The Analysis Essay builds on your PRP. An analysis essay may have an argumentative element, but it has a different purpose than an argumentative essay. While argumentative essays seek to persuade or convince, the primary goal of an analysis is to offer a detailed examination of the elements or structure of the thing it is analyzing. In this essay, while you will include additional research, you will begin with a detailed examination of the object and its elements.
To prepare for this essay, take the primary research you have already done and extend your research to include some secondary sources.
Deliverables
For this 3½ – 5-page paper (1000-2500 words) you will:
- complete the preliminary steps in the schedule
- Select one of your objects to research and analyze
- Analyze your object using research and the Prownian analysis of material culture (discussed in class)
The essay should include:
- A discussion of your process – An introduction of your complete collection and how you built it, followed by the selection process – people first or object first, including the specifics. So, if it is people first, include a history of the person/community/organization surrounding your object; if object first, a historical discussion of the type of object that may include info about invention, creation, uses, etc. Some of this you can crib from your past writings if they are well developed.
- Physical Description – a very thorough physical description of the specific object
- Deductions – some deductions about the object’s connection, necessity, position to its purpose (so, if we are thinking about the 59-cent pin, we might deduce how effective it was at relating a message, versus opening conversation, etc.)
- Speculations and research– speculations about the object’s importance or significance. This is where you will develop potential hypotheses, research questions, and possible answers about what the object can tell us on a larger scale. Additional research that will support your speculations/hypotheses.
Completing the Project
We will work through the analysis essay slowly, thinking about how to best structure and organize our analyses. Follow the pace of the schedule when completing the steps; You will receive feedback between each of the steps so don’t jump ahead. Here are all of the steps:
Step I. Generate an Analysis Checklist: The checklist evaluates the strength of the elements in the collection, what kinds of research the collection can generate, and what questions the research will develop. Use the analysis checklist template in the folder marked Project 3 under the Handouts and Assignments folder.
Step II.
- Select your object for inquiry: Use your analysis checklist to select the strongest object to represent your collection. Your object should help demonstrate your questions and research, as well as support the purpose of the collection (people first or objects first).
- Use the Prownian Analysis Outline: Once you have selected your object, complete the Prownian Analysis Outline also found in the Project 3 folder. Your entries should be full sentences connected to planning and critical thinking. Remember, these are not quiz questions, but explorer questions.
Step III. Build the essay, one outline element at a time. Use the Prownian Analysis as an outline or blueprint for your essay. We will write this step by step, with class slides detailing each element, purpose, and possible structures.
We will write these in our writing groups, building one section at a time and sharing them in discussion groups. Think of these as mini peer reviews with a trusted group of writers. Each section will also receive some feedback from me, so we will all be participating in discussion. Your discussion groups and your submissions will both be a part of the Analysis Essay grade, absorbed into the rubrics for each part of the assignment. Finally, you will be asked to grade yourself, via the feedback form – be honest and considerate – don’t be too easy, but don’t be too harsh either. The feedback forms will serve as both reflections and a space for us to determine your final project grade together.
See the schedule for due dates