Rosenwasser brings up multiple ideas about analysis that I have not encountered before. It was a fascinating read because of the content and the fact that the content can be instantly applied to the selection. The idea of making the implicit into explicit is something I have not given much thought to. “Analysis makes something out of nothing,” is the opposite of what I have always believed. (pg. 6) To analyze, one has to have something first before anything can occur, yet what Rosenwasser is saying is to look between the lines.
Another idea Rosenwasser illustrates in his book is to, “look for anomalies.” (pg. 8) Analysis usually consists of recording data, comparing it to past recordings and to compare patterns. This was said earlier in the fourth principle of looking for patterns, but Rosenwasser also includes the idea of anomalies later on. By suspending judgement which was the first principle, one is able to observe all patterns and their respective anomalies. This will expand people’s horizons and acceptance of information that contradicts what they have been believing all along.
A third idea Rosenwasser mentions is that analysis is not easy nor will it always be a straight line to the point, it requires experimentation. To achieve the best results, there will always be failures and to do that, people have to accept their uncertainties. By posing questions and attempting to answer them, people can improve their writing skills. When you ask yourself the questions that will inevitably be brought up in a later discussion of a piece of writing, then you already have the knowledge of the answers.
