What is it?

How do I
write one?

©Mauri Fava 2015 1

 It’san essay, so it has the typical structure
of an essay: introduction, body, and
conclusion.

 But it is text-dependent analysis (TDA). This

means that you must support your ideas with
specific details from the text you are writing
about.

 Itinvolves analysis of the text so you must

closely examine the small parts while reading
to see how they relate to the whole.
©Mauri Fava 2015 2
Restate the Questions
Answer the Question
Cite Evidence
Explain the Answer
Summary Statement

3
 RESTATE the Did you turn the question into a Intro
R question
•
statement?

ANSWER the • Does your answer to the question express a Intro

A question main idea (a point you are going to prove)?
Thesis

CITE evidence • Did you transition from your “A” (thesis)? Body
C • Did you use a starter such as…
o The narrator says,
o The text says,
o It explains,
• Do you have a direct quote to prove your main
idea?

EXPLAIN the • Does it begin with something :This… shows that… Body
E answer
•
•
Does it answer “Why” and/or “How”?
Does it use some key words from the citation?
• Does it explain fully, using because…?
• Does it reuse the (A) main idea with some new
wording?
• Did you make sure all parts connect?

SUMMARY Did you wrap up your ideas by Conclusion

S statement
•
summarizing your response into one
final statement?

4
Like any good essay, you start with a hook and end with
the thesis or main idea statement.

Hook:

 Use a powerful quote from the text you are analyzing

or begin with a comment about the text.

Main Idea Statement (thesis):

 Restate the prompt using key words and include

title and author of the text you are analyzing.

©Mauri Fava 2015 5

Sample question:
Analyze the language of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The
Raven” and discuss how it contributes to the
mood of the poem.

Hook:
It is a mark of great craftsmanship to find just
the right words to make a reader shake and
shudder, and Edgar Allen Poe is such a master.

Restate:
Poe establishes a dark and hopeless mood
through language in his poem, “The Raven.”

©Mauri Fava 2015 6

 It is a mark of great craftsmanship to
find just the right words to make a reader
shake and shudder, and Edgar Allen Poe is
such a master. Poe establishes a dark and
hopeless mood through language in his poem,
“The Raven.”

©Mauri Fava 2015 7

Sample question:
Analyze the metaphor of the staircase in
Langston Hugh’s poem, “Mother to Son.” What
does the staircase reveal about the speaker’s
life?

Hook:
“Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.”

Restate:
In his poem, “Mother to Son,” Langston
Hughes uses the metaphor of the staircase to
describe to the hardships endured by the
speaker throughout her life and her power to
overcome.
©Mauri Fava 2015 8
 “Life for me ain’t been no crystal
stair.” In his poem, “Mother to Son,”
Langston Hughes uses the metaphor of the
staircase to describe to the hardships
endured by the speaker throughout her life
and her power to overcome.

©Mauri Fava 2015 9

After the introduction, a good essay has a body of several
paragraphs that supports the main idea statement or thesis.
Each paragraph should have the following:

Topic sentence:
 Set a focus for the paragraph. Present an idea that supports
your thesis. Make sure that you can support this idea with
specific text evidence.

Evidence:
 Provide at least two specific references to the text to
support your idea. At least one of these should be a direct
quote.

Analysis and explanation:

 Analyze the evidence presented and explain how it supports
your ideas.
©Mauri Fava 2015 10
Topic sentence:
 The speaker of “Mother to Son” has experienced her
share of hardship.

Evidence:
 She asserts that “life for me ain’t been no crystal
stair.” Her life has had “tacks” and “splinters.” Her
stairs are “torn up” and “bare.”
Analysis and explanation:
 This description of the speaker’s life in terms of a
rundown staircase suggests that she has struggled in
life. “Tacks” and “splinters” and “torn up” are
images of pain. The lack of carpet implies poverty.
The metaphor suggests that the speaker is as worn
down from the trials of her life as a wooden staircase
that has not been cared for. It is a powerful
metaphor.

©Mauri Fava 2015 11

 The speaker of “Mother to Son” has
experienced her share of hardship. She asserts
that “life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.”
Her life has had “tacks” and “splinters.” Her
stairs are “torn up” and “bare.” This
description of the speaker’s life in terms of a
rundown staircase suggests that she has
struggled in life. “Tacks” and “splinters” and
“torn up” are images of pain. The lack of
carpet implies poverty. The metaphor suggests
that the speaker is as worn down from the
trials of her life as a wooden staircase that has
not been cared for. It is a powerful metaphor.

