Primer on Writing an Analytical Essay:
If you are at all uncertain how to structure an essay read the following material carefully.

Introductory Paragraph: Your first paragraph is the most important part of your essay and should consist of 3 parts: a hook, background, and your thesis: The hook: Grab my attention. Make your first sentence interesting and meaningful Example: If Bill Gates spent $50,000 a minute for the rest of his life, he would still die a wealthy man if he lived for 40 more years.

Background: Explain the general issue that you are writing about and the controversy surrounding are assessing, including the title and author’s full name. Example: Many economists lament the growing division of wealth that has marked America in the last two decades. While some this is the basis for America’s economic strength, others feel reversing this trend should be a top priority. In fact, Sue Ackerman in her article “The Rich and the Rest”, suggests that there should be a ten-times rule, whereby the top wage earners could earn no more than tens times the minimum wage.

Thesis Statement: This tells me what your position on the topic is as well as how you are going to support it. Example: Her suggestion is ridiculous and should be opposed for three reasons. First of all, it is arbitrary – why should it be 10 times the wealth of the poor and not 8 or 15. Secondly, it is un-American by going against basic liberal values of freedom and one’s right to pursue their economic dreams. Finally, it is likely to be destructive to economic growth. Indeed, numerous studies show that the type increased taxes Ackerman supports have hurt us in the past.

Here is an example of a thesis paragraph all put together (with a title):

The Conflict in Darfur: Causes, Consequences, and International Response

In the last 10 years nearly a million people have died due to ethnic cleansing in the Darfur Sudan. While many people said “never again” to the Nazi Holocaust, it seems that the world has forgotten Darfur. This paper examines the conflict in Darfur and is organized around the following questions: (1) What is the nature of the conflict in Darfur? (2) What are the causes and effects of the conflict? (3) What has the international community done to address it, and what more could/should it do? The current conflict in Darfur goes back more than a decade and consists of fighting between government-supported troops and residents of Darfur. The causes of the conflict include x, y, and z. The effects of the conflict have been a, b, and c. The international community has done 0, and it should do 1, 2, and 3.

As you can see, framing your introduction in this way lays out quite clearly where you will go in the body, both in terms of the general nature of the content as well as the conclusions that will be supported through systematic argumentation and development. Thus, you have the beginnings of a schematic outline as seen below. Note the logical sequencing of the material. I. Introduction: Topic/Questions/Answers II. Body A. Nature of conflict B. Causes of conflict C. Effect of conflict D. International response III. Conclusion: What should be done

Body paragraphs:
The body paragraphs should be a minimal of five or six sentences and no more than ½ to ¾ of a page long. Most importantly, they should be centered on a main theme and have an introductory sentence to identify this theme. For my mock essay on Sussan Ackerman, I might write 4 body paragraphs; 1st – a brief summary and elaboration of Ackereman’s plan and rationale 2nd – a discussion of the arbitrary aspects of the plan 3rd – a discussion of how it goes against my perception of American values 4th - support for my point that it would hurt the economy (maybe this is where I would bring in info from another article to buttress my point.

Conclusion: Students often put little though into their conclusion, but remember this is what will leave a lasting impression on the reader. It is also where you have the most freedom. Your should first summarize or restate your thesis in a sentence or two, but then you should reflect on the whole debate that has just been presented. What does it all add up to and mean? Where do we go from here? In my mock essay, I might suggest what I would do about the income gap or poverty, or even suggest that maybe we need to simply learn to live with it. Or, I might claim that we do too much for the poor already and liberal need to stop complaining.