of their argument, then this would weaken their position. However, if the author used sources that were fair and unbiased, then this would strengthen their position. Not all texts will incorporate evidence. For example, if you’re doing a critical analysis of a film or work of art, it probably won’t include secondary sources. Part 3 Drafting the Analysis Image titled Write a Critical Analysis Step 9 1 Start your essay by writing a brief overview of what you’re analyzing. Provide all of the basic information about the work you’re analyzing, such as the author’s name, the title, date of publication, and any other relevant information. Then, give a brief overview of the work and its purpose. Try to keep all of this information within 2 to 3 sentences. For example, in the first sentence of your essay, provide the basic information on the text. Then, describe text’s argument in about 1 to 2 sentences. Image titled Write a Critical Analysis Step 10 2 Provide your thesis statement at the end of your introduction.[10] After you finish describing the author’s argument, provide your argument in the form of your thesis statement. Depending on whether or not you thought the text was effective, you may frame your thesis as showing where the text failed to accomplish its goal or how it was successful.[11] For example, you might write, “Darcy Gibbons’ essay on the environmental impact of consumerism provides a thorough and valuable overview of the problem.” Or, you might write, “Shannon Duperty’s mixed media painting, “Dove on Heroin,” falls short of its attempt at edgy political commentary.” Image titled Write a Critical Analysis Step 11 3 Summarize the text in 1 paragraph. After you have provided your thesis statement, include a 1 paragraph summary of the work. You can use the summary that you wrote after reading the text or write a new one. Focus on the main points that the text covers and leave out the rest. Keep in mind that the summary paragraph is the only place in your essay where you may include summary. The rest of the essay should provide analysis of the essay. Image titled Write a Critical Analysis Step 12 4 Use each of the body paragraphs to evaluate 1 of the author’s points. After you summarize the text, start going through the points that support your thesis. If you thought the text was ineffective, devote 1 paragraph to each of your reasons for why it was ineffective. If you thought it was effective, devote 1 paragraph to each reason why it was effective. You may also organize the paragraphs by topic if you’re having trouble identifying multiple reasons for a text’s effectiveness. Some topics you may use to decide what to cover include:[12] Organization. How did the author organize their argument? Was this a good strategy or not? Why? Style. What style did the author use to get their point across? How did the style hurt or help their argument? Effectiveness. In general, was the text effective at getting its point across? Why or why not? Fairness or bias. Did the author demonstrate a fair or biased perspective on their topic? How could you tell? Appeal to a specific audience. Did the author seem to have a specific audience in mind? If so, who were they and how well did the author meet their needs? Image titled Write a Critical Analysis Step 13 5 Provide evidence from the text to support your analysis. As you go through your reasons for your position, you’ll also need to point to specific examples from the author’s text, so be ready with quotes, paraphrased sections, and summaries. Make sure to put any direct quotes into quotation marks and provide page numbers for any evidence you use from a written text.[13] Tip: Check with your teacher for details on how to cite sources. They may want you to use a specific citation style, such as MLA, Chicago, or APA. Image titled Write a Critical Analysis Step 14 6 Conclude with your final judgment of the author’s argument. This is where you can summarize the main points of your analysis and give your opinion of the text’s effectiveness overall. In other words, explain to readers whether or not the author accomplished their objective. Don’t repeat your intro or other parts of the essay word-for-word. Instead, try to cover the most important info in different words or discuss the implications of your argument.[14] For example, you might conclude by talking about how the author made a good effort in some regards, but ultimately their argument was ineffective, and then explain why in 2 to 3 sentences.