©Mauri Fava 2015 12

Topic sentence:
 The metaphor of the staircase is also used to describe how the
speaker has dealt with her setbacks throughout life.
Evidence:
 She tells her son, “I’se been a-climbin’ on…” Despite many
setbacks in life, the speaker is still reaching landings and
turning corners. She urges her son not to “set down on the
steps…”
Analysis and explanation:
 The evidence suggests that while this speaker has had her share
of hardships, she clearly has the power to endure and
overcome. She can still climb or rise above anything that life
throws at her. Reaching landings and turning corners, this
speaker does not give up no matter what. This mother tries to
impart the importance of perseverance to her son by telling him
not to sit down just because life is hard.
©Mauri Fava 2015 13
 The metaphor of the staircase is also used to
describe how the speaker has dealt with her setbacks
throughout life. She tells her son, “I’se been a-
climbin’ on…” Despite many setbacks in life, the
speaker is still reaching landings and turning corners.
She urges her son not to “set down on the steps…”
The evidence suggests that while this speaker has
had her share of hardships, she clearly has the power
to endure and overcome. She can still climb or rise
above anything that life throws at her. Reaching
landings and turning corners, this speaker does not
give up no matter what. This mother tries to impart
the importance of perseverance to her son by telling
him not to sit down just because life is hard.
©Mauri Fava 2015 14
Restates key points:
Langston Hughes constructs the perfect metaphor to
describe both the hardships of the speaker’s life and her
determined spirit. Her life, like the staircase with tacks and
torn up boards, has been difficult. But she has continued to
climb and overcome challenges.

Synthesizes information; draws conclusions for the

reader:
As the speaker tries to inspire her son to never give up no
matter how hard life gets by climbing and turning corners
on the staircase of life, the reader is also inspired by her
strong spirit.

©Mauri Fava 2015 15

 Langston Hughes constructs the perfect metaphor to
describe both the hardships of the speaker’s life and her
determined spirit. Her life, like the staircase with tacks and
torn up boards, has been difficult. But she has continued to
climb and overcome challenges. As the speaker tries to
inspire her son to never give up no matter how hard life gets
by climbing and turning corners on the staircase of life, the
reader is also inspired by her strong spirit.

©Mauri Fava 2015 16

Be specific when presenting text evidence:

Direct Quote:
1. Use quotation marks.
2. Begin with phrases such as:
The author says...
The text states…
For example, the author says...
Paraphrase:
 Describe what is in the text in your own words. Be
sure to describe something specific in the text.

©Mauri Fava 2015 17

Direct Quote:
Use quotation marks when you repeat a sentence, phrase, or
even unique words from the text.
author says...
Examples:

 She asserts that “life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.”

 She urges her son not to “set down on the steps…”

 “Tacks” and “splinters” and “torn up” are images of pain.

©Mauri Fava 2015 18

Restate a relevant part of the text in your own words. Make
sure that you are referring to something specific in the
text.author says...
Examples:

The staircase represents life because the speaker keeps

talking about climbing stairs throughout the poem as she
talks about life.

In the final stanza, the speaker tells her son that it is

important to keep climbing and never sit down just
because life is hard.

©Mauri Fava 2015 19

Explain how the quote or paraphrased evidence supports your
idea. Begin with signal phrases such as:
This shows…
. This means…
This reveals…
This illustrates…
Evidence Explanation

According to the This description of the speaker’s life in terms

speaker, her staircase of a rundown staircase suggests that she has
in life has had “tacks” struggled in life. “Tacks” and “splinters” and
and “splinters” and “torn up” are images of pain. The lack of
“boards torn up” and carpet implies poverty. The metaphor
“no carpet.” suggests that the speaker is as worn down
from the trials of her life as a wooden
staircase that has not been cared for.
©Mauri Fava 2015 20
 Read the prompt closely and repeatedly until you
are sure that you understand your task. Underline or
highlight key words.
 Read your text once through.
 Read the text again and annotate, underlining
evidence and labelling it. Take notes on the text as
thoughts occur.
 Complete the graphic organizer using as few words
as possible. Don’t bother writing entire quotes.
You can do that in your draft!
 If time permits, complete a draft and review it
using the writer’s checklist and scoring guidelines.
 Complete the final copy.
 Review the final copy for convention errors.
©Mauri Fava 2015 21
Key Verb Task Example
Analyze Take something apart to see how it Analyze the lyrics “Frozen” and
works. identify the central theme.

Compare/contrast Discuss likenesses/differences. Compare and contrast the vision of

Compare = alike the future presented in the novels
Contrast=different The Giver and Hunger Games.

