This handout provides suggestions for writing papers or reactions that request you to analyze a text through the lens of a vital or theoretical source that is secondary.

Generally speaking, the lens should expose one thing concerning the initial or “target” text that will never be otherwise obvious. Alternatively, your analysis may phone the legitimacy for the arguments associated with lens piece into concern, expand the arguments regarding the lens text, or provoke several other reevaluation for the two texts. In any event, you’ll be creating a crucial “dialogue between texts.”

Reading the Texts

You read them is crucial since you will eventually want to hone in on points of commonality and discord between the two texts, the order and manner in which.

First, read the lens text to recognize the core that is author’s and language. Since theoretical or critical texts are generally thick and complex, it could be beneficial to develop a plan for the author’s primary points. According the to Brandeis Writing Program Handbook, an invaluable lens essay will “grapple with central some ideas” of this lens text, in the place of working with remote quotes which could or may possibly not be indicative regarding the author’s argument as a whole. As a result, it is crucial to ensure that you certainly comprehend and that can articulate the author’s points that are main continuing towards the target text.

Upcoming, quickly browse the target text to produce a basic concept of its content. Then, think about: Where do we see basic points of contract or disagreement between your two texts? Which of this lens text’s arguments that are main be reproduced into the target text? It may possibly be more straightforward to concentrate on a couple of regarding the lens text’s central arguments.

With one of these some ideas at heart, return back and browse the target text very carefully, through the theoretical lens, thinking about the next concerns: Exactly what are the primary aspects of the lens text and exactly what are their complementary components within the target text? How do I apply the lens author’s vocabulary that is theoretical logic to instances when you look at the target text? Are there any instances where in actuality the lens text’s arguments don’t or can’t apply? Exactly why is this? It really is useful to keep a careful, written record of web web page figures, quotes, as well as your ideas and responses while you read.

Because this form of paper handles a synthesis that is complex of sources, it really is specially crucial to possess an obvious course of action before you start writing. It may help to cluster quotes or activities by subject material, by theme, or by if they support, contradict, or else change the arguments within the lens text. Hopefully, typical themes, a few ideas, and arguments will start to emerge and you may begin drafting!

Composing the Introduction and Thesis

As your paper involves the interactions that are complex numerous texts, it is essential to explain what you would be doing the introduction. Remember to obviously introduce the lens text and its own arguments that are specific will soon be using or assessing. Then introduce the target text and its own particular themes or activities you are handling in your analysis.

These introductions of texts and themes should lead into some type or style of thesis declaration. Though there are not any set guidelines or conventions for just what this thesis should appear to be, be sure it states the points of discussion you’ll be speaking about, and explains exactly what your critical or analysis that is theoretical of target text reveals in regards to the texts.

Composing the human body

Your body is where you use particular arguments through the lens text to particular quotes or circumstances within the target text. In each situation, be sure to talk about just exactly what the lens text reveals in regards to the target text (or vice versa). Make use of the lens text’s language and rational framework to examine the prospective text, but remember to be clear about where some ideas when you look at the paper are arriving from (the lens text, the mark text, your personal interpretation etc.) therefore the reader does not be confused.

By participating in this sort of analysis, you may be “entering an academic discussion” and inserting your personal tips. Since that is undoubtedly easier in theory, Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein’s notion of “Templates” may show helpful. Within their guide, they state, I state, the authors construct numerous templates to greatly help authors take part in unfamiliar kinds of critical discourse that is academic. They encourage pupils to make use of the templates in every capability they find helpful, be it filling them in verbatim, modifying and extending them, or with them as an entry that is analytical, then discarding them totally.

Here we modify their fundamental template (They say ________. I say ________.), to generate lens templates that are essay-specific help you to get started:

The writer associated with lens text lays down a framework that is helpful understanding cases of ________ in the mark text. Certainly, when you look at the target text, one sees ________, that could be looked at a typical example of ________ by the lens author’s definition. Therefore, we come across a place of commonality _____ that is concerning__. This similarity reveals ________.

Based on the lens text _______ tends to take place in situations where _______. Because of the lens author’s meaning, ________ in the goal text could possibly be considered an example of _______. Nonetheless, this parallel is imperfect because _______. As a result, we become aware of ________.

One sees ________ in the prospective text, which calls the lens author’s argument that ________ into question because ________.

In the event that composer of the lens text is proper that ________, one could be prepared to see ________ in the mark text. Nonetheless, ________ really occurs, revealing a critical point of disagreement. This discord implies that ________. This matter is very important because ________.

Wrapping Things up and conclusions that are drawing

The texts address by this point in your essay, you should be drawing conclusions regarding what your lens analysis reveals about the texts in questions, or the broader issues. Be sure to explain why these discoveries are very important when it comes to control by which you might be composing. To phrase it differently, that which was the point of undertaking your analysis within the place that is first? Delighted lens writing!

Brandeis UWS Writing Handbook, 70.

Birkenstein, Cathy and Gerald Graff, They State, I Say. (Ny: W. W. Norton & Business, 2007), 2-3.