Read your primary text carefully. Reading in preparation for an analytical paper is fundamentally different than reading for fun or for pleasure. Scan the text for consistent and unitary themes and tropes.
Annotate and mark your primary text. Draw underlines or highlight terms, names, and passages that you think might be significant to your analysis. This will prepare you with plenty of evidence for your claims in your paper.
Consider organizing your primary evidence in a document. Group passages by their topics so that you do not have to scan the entirety of your text when you are looking for the right quote.
Write a strong thesis. The thesis is the most important part of your paper, as it will guide your reader's perusal as well as your own writing. Think of the thesis as the foundation upon which the rest of your analytical work stands. If the thesis is weak, the rest of the paper will collapse.
Craft your thesis in three stages. First, consider what it is that you're trying to prove. Is their a manic absurdity in Joseph Heller's prose and narration in "Catch 22"? Is there an anomaly in Shakespeare's depiction of the sole Jewish character in "The Merchant of Venice"?
Craft the second stage, in which you show how your claim is validated. State, for instance, what is exceptional or different about Heller's prose. Consider what it is about the portrayal of Shylock that is so monstrous.
Consider why your claims are important. Do you think that Joseph Heller's "Catch 22" is portraying the absurdity of war? Is "The Merchant of Venice" a meditation on Jewish discrimination in European society?
Create an outline that shows the structure of your paper. Include the evidence you plan to summon in support of each body paragraph's topic. A standard analytical paper proceeds from an introduction to body paragraphs and finally to a conclusion.
Write your introduction first. Your introduction should introduce the topic of your paper and include your thesis at its end.
Write your body paragraphs. Each body paragraph should transition smoothly, via a topic sentence, from the one that proceeds it. In each body paragraph, make claims supported by evidence and insert quotations from your primary text and then, most importantly, analyze the import and significance of that evidence. Do not forget to cite any material that you may reference so as to avoid plagiarism!
Forge your conclusion by briefly considering the critical work that you have done. The conclusion is not a place to summarize every point you have made, but to consider your work as a whole and to provide it with final meaning, context, and significance.
Create a "Works Cited" section that lists works you have referenced. You instructor may have a preference on which standard (between MLA, Chicago, and APA) is used.
Make sure that your work is formatted correctly. Standard formatting includes one inch margins and text, aside from the header, that is double spaced. Give your work a header that includes, on separate line breaks, your name, your instructor, the course for which it is written, and the due date in Day Month Year format (ex: 24 February 2011).
Proofread and edit your paper. The single largest detriment to an analytical work is unnecessary flaws in grammar, formatting, and spelling. This not only undermines the credibility of your assertions, but will also significantly affect your grade if the work is graded.