Discuss Talk about something in detail. Discuss how Mattie, the protagonist
of Fever 1793, is changed by her
life experiences.
Explain Give reasons for something. Explain the author’s purpose of
Martin Luther King’s “I have a
Dream” speech.
Interpret Give the meaning or significance of Interpret the symbol of the weed in
something. Julio Noboa Polanco’s poem,
“Identity.”
Summarize Give a brief overview of the main Summarize the major causes of
points. World War II as told in the article
©Mauri Fava 2015 “World22War II: An Overview.”
 Read the prompt closely and
repeatedly until you are sure that you
understand your task. Underline or
highlight key words. What would you
underline in the prompt below?

Task: Analyze the lyrics “Frozen” and

write an essay about the central theme.

©Mauri Fava 2015 23

 Read the text through once.
 Read it a second time and annotate
 Underline evidence
 Label evidence with number or topic name
 Make notes in the margin

©Mauri Fava 2015 24

“Let it Go”: how would you annotate this poem? It's time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
The snow glows white on the mountain tonight No right, no wrong, no rules for me I'm free!
Not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation, Let it go, let it go
And it looks like I'm the queen. I am one with the wind and sky
Let it go, let it go
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside You'll never see me cry!
Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried!
Here I stand
Don't let them in, don't let them see And here I'll stay
Be the good girl you always have to be Let the storm rage on!
Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know
Well, now they know! My power flurries through the air into the
ground
Let it go, let it go My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all
Can't hold it back anymore around
Let it go, let it go And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast
Turn away and slam the door! I'm never going back,
The past is in the past!
I don't care
What they're going to say Let it go, let it go
Let the storm rage on, And I'll rise like the break of dawn
The cold never bothered me anyway! Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone!
It's funny how some distance
Makes everything seem small Here I stand
And the fears that once controlled me In the light of day
©Mauri Fava 2015 Let the storm rage on, 25
 Complete the graphic organizer using as few
words as possible and in ten minutes or less.
 Don’t bother writing down entire quotes.
You can do that in your draft!

©Mauri Fava 2015 26

 BODY: Cite + Explain
Topic:

Topic:

Topic:

CONCLUSION:
Restate:
Final thought: ©Mauri Fava 2015 27
 BODY: Cite + Explain
“Conceal…”
Topic: 
 “Now they know…”
hiding in the past
 “Perfect girl…”
 “Kingdom of isolation…queen”
This suggests that the speaker kept her true self a
secret but is now finding the courage to show the
world that she is no longer “the perfect girl” she once
pretended to be

Topic:  “Let it go”

Release / reveal  “Can’t hold it…”
 “Light of day”
The speaker can’t hold back her emotions anymore in
order to hide her true self. She is releasing them and
showing the world in the “light of day” who she really
is.

CONCLUSION:
Restate: Central theme of “Frozen” encourages self-acceptance
Final thought: Important©Mauri
message
Fava 2015
about identity 28
 It is a message that you can’t hear too often. Be yourself.
The central theme of the song “Let it Go” is to be yourself no matter
what the consequences. The speaker realizes that she no longer
wants to hide herself from the world; she wants to “let it go.”
In her past, this speaker had clearly been afraid of being
judged by others, but she no longer wants to be ruled by fear. The
speaker describes a time when she was forced to “Conceal, don’t
feel, don’t let them know.” She then declares,“Well now they
know.” This suggests that the speaker kept her true nature a secret
in fear of judgment, but she is now finding the courage to reveal
herself to the world. She is no longer “the perfect girl” she once
pretended to be. Hiding herself from others has caused a lot of pain
and loneliness. The speaker realizes that she no longer wants to be
the “queen” in a “kingdom of isolation.”
According to the speaker, it is now time to release the pent
up emotions and reveal her true self. She “can’t hold it back
anymore.” She is ready to reveal to the world her long-time hidden
self in “the light of day.” This is a person who has finally accepted
herself and is no longer afraid of rejection or judgment. The speaker
is relieved “that perfect girl is gone!”
“Let it go” has an inspiring theme about self-acceptance that
is really uplifting for anyone who struggles with identity. The speaker
has realized that she does not need to hide her imperfections. An
important part of being yourself is accepting that you are not
perfect. Therefore, the central theme of the lyrics is be yourself.
©Mauri Fava 2015 29
 Restated the question in your introduction and
mentioned the name of the text.
 Addressed ALL parts of the question in your body
paragraphs.
 Provided relevant evidence in the form of direct
quotes and paraphrasing.
 Analyzed your evidence and explained how it
supports your answers.
 Used appropriate transitions as you moved from one
idea to another.
 Showed some ability to synthesize ideas in your
conclusion paragraph.

©Mauri Fava 2015 30

©Mauri Fava 2015 31