When people tell you to analyze something, what they're really saying is, "give me your expert opinion."
This is different from "synthesize," which more or less means, "Dig up all the information you can and tell me about everything you find--both good and bad."
Most of the time, when someone asks you a question, they're asking you to analyze something--to use your reasoning skills and come up with your own argument about whatever their question is.
Do you like eggs? --analyze this carefully and tell me if you like eggs. it's your opinion.
Where do you live? --analyze this carefully and tell me where you live.
Who is better, Romney, or Obama? --Again...analyze this carefully and tell me who is better (it's an opinion regardless of how good your argument is).
But what about when they say:
What are some options I could use to solve x? --synthesize all of the possible outcomes and summarize them for me. Don't give me your opinion, but based on what you come up with give me the pros and cons.
What is Obama's stance and Romney's stance on topic z?--Synthesize the two arguments (Obama's argument, and Romney's argument) and summarize them for me. Don't give me your opinion.
Typically, people want your Analysis of information more than your Synthesis--synthesizing something can take way too much time and people want simple answers.
Isn't it amazing that your brain can perform two similar, but vastly different functions when someone asks you a question, even without knowing the distinction between what synthesizing or analyzing is?
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