{{seealso|Analytic}}
{{wiktionarypar|analysis}}
{{TOCRight}}

Analysis means literally to break a complex problem down into smaller, more manageable "independent" parts for the purposes of examination — with the hope that solving these smaller parts will lead to a solution of the more complex problem as well. Although taken for granted as a method of advancing understanding today, this is a relatively recent and important invention of humankind; however, it should be noted that roughly parallel concepts within mathematics and logic go back beyond [[Aristotle]]. It has been variously ascribed to [[Descartes]] (from his "[[Discourse on Method]]"), [[Galileo]] and [[Newton]] as a practical method of physical discovery, and was quite surprising to their contemporaries.

'''Analysis''' may refer to:

==Chemistry==

* [[Analytical chemistry]], to examine material samples to gain an understanding of their chemical composition
* [[Isotope analysis]], the identification of isotopic signature, the distribution of certain stable isotopes and chemical elements within chemical compounds
* [[Neutron activation analysis]], a technique used to very accurately determine the concentrations of elements in a sample

==Computer science==

* [[Analysis of algorithms]]
* [[Competitive analysis (online algorithm)]], shows how online algorithms perform and demonstrates the power of randomization in algorithms
* [[Worst-case execution time]], determines the longest time that a piece of software can take to run
* [[Program analysis (computer science)]], the process of automatically analysing the behavior of computer programs
* [[Static code analysis]], the analysis of computer software that is performed without actually executing programs built from that software
* [[Syntax analysis]], a process in compilers that recognizes the structure of programming languages, also known as parsing
* [[Semantic analysis (computer science)]], a pass by a compiler that adds semantical information to the parse tree and performs certain checks
* [[Lexical analysis]], the process of processing an input sequence of characters and producing as output a sequence of symbols
* [[Object-oriented analysis and design]], à la Booch
* [[Structured Systems Analysis and Design Methodology]], à la Yourdon
* [[Business analysis]], analysing which way improvement of IT systems increases business performance

==Cryptography==

* [[Cryptanalysis]], the study of methods for obtaining the meaning of encrypted information
* [[Frequency analysis]], a method to decompose a function, wave, or signal into its frequency components

==Economics==

* [[Financial analysis]], the analysis of the accounts and the economic prospects of a firm
* [[Fundamental analysis]], a stock valuation method that uses financial analysis
* [[Principal components analysis]], a technique that can be used to simplify a dataset
* [[Technical analysis]], the study of price action in securities markets in order to forecast future prices
* [[Price Analysis]], involves the breakdown of a price to a unit figure
* [[Market analysis]], consists of suppliers and customers, and price is determined by the interaction of supply and demand

==Engineering==

* [[Analysis of resistive circuits]], deals with electronic circuits containing only resistive elements
* [[Dimensional analysis]], a conceptual tool to understand physical situations involving a mix of different kinds of physical quantities
* [[Accident Analysis]], a branch of systems analysis dealing with the analysis of failure
* [[Life cycle cost analysis]], calculates the cost of a system or product over its entire life span
* [[Structural analysis]], an area of civil and structural engineering in which the deformations, deflections, internal forces and stresses of structures are analysed
* [[System analysis]], the branch of electrical engineering that characterizes electrical systems and their properties
* [[Systems analysis]], the science dealing with analysis of complex, large scale systems and the interactions within those systems
* [[Engineering analysis]], the application of scientific analytic principles and processes to reveal the properties and state of the system.

==Linguistics==

* [[Discourse analysis]], a general term for the analysis of language use above the sentence or clause level
* [[Semantic analysis (linguistics)]], the process of unpacking clause, sentence and paragraph structure
* [[Voice analysis]], the study of speech sounds for purposes other than linguistic content
* [[Conversation analysis]], the study of talk in interaction

==Literary criticism==

* [[Analysis (Homer)]], an influential school of thought in Homeric scholarship in the 19th-20th centuries
* [[Psychocriticism]], Charles Mauron's method based on Freud's own initial interpretations of literary works such as ''Hamlet''

==Mathematics==

* [[Mathematical analysis]], the generic name given to any branch of mathematics that depends upon the concepts of limits and convergence
* [[Complex analysis]]
* [[Fourier analysis]]
* [[Functional analysis]]
* [[Harmonic analysis]]
* [[Non-standard analysis]]
* [[Numerical analysis]], the study of algorithms for the problems of continuous mathematics
* [[Real analysis]]
* [[Constructivist analysis]]

==Music==

* [[Musical analysis]], a process attempting to answer the question "How does this music work?"
* [[Schenkerian analysis]]

==Philosophy==

* [[Philosophical analysis]], a general term for the techniques used by philosophers
* ''[[Analysis (journal)|Analysis]]'' is the name of a prominent journal in philosophy.

==Psychotherapy==

* [[Psychoanalysis]], seeks to elucidate connections among unconscious components of patients' mental processes
* [[Transactional analysis]]

==Signal processing==

* [[Finite element analysis]], a computer simulation technique used in engineering analysis
* [[Independent component analysis]]
* [[Link quality analysis]], the analysis of signal quality
* [[Path quality analysis]]

==Statistics==

* [[Analysis of variance]] (ANOVA), a collection of statistical models and their associated procedures which compare means by splitting the overall observed variance into different parts
* [[Meta-analysis]], combines the results of several studies that address a set of related research hypotheses
* [[Time-series analysis]], methods that attempt to understand a sequence of data points spaced apart at uniform time intervals

==May also refer to==

* [[Aura analysis]], a technique in which supporters of the method claim that the body's aura, or energy field is analysed
* [[Bowling analysis]], a notation summarizing a cricket bowler's performance
* [[Lithic analysis]], the analysis of stone tools using basic scientific techniques
* [[Protocol analysis]], a means for extracting persons' thoughts while they are performing a task

==See also==
* [[portal:thinking#Topics related to Thinking|List of thinking-related topics]]
* [[Synthesis]]
* [[Scientific method]]

[[Category:Greek loanwords]]
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[[ca:Anàlisi]]
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[[he:אנליזה]]
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[[nl:Analyse]]
[[ja:分析]]
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[[sk:Analýza]]
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