Analysis verbs are verbs that are used in an analysis to explain a source, argument, hypothesis, fact or data item. This inherently reveals your opinion about the source such that selecting an accurate verb is a critical element of analysis. For example, it is very different to say that a source "reveals" something than to say that is "speculates" about something. The following are useful analysis verbs.
Adds
Advises
Affects
Alleges
Amplifies
Appears
Argues
Articulates
Asserts
Assesses
Builds
Casts Doubt
Certifies
Characterizes
Chronicles
Cites
Claims
Clarifies
Communicates
Compels
Complies
Concedes
Concludes
Confirms
Connects
Constructs
Contradicts
Contrasts
Creates
Criticises
Deepens
Demonstrates
Denotes
Depicts
Develops
Differentiates
Diminishes
Discovers
Discredits
Displays
Disproves
Distinguishes
Documents
Elaborates
Embeds
Embodies
Emphasizes
Emulates
Encourages
Enhances
Entails
Equates
Establishes
Evokes
Exaggerates
Examines
Exhibits
Expands
Explains
Explores
Facilitates
Focuses
Forecasts
Foreshadows
Forms
Formulates
Generates
Highlights
Hints
Identifies
Illustrates
Imagines
Imparts
Implies
Incorporates
Indicates
Infers
Informs
Insinuates
Integrates
Invents
Joins
Lacks
Legitimizes
Magnifies
Maintains
Means
Misses
Models
Negates
Neglects
Obscures
Originates
Outlines
Overlooks
Paints
Parallels
Personifies
Pivots
Points Out
Predicts
Presents
Produces
Proves
Provides
Recognizes
Records
Recounts
Reinforces
Reiterates
Relates
Remarks
Reports
Reveals
Reverses
Shows
Speculates
States
Supposes
Symbolizes
Unifies
Verifies
Summary
Analysis verbs are words used to describe analysis actions such as measurement, evaluation, comparison, classification, inference, predictions, validation and hypothesis testing.
Discussion
Analysis verbs are used to both explain your own arguments and those of your sources. Using strong verbs that don't match the evidence at hand can be viewed as a failure of critical thinking. Weak verbs can come off as cowardly and negate the importance of a source or finding. In many cases, the common verbs are the strongest and most effective. For example, "shows" is just as strong as "proves" but is almost always the better word.Next: Analysis
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