David Bordwell on studying cinema

Much of what Professor David Bordwell argues here is relevant for understanding the reasons for undertaking a course in film studies.

http://www.davidbordwell.net/essays/studying.php

There are several essays and articles on Bordwell's site and they are well worth reading to develop one's ability to analyse films. Here's one on film technique: The Hook: Scene Transitions in Classical Cinema. Bordwell's use of film images to support his points should also be seen as the model to follow when writing essays.
http://www.davidbordwell.net/essays/hook.php