An Analysis Paper is Not a SummaryNor is it a Place to Regurgitate Source Material as Your Own

Thoughts or in a Very Heavily Sourced MannerLets try to clarify with this:

The Research Paper
This is type of essay that requires the writer to investigate and integrate sources related to his or her subject.
It is not a summary, nor an exposition, nor an opinion piece, but might take on elements of all of those
genres. Research papers offer an informed study of a topic that engage outside source material, including
primary and secondary sources, to offer other perspectives on an issue.

Argumentative Research Paper: The goal of an argument paper is to persuade the audience of the merits of
a debatable topic. If the topic is not debatable, meaning there are two sides to the topic, it is not considered
argumentative. The writer of an argument paper must make a claim (the thesis statement) and back it up
with source material. Outside research is included to support and prove your point, or claim (thesis). The
writer of a successful argument paper will spend a good amount of time pouring over research that best
supports his or her argument. The argument paper will also include opposition. If there is no opposition,
there is no argument.
The topic for an argument paper must be debatable and is often controversial. Read the following examples
of arguments, and decide if they are debatable:
1. Body piercing is popular among the youth of today.
2. There are a lot of benefits to using computers in grade school.
3. There are some negative and positive aspects to lowering the drinking age.
If you guessed they are not debatable, you are right. How can you reword each one to make it an
argumentative thesis statement?

Analytical Research Paper: An analytical research paper differs from the argument paper in that it often
begins with a research question which the writer will explore and evaluate. An analysis leads us to determine
what something means; what is the how or why behind a topic? A thesis statement in an analytical
paper will most often answer a how or why question.
Some examples of analytical thesis statement might be
1. Childhood obesity may result from environmental factors, socio-economic factors, and genetics.
2. An analysis of the sandhill crane reveals conflicting research on their once-believed monogamous
mating habits.
As you can see, the thesis statements above do not present the topic in the form of an argument, but in the
form of a statement that clearly communicates or forecasts the essays contents. The analysis will often
analyze different points of view on an issue or topic, but may not necessarily support either side of the issue.
The topic may very well be debatable, but the writers purpose is not necessarily to persuade the reader of a
position, as in the argument paper.

Other Types of Analysis Papers: Literature instructors will often require students to write a literary
analysis paper on an assigned reading (see last weeks blog post). A literary analysis paper attempts to
present an idea about a text through careful examination of the texts components, incorporating the writers
insights. A literary analysis research paper will incorporate outside research or sources other than the
primary text. The literary analysis will significantly expand a readers understanding of a text, often by
making an assertion about the text. The writer might introduce a theory or interpretation (the thesis
statement) about the text, then fully analyze this interpretation through close reading, textual support, and
secondary source material.
Academic jargon can often be difficult for the new students to understand. Always refer to your assignment
objectives and ask your instructor to clarify any ambiguous or confusing lingo.

Courtesy of Metro Community Colleges Writing Centers http://writingcenterunderground.wordpress.com/category/analysis-
paper/