First move
Move from what happened to why it matters
If your paragraph only retells the source, event, or experiment, it is not yet analysis. Push one step further.
- 1Name the part you are examining: a word, choice, cause, data pattern, or document detail.
- 2Explain what that part does.
- 3Connect that explanation back to the claim or prompt.
Prompt clues to look for
"Analyze how the author..."
The prompt wants you to explain a choice and its effect.
Your move: Pair a specific craft or rhetorical choice with what it does for the reader or audience.
"Analyze the causes or effects"
The prompt wants relationships, not just a list of events.
Your move: Rank or connect causes instead of describing them one by one.
"Analyze the data or results"
The prompt wants an explanation of the pattern.
Your move: Describe the pattern, then name the scientific idea that explains it.
What it looks like
Summary
The speaker repeats the phrase "we cannot wait" three times.
This notices something in the text, but it does not explain the effect.
Summary and observation are often the first step, not the final answer.
Analysis
The repeated phrase "we cannot wait" creates urgency by making delay sound morally impossible, which pushes the audience to see action as the only responsible choice.
This explains how the choice works and why it matters.
Analysis connects evidence to effect, meaning, or significance.
Common mix-ups
Analyze means summarize in more detail.
Summaries say what happened. Analysis explains how or why it matters.
Fix: After a summary sentence, add a sentence beginning with "This matters because..."
Naming a device is analysis.
A device name earns little by itself.
Fix: Name the device only if you can explain its effect.
Analysis has to sound complicated.
Good analysis is usually clear and direct.
Fix: Use simple cause-and-effect language: because, which shows, this makes, this reveals.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between analyzing and summarizing?
Summarizing tells what happened or what a source says. Analyzing explains how it works, why it matters, or what it proves.
How do I know if I have enough analysis?
Look at each piece of evidence. If the next sentence explains the effect, reason, or significance, you are analyzing. If the next sentence just moves to another detail, you probably need more explanation.
Does analyze mean the same thing in every class?
The move is similar, but the object changes. English analysis studies text choices. History analysis studies causes, effects, comparison, or change. Science analysis explains data using scientific principles.
Use your exact prompt
Paste the prompt and BetterPaper will point out the object of analysis, the evidence you need, and the first planning step.