Analysis and Analysis and Structure Structure

Part 2: In the Academic Part 2: In the Academic ContextContext

What were analysis & What were analysis & critical analysis again?critical analysis again?

Listen to the following and make Listen to the following and make some notes. [Tip on note-taking: some notes. [Tip on note-taking: only note only note the important points the important points – – here the stages involved in here the stages involved in critical analysis. Don’t worry critical analysis. Don’t worry about all of the about all of the examples/development of the examples/development of the points]:points]:

http://www.palgrave.com/skills4stuhttp://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/html/criticalanalysis.mp3dy/html/criticalanalysis.mp3

Notes from Recording: Main Notes from Recording: Main pointspoints

1.1. Identify key debates/issues referred to in Identify key debates/issues referred to in title. Why set this assignment? What title. Why set this assignment? What theories should I use?theories should I use?

2.2. Identify Identify your your point of view (p.o.v) on these point of view (p.o.v) on these issues. (– I sentence. Lawyer in court).issues. (– I sentence. Lawyer in court).

3.3. Give Give evidenceevidence for your p.o.v – for your p.o.v – whywhy do you do you believe what you do? Your reasons? ‘Crit believe what you do? Your reasons? ‘Crit writing is a set of reasons’.writing is a set of reasons’.

4.4. Find proof for your reasons – evaluate the Find proof for your reasons – evaluate the evidence. Question everything – opinion or evidence. Question everything – opinion or evidencedevidenced argument. Are there argument. Are there other waysother ways of of look at the issue?look at the issue?

5.5. Debate: Weigh up different ps.o.v - Strengths Debate: Weigh up different ps.o.v - Strengths and weaknesses. YOU should dialogue with the and weaknesses. YOU should dialogue with the perspectives.perspectives.

6.6. Structure. (Structure. (Think of reader.Think of reader. Persuade Persuade reader. What order will make sense for the reader. What order will make sense for the reader? Think of the different themes)reader? Think of the different themes)

A Definition of A Definition of ArgumentArgument Argument means ‘taking up a Argument means ‘taking up a particular stance on a topic particular stance on a topic and providing evidence drawn and providing evidence drawn from the specified course from the specified course content and literature’. content and literature’. Garner and Lillis (2001, Garner and Lillis (2001, 125)125)

So. We are So. We are interested in:interested in:1.1. TheThe ISSUESISSUES chosen to talk chosen to talk

about a topicabout a topic

2.2. The The PERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE given on given on the themes/issues. The the themes/issues. The claimsclaims

made aboutmade about the issues.the issues.

3.3. The The EVIDENCEEVIDENCE given to back given to back up the perspective (up the perspective (whywhy do you do you hold this perspective??hold this perspective??

Remember last week’s essay: ‘Why Remember last week’s essay: ‘Why do some students succeed at exams, do some students succeed at exams, whereas others don’t?’ whereas others don’t?’

IssueIssue 11: ‘Student Responsibility’. I : ‘Student Responsibility’. I began my paragraph with my began my paragraph with my

PerspectivePerspective (Argumentative Point) on (Argumentative Point) on this issue: this issue:

Both the individual’s problems with Both the individual’s problems with personal organisation and her/his personal organisation and her/his attitude to learning might be considered attitude to learning might be considered the essence of student success or the essence of student success or

failure. failure. EvidenceEvidence for (EG: Tanner & for (EG: Tanner & Wright’s theories) and against? Wright’s theories) and against? Implications of perspectives?Implications of perspectives?

Is this critical writing, Is this critical writing, then?then? Freud believed that we pass through Freud believed that we pass through five stages at different periods in five stages at different periods in our life. These stages are Oral, our life. These stages are Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency and Genital. Anal, Phallic, Latency and Genital. Freud believes that we pass through Freud believes that we pass through the oral sage at 0-18 months. This the oral sage at 0-18 months. This is where most of our functioning is is where most of our functioning is based around the mouth, biting and based around the mouth, biting and chewing. Anal occurs at 18-36 chewing. Anal occurs at 18-36 months, where the person is centered months, where the person is centered on bowel and bladder control. (From on bowel and bladder control. (From Garner and Lillis, 2005, 119)Garner and Lillis, 2005, 119)

Critical Writing involves Critical Writing involves dialoguedialogue with information with information

No. It’s just information. No. It’s just information.

How? There is no ‘claim’ How? There is no ‘claim’ being made about Freud here.being made about Freud here.

