Page 535 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

Putting It All Together: From

Summary to Analysis

In a research paper, it is usually not enough to simply summarize the

ideas in an essay, article, or book. You need to go beyond summary

to analysis: comparing, contrasting, categorizing, evaluating, or

showing a progression through time. When you write a research
paper, impose your own order on the material. Analyze, don’t simply

summarize.

The sources that you use in college-level research may include

journals specific to the field you are studying. Don’t be intimidated by
the jargon of a particular field: Understanding key terms is essential to

focused research. An article in a sociology journal may assume the

reader knows what is meant by ascribed status and achieved status. If

you have heard the terms but are fuzzy on the concepts, look the

terms up. Analysis of the material you read involves full understanding
of the terms that its author uses. In addition, you should be able to

apply the terminology of the field you are studying to your own work.

When writing about a short story, for example, you might be asked to

comment on setting, character, or point of view, while your paper in

psychology might discuss internal versus external locus of control.

When you write about a particular field, be willing to learn and use its
key terms.