Existing thermal analysis techniques, e.g. DSC, TMA and TGA are applied to obtain information using normally constant or linear changing experimental parameters, i.e., heating rate, probe load or purge gas flow. Superimposed on the constant parameter or linear changing variable, a dynamic part (e.g. a dynamic load, a changing purge gas composition or non monotonous temperature gradient) reveals additional information on the nature of the samples and ongoing simultaneous effects compared to standard applications, without much longer investigation time. The well known dynamic load TMA (DLTMA) adds to the expansion of the information on the elastic behavior, and the new alternating DSC technique (ADSC) gives insight into the sensible heat flow and the latent heat flow, i.e. the respective heat flow signals related to a change of temperature and to an uptake or loss of heat which can be recorded only once.