We aren’t being told to We aren’t being told to thinkthink anything about his theories.anything about his theories.

Handout: English Handout: English essayessayIdentify the main Identify the main issueissue discussed discussed

The The perspectiveperspective given on the issuegiven on the issue

The The evidenceevidence given given for the perspectivefor the perspective

The theme of private life versus public The theme of private life versus public life is manifest in all the spying that life is manifest in all the spying that takes place in takes place in HamletHamlet. For example, when . For example, when Hamlet speaks to his mother in her Hamlet speaks to his mother in her bedchamber, he is being spied upon by bedchamber, he is being spied upon by Polonius and, in turn, the ghost of the Polonius and, in turn, the ghost of the King. Conversely, when Claudius is at King. Conversely, when Claudius is at prayer, Hamlet spies on him. At the prayer, Hamlet spies on him. At the beginning of Act 3, Scene 1, Claudius and beginning of Act 3, Scene 1, Claudius and Polonius spy on Hamlet so that, ‘Seeing Polonius spy on Hamlet so that, ‘Seeing unseen’, they may check on his state of unseen’, they may check on his state of mind. This spying gives rise to counter-mind. This spying gives rise to counter-surveillance. If welok at the missing surveillance. If welok at the missing stage direction from Quarto 1 – ‘Enter stage direction from Quarto 1 – ‘Enter Hamlet Hamlet reading reading a book’ – we suspect that a book’ – we suspect that the ‘To Be or not to Be’ soliloquy is in the ‘To Be or not to Be’ soliloquy is in fact a ruse. Hamlet acts out a moment of fact a ruse. Hamlet acts out a moment of introspection in order to mislead Claudius introspection in order to mislead Claudius and Polonius because he either knows they and Polonius because he either knows they are watching, or suspects they might be. are watching, or suspects they might be. The consequence of this for the theme of The consequence of this for the theme of private life versus public life is that private life versus public life is that there is no private life. All the spying there is no private life. All the spying in the play puts private lives under in the play puts private lives under surveillance and makes them public. surveillance and makes them public. (Myers 2002, 59)(Myers 2002, 59)

English essayEnglish essay

General Theme = The relationship General Theme = The relationship between the public and private between the public and private – Sub-theme = Theme of spyingSub-theme = Theme of spying

Perspective = The boundaries Perspective = The boundaries between public and private are between public and private are blurred – what is the private?blurred – what is the private?

Evidence = egs of spying in textEvidence = egs of spying in text

Read the Extract from the Read the Extract from the History essay on the Handout History essay on the Handout and:and:

Identify the main Identify the main issue/themeissue/theme discussed discussed

The The perspectiveperspective given given on the issueon the issue

The The evidenceevidence given for given for the perspectivethe perspective

History EssayHistory Essay

General Theme & Perspective = General Theme & Perspective = Need to ward off German threat = Need to ward off German threat = prime reason for continuation of prime reason for continuation of coalition govtcoalition govt

Evidence = Ref to secondary Evidence = Ref to secondary source (Addison) (Is this source (Addison) (Is this sufficient evidence?)sufficient evidence?)

Analysis helps with your Reading Analysis helps with your Reading too:too:

You are faced with lots of You are faced with lots of information. How might you analyse information. How might you analyse it? This is an extract from a 3rd it? This is an extract from a 3rd year BA dissertation. year BA dissertation.

The student interviewed her The student interviewed her flatmates and, therefore, had lots flatmates and, therefore, had lots of disparate, rambling of disparate, rambling information. Her (and information. Her (and youryour task task when you write) was to ANALYSE the when you write) was to ANALYSE the info: to info: to make sensemake sense of it. What of it. What might you do first? Look for might you do first? Look for patterns: in this case the things patterns: in this case the things the flatmates are mentioning again the flatmates are mentioning again and again. Group them under and again. Group them under general issues/themes. general issues/themes.

TaskTask

Read the following extract from Read the following extract from the dissertation the dissertation and identify:and identify:

1.1. The The MAIN THEME/MAIN THEME/ ISSUEISSUE the the student chose to analyse the student chose to analyse the information.information.

