quote analysis

Analysis Workshop

10 January 2020

1. Get into core groups

2. Choose a quote from Malcolm X or The Apology that you all want to analyse as a group. 

3. Individually, spend 5 minutes writing down what you notice about the quote.

4. Compare your notes with the group

5. Pick your favorite points from your quote to share with the class

How to Analyze Quotes:

1. Make observation

a. Something that makes you go hmmmm

i. You should be able to find something from marking up your text!

i. Pick relevant quote

i. Deeply analye your quote. This could include, but is not limited to:

1. What stands out? 

1. What made you go hmmmm?

1. What images are powerful? 

1. What’s the tone? 

1. How is the sentence set up, and what does that do for the argument?

1. Are there any repeating metaphors/motifs?

1. How does this relate to something you see in the world today?

1. What’s confusing?

1. What words did you have to look up? Why did the author use this word instead of a more common word?

1. Compare and contrast quotes or texts

1. Connect to another text

1. What’s at stake? What do the those involved stand to gain or lose?

1. What’s the motivation behind this passage? What does the author want to do? Convince you? Make you feel something? Set up a scene? Etc.

1. You don’t have to use all these tools at once. Pick and choose what tools seem right for each quote and argument you are making.

i. Analysis should be much longer than the quote itself. Aim to have at least about 5+ lines of analysis for every selected quote

i. Quotes should be formatted: “Quote” (Author’s last name 21). 

1. Punctuation ALWAYS goes after the parentheses in MLA format!

i. Basic formatting for an analysis. Not a hard and fast rule, but a good place to start. PCEAT!

1. All lengths are suggestions, not hard and fast rules.

1. Point

ii. 1-2 sentences

1. Context

iii. 1-2 sentences

1. Evidence

iv. A few words-3 sentences-ish. Long enough to support your claim, but no longer than that.

1. Analysis

v. 5-7+ sentences.

v. This should be ~75% of your piece

v. How does this quote support your point?

v. See analysis tips

1. Tie back and transition 

vi. Tie back: Wrap up your idea. Might be a conclusion.

1. Conclusions should include a “so what?”. Why do we care about what you have discussed in your analysis? How does it connect to a bigger pattern outside the text you are looking at? How does this connect to your reader’s life?

vi. Transition this idea into the next idea

i. It’s ok to use “I”!!!