Summary tells readers what a source says or what happened. Analysis explains how, why, or with what significance particular details matter. Both can be necessary, but confusing them often leaves a paper rich in information and thin in reasoning.
Give only needed context
Provide enough summary for readers to understand the evidence you will examine. Choose details related to your question rather than retelling the entire source. In literary writing, a brief account of an exchange may orient the reader before examining its wording. In a workplace report, a short process description may precede analysis of a delay. Context should prepare the reasoning rather than take up all the available space.
Interrogate a specific detail
Ask what a word choice, comparison, omission, result, or sequence contributes to the question. Explain the connection using evidence. Instead of saying a speaker uses repetition, examine what the repeated phrase emphasizes and how its placement affects the argument. Alternative interpretations help you test the claim. Analysis is not an unsupported personal reaction; it makes a defensible inference from something readers can inspect.
Check the paragraph’s balance
Highlight sentences that report and those that interpret. An imbalance is a clue, not a universal ratio rule. Ask whether readers can see your reasoning after encountering the evidence. Beginners can add a sentence beginning this detail matters because, then revise away the formula. Experienced writers can compare interpretations and explain why one better fits the pattern. If interpretation cannot be supported, narrow it or return to the source rather than adding confident adjectives.
Put it into practice
Put it into practice
- Choose a summary-heavy paragraph.
- Select one detail relevant to the central question.
- Write an explanation of how or why it matters, test an alternative interpretation, and revise the paragraph so readers can follow the evidence-to-claim connection.
Sources & further reading
- Harvard College Writing Center: Asking Analytical Questions ↗
- Texas A&M University Writing Center: Critical Thinking ↗
Practical examples and exercises are original StudyMaster learning activities. Read about our editorial approach.