2.2. TheThe PERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE

3.3. TheThe EVIDENCE EVIDENCE

Beverly Skeggs’ study has similar traits and strategies to my own study of women at University. Skeggs’ work focuses on the ways in which working class people have elected to go to University in order to move away from their working class environment. Skeggs notes that, for some women in her study, completing college courses was an attempt ‘to escape’ (Skeggs, 1997: 76) the working class predicament and its association with ‘low level skills’ (Walkerdine, 1993: 165). This desire to escape working class roots was particularly poignant in this case study. Hannah has always found University difficult and is unhappy with her degree course in primary school teaching. She has often stated that she would rather be doing hairdressing but, when questioned, says that being a primary school teacher is ‘better’.(…)

Analysis: Main ThemeAnalysis: Main Theme

EducationEducation

(IE: Class (IE: Class attitudes to attitudes to University)University)

PerspectivePerspective

Education is seen as Education is seen as an escape from an escape from working-class working-class positioningpositioning

Evidence: Defending her Evidence: Defending her AnalysisAnalysis

How does she prove that she How does she prove that she has come up with her theme on has come up with her theme on the basis of research? (= She the basis of research? (= She mentions a bit of theory)mentions a bit of theory)

What EVIDENCE did she give What EVIDENCE did she give for her point? (A quotation for her point? (A quotation from the interview)from the interview)

You could do it the You could do it the other way roundother way round Find a theory and see Find a theory and see whether any aspects of it whether any aspects of it apply to your case.apply to your case.

(See Skeggs eg)(See Skeggs eg)

Social Theory EssaySocial Theory Essay

General Theme & Perspective = General Theme & Perspective = Mental Health issues are due to Mental Health issues are due to contemporary identity problemscontemporary identity problems– Sub-theme & Perspective = Social Sub-theme & Perspective = Social Mobility causing fluid identitiesMobility causing fluid identities

Evidence = Ref to & discussion Evidence = Ref to & discussion of secondary sources to support of secondary sources to support his pointshis points

As you research…As you research…

Possible planner for Possible planner for researching critical researching critical essays (from essays (from Cottrell (2003, Cottrell (2003, 187)):187)):

Main Main proposal/hypothesis/argumenproposal/hypothesis/argumentt

Reasons or arguments Reasons or arguments in favourin favour

1.1.2.2.3.3.

Evidence and ExamplesEvidence and Examples112233

Opposing Arguments1.2.3.

Reasons and Evidence1.2.3.

Reasons why my arguments are stronger; weaknesses in thereasoning or evidence for the opposing arguments1.2.

EG of planning.EG of planning. Is the struggle for Is the struggle for autonomy within late capitalist society autonomy within late capitalist society the struggle against capitalism?the struggle against capitalism?

What is autonomy? (Introduce debate)What is autonomy? (Introduce debate) Against. The struggle for autonomy Against. The struggle for autonomy IS IS

NOT NOT the struggle against capitalism.the struggle against capitalism.1.1. Issue 1: Consumerism – pro-autonomy. Issue 1: Consumerism – pro-autonomy.

How? You can create yourself through your How? You can create yourself through your consumption. Theorists: Robert Bocock. consumption. Theorists: Robert Bocock.

2.2. Issue 2: Time.Issue 2: Time.3.3. Issue 3:Issue 3:

In favour: The struggle for autonomy IS In favour: The struggle for autonomy IS the struggle against capitalism.the struggle against capitalism.

1.1. Issue1: Consumerism. Anti-Autonomy. Issue1: Consumerism. Anti-Autonomy. How? Theorists: Lodziak. How? Theorists: Lodziak.

2.2. Issue 2: Time. Anti-Autonomy. How? Issue 2: Time. Anti-Autonomy. How? Theorists: Bowring.Theorists: Bowring.

3.3. Issue 3:Issue 3:

Further ReadingFurther Reading

***Cottrell, S. (2003) ***Cottrell, S. (2003) The The Study Skills Handbook,Study Skills Handbook, Basingstoke: Palgrave Basingstoke: Palgrave MacmillanMacmillan – Chapters 8 and 10 – Chapters 8 and 10

Fairbairn, G. J. and Winch C. Fairbairn, G. J. and Winch C. (1991) (1991) Reading, Writing and Reading, Writing and Reasoning: a Guide for Students,Reasoning: a Guide for Students, Buckingham,:Open University PressBuckingham,:Open University Press

Further ReadingFurther Reading

Definition of descriptive vs Definition of descriptive vs analytical writing (30 analytical writing (30 seconds to read!):seconds to read!):

http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/studhttp://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/gloess.htm#Descriptivey/gloess.htm#Descriptive

See the short bit on analysis See the short bit on analysis at the end of this page:at the end of this page:

http://http://www.wlv.ac.uk/shass/slc/LCSASwww.wlv.ac.uk/shass/slc/LCSASTR.htmlTR.html