Textual Analysis Notes

Analysing Texts

Textual Analysis

  • Definition: Breaking down a text into its parts to understand it better, think critically, and conclude.

  • A broad term for research methods used to describe, interpret, and understand texts.

  • Can reveal literal meaning, subtext, symbolism, assumptions, and values.

  • Connects the text to broader social, political, cultural, or artistic contexts.

  • A 'text' can be any object whose meaning you want to interpret: writing, film, image, artefact, or place.

How to Analyse Texts

  1. Essential Questions: Write out essential questions or learning objectives for the text.

  2. Read: Do a slow, close reading of the text multiple times.

  3. Annotate: Highlight and write in the margins.

    • Use different coloured highlighters to mark important passages.

  4. Take notes:

    • Include answers to essential questions, ideas, and important information.

    • For nonfiction, note facts, figures, methods, and dates.

  5. Summarise: Summarise each section to better understand the author's message.

  6. Respond: Write out your response to the text, but don't base your entire analysis on your thoughts.

  7. Reverse Outline: Develop the framework of the text by working backwards to examine its structure, main points, evidence, and supporting details.

  8. Read Other Analyses: Contextualise your initial thoughts and feelings by reading reports, essays, and reviews from other scholars.

Evaluating Texts

  1. Author’s Purpose: Determine why the author is writing the piece.

    • Consider the topic, discipline, what the text accomplishes, and the author's intent.

  2. Writer’s Language: Examine the writer’s use of language, including jargon, to determine the intended audience and the tone of the text.

    • Jargon indicates the author is writing for people in their field.

  3. Author’s Argument: Identify the author’s thesis and claims.

    • Review the evidence to find the argument.

  4. Evidence: Evaluate the type of evidence (data, facts, anecdotes) and whether it supports the argument.

    • Research and statistical data provide strong support, while anecdotal evidence may be weak.

  5. Facts vs. Opinions: Separate facts from opinions and be aware of rhetorical or persuasive techniques.

  6. Accomplishment: Determine if the text accomplishes its purpose and is effective.

Conducting a Textual Analysis – Getting Started

  • Read and reread the text with specific questions.

  • Gather basic ideas, events, and names.

  • Consider your reaction: identification, enjoyment, significance, application.

  • Identify and consider the most important ideas.

  • Locate specific evidence and passages related to the major ideas.

Interpretive Nature of Textual Analysis

  • Interpretation is shaped by:

    • The analyst’s worldview.

    • Cultural, historical, political, and social understanding.

    • Understanding the author's intent at the time of writing.

Literature Review

  • Read texts carefully and critically to analyse how the author:

    • Builds their argument

    • Identifies key points

    • Provides evidence

  • Consider What, Who, When, Where, Why, and How of the text.