The Analytical Essay Introduction The purpose of your essay's introduction is to hive a brief explanation of your topic and to give your paper direction that will be developed in the body. You should:
• Include key information about the work (name, author, publication and so on) in the first sentences.
• Lead logically into your reaction to the work ending in a claim or assertion which is your thesis statement. Your thesis statement should contain a specific and well articulated point of view that will be defended in the paper.
• Include direction sentences which will explain to the reader how you will defend and support your point of view by explaining the parts of the work and their relationship to the while work.
• The thesis should be long enough to give the reader confidence that he/she knows where your argument is going. This may be eight to ten sentences. The Body of the Analytical Essay The claims that you have presented in your thesis will be argued in the body of the paper. Make an outline using your direction sentences to be sure the body develops all the points mentioned in the introduction. • Take each point mentioned in your directional sentences and develop it into a topic sentence. This topic sentence will be the main idea around which you will build your body paragraph.
• Use supporting points, at least four or five, to underscore your main idea in this paragraph. Use quotes and brief paraphrasing from the work or facts from outside sources to further support your point of view. Use proper MLA or APA documentation.
• Conclude