Analytical Writing: Looking Closely Flashcards
Analysis
Such detailed understanding allows you to diagnose what goes right and wrong and to intervene in focused,
effective ways. This pulling apart of objects and events and looking inside to
see their components.
What’s analysis initiated by?
Some need or desire to know the components, dynamics,
structure, or workings of some phenomenon in greater detail than is at first evident.
What does analysis look for?
Those things that are not obvious on the surface, that seem to be hidden to casual inspection. Analysis uncovers the unseen. Where there is
nothing hidden, nothing smaller than meets the eye or common-sense judg
ment, there is little to analyze.
Should you always us the same form of analysis?
NO, Each object or phenomenon may be viewed through many different forms ofanalysis. Some of these will be more appropriate and revealing for your pur
poses than others. Psychiatric analysis will not tell you much about a stone,
but various kinds of geologic and chemical analyses will. Depending on
what you need or want to know, you pick the right mode of analysis for the
stone
What do mode of analysis do?
Each mode of analysis identifies specific procedures that make particular ele
ments visible or accessible. Chemical analyses require precise laboratory procedures for preparing a sample, adding reagents, and measuring results
Are all analysis are the same?
Some methods of analysis are so well defined that all the steps are predetermined,
whereas others require more creativity. With certain well-known chemical proce
dures, the results will follow unproblematically if all the steps are followed.
What do you do with the parts?
Each level of analysis involves working with identifiable aspects or parts, isolat
ing those parts from each other, and seeing the specifics of each of the parts. If you are working with the mineral components of a geologic sample, you identify
what the various components are and the amount of each in the sample.
What does analysis require?
An analysis may require several levels or aspects of examination. Having seen
a problem or issue at one level, you may decide to look more deeply to find
what you need.
What underlies the analysis?
Usually a theory underlies the analysis. Each analysis creates a certain pic
ture of how something works or how it is composed. Many different kinds of
pictures can be drawn for one object.
