Analyzing Journal Articles & Essays

Below are some questions to help you begin analyzing a journal article or essay. Your analysis may not contain comments on every question below. Instead, select a few questions as the basis of the ideas which will lead to a detailed and interesting analysis of an article or essay.

1. EXAMINE THE TITLE

• What does the author tell you in the title?
• Information? Does it suggest the topic or main idea?
• Description? Does it merely imply the subject?
• Attention catcher? Does it arouse interest?
• Is the title brief/provocative/relevant?
• Does the title indicate the author's attitude toward the subject?

2. IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

• Is the first paragraph introductory or does it contain a general statement of the main idea?
• Where is the main idea?
• In the first paragraph?
• Is chronological order used?
• In the body or middle?
• Does this add interest? confusion?
• Does this give the reader more time to reject/accept the author's main idea?
• At the end?
• Does this add suspense?
• Does this clarify details?
• Does this cause lack of interest?
• Is the main idea implied only?
• Could the main idea escape the reader completely?
• Was the main idea stated in more than one place?
• Was the main idea stated or suggested?
• Was the placement of the main idea the best arrangement for the article/essay?
• What are the advantages/disadvantages in such an arrangement?
• Did the author adhere to and support the main idea?
• Was the main idea supported with examples, details, anecdotes, narratives, and/or other support methods?

3. ANALYZE THE STRUCTURE

• Can you identify a definite plan of organization (for example, beginning, body, ending)?
• Did the author
• Analyze the subject matter?
• Categorize the material?
• Chronologically develop ideas?
• Contrast and compare?
• Use a combination of any of these?
• Is the structure clear and logical?
• Are the transitional phrases/words adequate to keep the reader in command?
• Does the author have logical support for ideas? Does the author use
• Too many generalizations?
• Mistakes in logic?
• Evidence to support claims?
• How does the author add interest and variety? Does the author use
• Anecdotes, incidents, conversations?
• Descriptive or narrative materials?
• Actual situations or definite places?
• Quotations?
• Is the ending
• As effective as the beginning?
• Interchangeable with the beginning?
• A restatement of a high point?
• A weaving together of threads of ideas with in the article/essay?
• A "driving home" of the main idea?

4. EVALUATE THE ARTICLE'S/ESSAY'S STYLE (THE ADAPTATION OF ONE'S IDEAS TO ONE'S LANGUAGE)

• What is the author's personality in writing?
• Are individual situations or overall ideas stressed?
• Does the author's background influence the article/essay?
• What is the author's point of view?
• What techniques are used to produce style?
• Vocabulary?
• Technical words
• Allusions to unknown works
• Descriptive or unusual inversions of words
• Forceful or weak words
• Definitions
• Satire?
• Imagery and figurative language?