When you are asked to analyze a topic’s theme, plot, purpose, intention, or effect, it is called an analysis essay.
For instance, if you analyze the effectiveness of a particular law passed by Congress or how it has affected society in general, that would be considered an analysis essay.
Or, if you wrote about the effects of a particular character, that would also be considered an analysis essay.
This type of essay writing is most commonly seen in academia, such as high school, college, and grad school. However, it can also be seen in magazines, newspapers, and journal publications for general public consumption.
Beyond the challenges of analyzing a specific subject or topic, there are some other features of analysis essays that make them challenging to write.
Most commonly, students find coming up with a topic to write about far more complicated than actually analyzing the subject matter in an objective and unbiased way.
For this reason, we’ve created a list of 110 analysis essay topics students can write about for any course or subject. Furthermore, to help the writing process, this list of 110 analysis essay topics comes with a handy writing guide that will help you on your way to becoming an expert analysis essay writer.
The Secret to Writing an Analysis Essay
Before writing an analysis essay, students must understand the fundamental concepts of this type of essay format. Unlike other types of essays, analysis essays are designed to present evidence from the subject matter and explain how it represents the essay’s thesis.
For example, if you were writing an analysis essay on a famous book, you would want to explain why the book is impactful or how it has been influential to society as a whole – not explain what happened in the literature as though it was a book report.
Additionally, in writing this type of analysis, students should only use evidence from the subject matter and explain how it supports their thesis. This means that no outside sources are required as all data must come from the source material being analyzed – regardless of the topic.
The most important thing a student can remember when writing an analysis essay is that it should be written in a way that promotes critical thinking and comprehension skills to the reader.
How to Write an Analysis Essay
Much like any other type of essay writing, it is always a good idea to outline your essay in a way that helps keep the writing process on track. Each section of your analysis essay outline should include the following details so that you can write a comprehensive paper that is easy to follow.
The Introduction
The introduction of your analysis essay needs to be written in a way that draws the reader in from the very first sentence. This ‘hook’ sentence can be a provocative or thought-provoking question, statement, or quote from the subject matter you are analyzing.
For example, if your analysis essay is about a film, you might begin with a question such as:
“Have you ever noticed that horror films are almost always filmed in the woods?”
“Why is it that scary movies always seem to take place in the woods?”
In these examples, the reader’s curiosity is aroused, and they will likely continue to read your analysis of why horror films are almost always filmed in the woods.
After providing key definitions and background details, you’ll want to end the introduction with a thesis statement that details your overall main idea or argument about the subject matter.
The Body Paragraphs
Body paragraphs are where you will provide evidence drawn from the material being analyzed to support your thesis statement. For each body paragraph, students should aim to answer each part of their outline’s three-question format listed below:
- State one specific example
- Explain why it is an example of your argument
- Explain how this evidence fits the overall thesis of the essay
For example, suppose your thesis statement is that the horror film genre has become more focused on jump scares over other elements in recent years. In that case, you might begin a body paragraph with something like the following:
“For instance, movies like Saw V (2008) and The Strangers (2008) are perfect examples of this trend because they rely on jump scares to portray the majority of their terrifying moments.”
This example is followed by an explanation that tries to answer why these two films are perfect examples.
The Conclusion
Writing the conclusion of an analysis essay is usually the easiest part. This section should summarize what has already been written, reinforce the thesis and comment on the analyzed text from a learned perspective.
110 Analysis Essay Topics
With the guide above, any student can choose from this list of 110 analysis essay topics to ensure a well-written essay in no time!
Analysis Essay Topics About Literature
- Explain how and why the protagonist and antagonist in a novel, short story, or play are alike
- Analyze how an author portrays human nature through the use of symbolism in a work of literature
- Analyze how an author creates suspense using dialogue in a story
- What message does an author send to readers by having the main character get into trouble?
- Prove or disprove the idea that a Gothic novel uses elements of suspense and terror to criticize society
- Analyze how adventure, mystery, and horror are portrayed in an author’s work of literature
- Analyze how the settings in a novel, short story, or play are used to infer what characters are thinking and feeling
- What literary devices does an author use when creating dialogue in fiction?
- Explain how an author uses irony, foreshadowing, or flashbacks in a work of literature
- Analyze how an author uses tone to convey different feelings in a story
- Analyze how an author’s use of dialogue allows the audience to get to know the characters in the play, novel, or short story
- Analyze how sarcasm is used in dialogue between two characters in fiction
- What message does an author send by having the protagonist fail at their goals?
- Analyze how the protagonist and antagonist of a story encounter and overcome several different conflicts
- Create a thesis statement that analyzes whether an author’s work is more suitable for children or adults
- Analyze how symbolism is used to highlight specific themes in a novel, short story, or play
- Explain the importance and character traits of the protagonist and antagonist in a story
- What message does an author send by having the antagonist succeed at their goals?
- What literary devices does an author use when describing settings in a novel, short story, or play
- How does setting influence the mood of characters in fiction?
- Explain how themes can be defined by analyzing literary devices in a work of literature
- Explain how the tone of an author’s work is influenced by their use of language
- Analyze how irony can be used to create humor in fiction
- How does theme influence characters and plot in fiction?
