Analysis Protocol
The purpose of this protocol is to help you as a student more fully engage in material you are reading. This protocol will provide you valuable practice in analytic and critical thinking. It may be challenging at first, but with time and practice you will become skilled.
Follow the steps below to complete the protocol.
- Read the selected passage and mark what stands out to you by making notes in the margins.
- Highlight your notes
Pink for direct quotes, paraphrases or comprehension notes
Yellow for notes of things you inferred based on your reading
- “Green Words”
Make a list of “Green Words” that can be used to classify your pink and yellow highlighted notes. These “Green Words” are evidence of your synthesis of the material and your ability to understand and work with what you read. These words are value driven and highly connotative. This means that their definition is based on the values of the individual, and can have many interpretations.
Example – you may see that several of your notes relate to the idea of “power” or “patriotism” or “loyalty”.
- Once you have made your list of “Green Words” you will go back to the notes from the text and write whatever “Green Word” is evidenced by that particular note or section of the passage. Then you will use your green highlighter to mark the “Green Words” so they stand out in your notes.
- It is the “Green Words” that you will ultimately use to create a thesis. Choose the three “Green Words” you feel you have the most evidence of, and turn them into a working thesis. The following thesis format works very well in helping you create your thesis using your “Green Words.”
Thesis statement – Begin the sentence with a subordinating clause. Then use your three “Green Words” to complete the statement.
Subordinating Conjunctions
When, Where – show relationship by time or place
Because, in order that – show cause and effect
As if, as though – show comparison
Although, whereas – show contrast
Example – Because Frederick Douglass grew up under the bonds of slavery; he felt a piece of his humanity was lost due to the power and control his master was granted by society.