In a critical analysis, you examine and assess a work from a number of points of view. Requirements often vary by instructor or company, but you should always include the following:

• enough background information to familiarize readers with the piece you're analyzing (including the name of the author or artist)

• a description of the way the piece was written

• the general thesis behind the piece or a synopsis of the work

Since details and the proper use of quotations and citations are important in a critical analysis, you should take care to follow classroom or company directions explicitly.

Considering the following list of questions may be helpful when composing a critical analysis.

• What is important biographical data about the author or artist?

• What are the purpose, tone, and format of the piece?

• How can the work be interpreted? (Remember, you're not writing a summary of the work but rather an interpretation of its meaning.)Is any information in the work inaccurate or incomplete?

• In what ways was the work successful? How did the author or artist achieve the success?

• In what ways was the work unsuccessful? How did the author or artist fail?

• What could the author or artist have done to be more successful?

• Is the piece you're analyzing fair? If not, what's your evidence that it's biased or subjective?

• Do any historical, psychological, geographical, gender, racial, cultural, or religious considerations have an impact on the work?

If you're writing a critical analysis of a literary work, consider points such as theme, symbolism, imagery, figurative language, setting, and characterization. Avoid using the first-person point of view in a critical analysis unless you have permission. In most instances, your like or dislike of a work wouldn't be considered a suitable subject (but you probably already figured that out).

In order to get the ball rolling, you might begin this way:

But when you're revising, cross out “I think that” and then begin your sentence.