A text analysis (TA hereafter) is a piece of writing with a fixed structure. To write a text analysis is to practice style-writing, exactly the same when you learn how to write a formal letter, a CV, a composition or a description. It is a type of text in the halfway between a summary and an essay. In History the TA could be also called Resource Analysis (RA hereafter) because the focus of the analysis could be set on a text, a map, a painting, a building, a monument or an archaeological artefact.
Here you have some links to guide you when writing a TA or a RA:
HOW TO WRITE A TEXT ANALYSIS (ehow)
HOW TO WRITE A TEXT ANALYSIS (University of Texas, El Paso) recommended
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS (University Writing centre)
There are three basic rules you MUST follow when writing a TA or a RA:
1) Be concise, it is not a project or an exam, a TA or a RA is short, accurate and concrete.
2) Do not copy expressions or words from the text, use your own resources. If you consider absolutely necessary to write a sentence from the text use parenthetical writing (), quotations "", or italics. Use the Reported or indirect speech when taking sentences from the text, for instance: As we can read in the text George Washington was born in Westermoreland...
3) Follow the structure: Identification (summarizing in a couple of lines), Analysis (Main and secondary ideas) and Comment (framing within the historical context of the text or resource)
Remember a TA/RA is not a yes/no question, the rules and the structure are very strict but the information within is open to your interpretation (Always linked with the topic of the text)
Here you have some links to guide you when writing a TA or a RA:
HOW TO WRITE A TEXT ANALYSIS (ehow)
HOW TO WRITE A TEXT ANALYSIS (University of Texas, El Paso) recommended
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS (University Writing centre)
There are three basic rules you MUST follow when writing a TA or a RA:
1) Be concise, it is not a project or an exam, a TA or a RA is short, accurate and concrete.
2) Do not copy expressions or words from the text, use your own resources. If you consider absolutely necessary to write a sentence from the text use parenthetical writing (), quotations "", or italics. Use the Reported or indirect speech when taking sentences from the text, for instance: As we can read in the text George Washington was born in Westermoreland...
3) Follow the structure: Identification (summarizing in a couple of lines), Analysis (Main and secondary ideas) and Comment (framing within the historical context of the text or resource)
Remember a TA/RA is not a yes/no question, the rules and the structure are very strict but the information within is open to your interpretation (Always linked with the topic of the text)