Causal Analysis	Classification/Division	Compare/Contrast
Definition	Example/Illustration	Sequence/Process Analysis

Causal Analysis

    Why is the sky blue and the grass green?  Why do the lights come on when I flip one switch but the television doesn't turn off?  What would happen if we pulled our troops out of Iraq right now?

    These questions and many, many others are part of Causal Analysis, a. k. a. "Cause-Effect."  Two key types of essays involved with Causal Analysis are Cause essays (WHY something happens) and Effect essays (What would happen if . . .).

Essays:

    "Pain is Not the Ultimate Enemy" by Norman Cousins
    "If Hitler Asked You to Electrocute a Stranger, Would You?  Probably" by Philip Meyer

Songs:

    "I Try," performed by Macy Gray
    "Night Has Fallen in My Heart," performed by Diamond Rio

 

Classification/Division

    How many different types of life exist?  What snacks are healthy?  What are the different socioeconomic levels in the world?

    These and similar questions engage in Classification/Division analysis, which requires breaking down one large issue into smaller, more manageable parts.  C. S. Lewis wrote his book The Four Loves as a division of the English concept of "love" based on the four Greek words for love--agape, storge, philia, and eros.

Essays:

    "The Truth About Lying" by Judith Viorst
    "Quick!  Before it Crumbles!" by Paul Goldberger

Songs:

    "California Girls," performed by The Beach Boys

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Compare/Contrast

    Whom should I vote for?  Do I want the name brand or the store brand pair of jeans?  Which is the best way to get to Gainesville?

    Such questions utilize Compare/Contrast analysis, which finds either the similarities between two items/people/ideas/places (Compare) or the differences between two items/people/ideas/places (Contrast).

Essays:

    "Grant and Lee:  A Study in Contrasts" by Bruce Catton
    "Talk in the Intimate Relationship:  His and Hers" by Deborah Tannen

Songs:

    "Bubba Hyde," performed by Diamond Rio
    "Two Princes," performed by Spin Doctors

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Definition

    What is peace?  What characteristics must a strong President possess?  Who is the consummate business person?

    Definition writing relies far more on extending a definition rather than writing one sentence to define a complex subject or topic.  Often the other means of analysis are employed to define more complex subjects or ideas in order to attain understanding or resolution.

Essays:

    "What is Poverty?" by Jo Goodwin Parker
    "On Being a Cripple" by Nancy Mairs

Songs:

    "That's How Your Love Makes Me Feel Inside," performed by Diamond Rio
    "Ironic," performed by Alanis Morrissette

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Example/Illustration

     What are some methods for decreasing Global Warming?  What sports are popular world wide?  What movies do you like watching?

     Example and Illustration writing presents concrete representations of abstract concepts so that the audience/listener can understand better.  Most of the writers listed above use examples to illustrate the points they are trying to make with their work.

Essays:

     "Serving in Florida" by Barbara Ehrenreich
     "Black Men and Public Space" by Brent Staples

Songs:

     "You Don't Count the Cost," performed by Billy Dean
     "All My Ex's Live in Texas," performed by George Strait

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Sequence/Process Analysis

     How do I get this proposal accepted?  How can I parallel park a Hummer?  What steps are required to make a good cheesecake?

     Sequence/Process Analysis writing essentially explains how something happens, the process by which some sort of event occurs.  A sequence analysis provides the step-by-step instruction, like a recipe; a process analysis gives the story of how something occurs.

Essays:

     "Behind the Formaledehyde Curtain" by Jessica Mitford
     "The Joy of Reading and Writing:  Superman and Me" by Sherman Alexie

Songs:

     "Wishin' and Hopin'," performed by Dusty Springfield
     "Treat Her Right," performed by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

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