A framework for thinking about writing analysis

Thinking about analysis can feel overwhelming, as it encompasses so much of your practice, and there is a lot to include and get right. Here we offer a framework that may help when writing analysis.

There are many ways of talking about written analysis. ‘Analysis’ is sometimes thought of as one particular aspect or part of written records and there is often a section marked ‘Analysis’ in templated documents. But rather than think of analysis as one particular part of a written text, we think it is useful to think of analysis as being made up of four key elements.

1. Description
2. Explanation
3. Evaluation
4. Recommendation

Perhaps Description and Evaluation are those we tend to think of as being most explicitly ‘analysis’ but Description is a crucial element underpinning Explanation and Evaluation, and the success of Recommendation, will depend on all three other elements being well presented in writing.

In producing successful written analysis, it is important to think of all four elements. We will take you through each of these in the following units.