- What message do authors send when they include foreshadowing in their works of literature?
Analysis Essay Topics About Music & Films
- Analyze how a director uses music to influence mood in a film
- Explain how symbolism is used by the creator of a movie or song to convey feelings and ideas
- What themes are present in a film or song?
- Explain how a filmmaker’s use of lighting influences the tone in a movie
- How does a director’s use of lighting communicate certain feelings and moods to audiences?
- Analyze how foreshadowing is used in a movie or song
- What message do filmmakers send when they include symbolism in their works?
- Explain how a director’s use of color is used to influence the mood of their film
- What message do filmmakers communicate by having characters engage in dialogue?
- Analyze how an author uses figurative language to convey different themes in a song or film
- What does symbolism accomplish for musicians and directors?
- How do symbols make audiences feel towards a song or movie?
- What does a filmmaker communicate by having the protagonist fail at their goals?
- Who is the intended audience of a film or song, and how does this affect tone?
- How do filmmakers use dialogue to convey feelings and ideas to a viewer?
- How do musicians convey their message through lyrics and chords?
- What message are filmmakers trying to convey when they include foreshadowing in their works?
- What is the purpose of personification in a song or film?
- How does a screenwriter use dialogue to make the audience laugh?
- What symbolizes hope in a particular movie or lyric?
- Analyze how directors and musicians use props to influence mood in a movie or song
- How does symbolism affect an audience’s interpretation of a film?
- Analyze how black and white films are used to develop a theme
- Analyze how filmmaking techniques influence the tone and mood of a film or song
- How does an author’s use of dialogue change the audience’s perception of certain events?
Analysis Essay Topics About Health & Medicine
- Analyze how the positive portrayal of cigarettes influences teens
- What are the benefits of listening to music while studying?
- How does research influence policy changes in medicine?
- What is the difference between primary and secondary data in an analysis essay about health care?
- Analyze how high costs of health insurance drive up prices of other consumer goods
- What is the role of non-profit organizations in health care research?
- How do economic factors affect people’s access to health care?
- Analyze how political lobbying influences policy changes in medicine
- What are some effects of mental health issues on communities?
Analysis Essay Topics About Science & Math
- How does physics influence the lives of people in different professions?
- What is the best way to motivate youth into pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics?
- How does math affect day-to-day life for students and professionals alike?
- What are some issues that face women leaders in STEM occupations today?
- How do scientists incorporate bias into their research?
- How does the ethical treatment of animals affect advancement in science?
- What are some ways that science can be misused by society?
- Explain how researchers use the scientific method
- Analyze how religion and science can sometimes come to a consensus?
- What methods are used by scientists when conducting research?
- What is the purpose of peer review in science?
- How does a scientist’s relationship with their predecessors affect how they conduct their research?
- Explain what steps make up the scientific method
Analysis Essay Topics About Social Sciences
- How does history impact current events and social issues?
- Analyze how new laws affect different racial groups differently
- Explain the role of power structures in society
- How do news outlets influence people’s perception of governmental policies?
- What changes to the law do police officers think would reduce violence?
- How does technology affect people’s interaction in social spaces?
- Analyze how gender roles are depicted in movies and songs
- What causes discrimination against marginalized groups in society?
- What is the relationship between media content and societal norms?
- How does popular culture influence people’s perception of social interaction?
- What is the impact of using social media on a person’s emotional and physical state?
- What are some ways censorship can harm society?
- How does globalization affect cultures around the world?
- Research the effects of poverty on crime rates
- Explain how race and class intersect to perpetuate inequality in society
- What are some ways that the media perpetuates stereotypes about marginalized groups?
- Analyze how corruption in a government can affect economic growth
- Why do people embrace authority figures with counterintuitive agendas?
- Analyze how political propaganda affects the perception of events or issues
- How does socioeconomic status play into the achievement gap in education?
- How does immigration affect the education system?
- What are some ways that political lobbying affects immigration policy?
- Analyze how media portrayal of poverty influences public opinion about welfare
- Why do people find it difficult to sympathize with impoverished individuals or communities?
Analysis Essay Topics About Education
- What are some ways that the Common Core State Standards impact student achievement?
- Why should teachers be required to pass assessments before entering the profession?
- How does socioeconomic status affect children’s performance in school at young age?
- Analyze how families play a role in education success or failure
- Analyze the key factors that contribute to a successful education
- What are some ways that students can be empowered in the classroom?
- How does poverty affect a child’s learning capability?
- How does censorship impact a student’s ability to learn effectively?
- How do standardized tests influence educators’ instructional strategies?
- What factors have an impact on students with disabilities?
- Analyze the influence of technology on education
- How does a student’s work ethic impact their future success in life?
- Why are some schools not adequately preparing their students for college?
- Explain how classroom management positively affects teacher-student relationships?
Each of these analysis essay topics is perfect for students at any level of education to write about. Remember to narrow down your topic to just one main idea, keep an open mind about the different perspectives that could be addressed in your paper, and back up all claims with contextual evidence from the source material.
