ANALYTICAL WRITING – 2

HSSTS1022AW20118

TOPICS

– Possible Text Structures

– Brainstorming
– Research

POSSIBLE TEXT STRUCTURES

Analytical non-fiction pieces can be divided into six different text structures:

✤ Compare-Contrast: A compare-contrast essay focuses on the similarities and differences between at least two
objects or ideas. The purpose is to develop the relationship between them and, in the process, explain both in
detail.

✤ Cause-Effect: A cause-effect essay first presents a reason or motive for an event, situation, or trend and then
explains its result or consequence.

✤ Problem-Solution: A problem-solution essay informs readers about a complex, real-world, philosophical

problem (or related problems), followed by actions that could be taken to remedy the problem.

✤ Concept-Definition (descriptive writing): A concept-definition essay provides a personal, but still factually
complete and correct, understanding of a particular concept or term. The essay conveys what research and
experience have taught the writer (what the concept “is not” is often also part of the definition).

✤ Goal-Action-Outcome (process or procedural writing): A goal-action-outcome essay either tells the reader
how to do something or describes how something is done. Math explanations and science lab reports are good
examples of goal-action-outcome writing.

✤ Proposition-Support (persuasive writing): A proposition-support essay uses logic, reason, and supporting
data to argue that one idea is more legitimate than another. The argument must include sound reasoning and
reliable external evidence, stating facts, giving logical reasons, using examples, and quoting reliable experts and
original sources.

Exercise 1

In the left column, you are given a list of analytical writing topics. Identify the possible text structures that may be
used in the written response and complete the right column.

NO. TOPIC POSSIBLE TEXT SRUCTURES

1 What really caused the loss of life on the Titanic and how
have such catastrophes been avoided since?

2 How can the college reduce its carbon footprint?

3 How do colour choices affect the tone and mood of an art

piece?

4 Does Odysseus fulfill the role of an ancient Greek hero?

5 What were the major causes for the independence of

India?

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ANALYTICAL WRITING – 2

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6 A business proposal to start operations overseas

7 Is casteism still a problem in this country?

8 Provide a detailed definition of “democracy”.

9 Compare and contrast the major elements of Christianity

and Buddhism.

10 How can the Reserve Bank help keep economic crises from
spinning out of control?

BRAINSTORMING
When brainstorming, ask questions that can be answered with research. Try to break apart and define the terms in
the question. Think about what questions both you and other people might have.

Exercise 2
Now let’s practice the art of brainstorming for analytical essays with Topic 1 of the previous exercise.

“What really caused the loss of life on the Titanic and how have such catastrophes been avoided since?”

The IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH

In analytical writing, it helps tremendously if you support your opinions with evidence from
others (authors, scientists, reliable experts, eye witnesses, etc.).

What really caused the loss of life on
the Titanic and how have such
catastrophes been avoided since?
Resources found (reported in MLA format):
 Ballard, Robert. Dr. Robert Ballard’s Titanic. New York: Barnes &
Noble, 2007.
 Matsen, Brad. Titanic’s Last Secrets. New York: Twelve, 2008.
 Brown, David. The Last Log of the Titanic. Crawfordsville IN:
International Marine, a Division of McGraw-Hill, 2001.
 Lord, Walter. A Night to Remember. New York: Holt, 2005.
 ed. Winocour, Jack. The Story of the Titanic as Told by its Survivors.
Mineola, NY: Dover, 1960.
 Multiple Authors. “Encyclopedia Titanica”. 5-April-2010
 Behe. George. “Titanic Inquiry Project”. Titanic Inquiry Project.
5-April-2010 <http://www.titanicinquiry.org/>
 Multiple Authors. “Titanic”. Wikipedia. 5-April-2010
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Titanic http://www.uscgiip.org/
 Multiple Authors. “International Ice Patrol”. United States Coast
Guard. 5-April-2010 http://www.uscg-iip.org/cms/

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