Exam: Section C Using Language to Persuade

1. Exam: Section CUsing Language to Persuade Writing a Language Analysis Revision Notes 2010

2. Overview of Task • Analysing persuasive media texts • What does the writer believe about the issue? What is their contention? • What persuasive language/techniques do they use in their argument? • Who is the intended audience for the text? • How does this language influence/persuade that audience? • Form of Writing: analytical essay

3. The Issue • Topic and issue could be anything! • Remember: an issue is not the same as a topic. • We are concerned with something that people can form an opinion about, and thus something that people can agree or disagree on. • Focus on the writer’s point of view in relation to an issue; and • The manner in which they seek to persuade their target audience, ie. the language they use, including visual language/supporting elements.

4. Some Common News Categories/Topics • Law and order • Politics – local, state, federal, international • Education • The environment • Health • Entertainment and the arts • Sport • Business

5. Persuasive Media Texts • Editorials • Letters to the editor • Opinion pieces • Cartoons News articles are not in this category because their purpose is to inform rather than to persuade, but look out! Some use persuasive or biased language, especially in headlines. Compare tabloid and broadsheet front pages for this.

6. Supporting Visual Material • Written texts are often supported by visual material: • Photographs • Cartoons • Graphs • Tables How does this material support, emphasise or strengthen the writer’s contention? Take careful note of how data is presented in a biased way to emphasise the writer’s point.

7. Sample Topic: Violence in the CBD • This topic raises many issues to do with law and order as well as business and health: – control and prosecution of offenders; • how best to utilise police resources; • the way in which licensed premises are permitted to operate; • the licensing of businesses that sell alcohol/open late; • the criminal acts that result from excessive alcohol consumption/large gatherings of people in pubs and clubs; • pressures on the hospital system, particularly emergency rooms.

8. One cartoonist’s impressions of incidents of violence in Melbourne’s CBD…— Mark Knight, ‘Herald Sun’

11. Analysis: First Steps • Read the written material carefully and identify the following: • Topic/issue/background or context; • Writer’s main contention; • Overall tone or mood of the piece; and • Examples of persuasive language, including in the headline. • Break article down into three sections and re-read the material: • Highlight examples of persuasive language; and • Annotate/make notes of these features in the margins

12. Analysing Written Texts: Checklist  Identify the topic and the issue.  Identify the context/background to the article.  Identify the writer’s main contention.  Identify the overall tone or mood of the piece.  Analyse the headline for the main contention and persuasive language.  Break article down into beginning/middle/end. Look for persuasive language in each section.  Highlight examples of the persuasive language throughout the article and annotate (label) this in the margins.

13. Analysing Cartoons • What is the context or background to the cartoon? I.e. why is the subject news? • What are the main figures or elements of the cartoon? If they are known, name them! • What is the cartoonist’s contention or main argument? • What is the overall tone? Often satirical… • Tone is about emotion and mood of both writer and text.

14. What facial expressions are used for any human figures? • How are the figures drawn? Eg. are any of their features exaggerated? Which? How? Why? • How is colour used? – if at all. • How are tones of white, grey, black used? • What written text is incorporated? – speech balloons/captions/title • Are there any symbols? (eg. the Southern Cross, dollar sign, red cross, dove, swastika)

15. Writing a Language Analysis • You are writing an essay, therefore: • Introduction; • Body; and • Conclusion. • Plan your essay before beginning, especially important for working out how to deal with combination texts – written and visual language.

16. Introduction • Identify the context/background to the text. • Include the article’s title, writer and text type (cartoon, opinion piece, letter to the editor, editorial). • Include where and when the article was published, for example, ‘The Age’, 7 May 2009. • Give the overall contention and overall tone or mood of the text. • This can all be contained in a few sentences – be succinct (to the point!).

17. Sample Introduction The issue of violence in Melbourne’s central business district has been an ongoing topic in the media over the last few years. Certain venues have been identified as ‘hot spots’ for alcohol-fuelled fights and there have been numerous widely-reported incidents, including the unfortunate deaths of innocent people. In his opinion piece ‘I fear for the future of Melbourne’ (Herald Sun, 20 August 2009), noted football writer Mike Sheehan adds his voice to the debate, by arguing in a strong and passionate tone that we must all act to reject such uncivilised behaviour. (92 words)

18. Sample Conclusion Overall, Sheehan’s opinion piece is successful in raising awareness about the violent and anti-social behaviour that is part of our city’s night-life. He does so in a manner that clearly shows his pride for Melbourne but also his despair that many, including paid security guards, choose to ignore the violence rather than confront the perpetrators and risk being assaulted themselves. It is likely that Sheehan’s piece would incite a feeling of guilt in his intended readership, especially those who have ‘done nothing’, but also lead to further debate about what can be done to restore peace and safety to our city streets. (102 words)

19. Persuasive Language • Must be familiar with a wide range of persuasive language techniques • AND • Understand how the language works to persuade the intended audience of the text/its likely effect on the target audience.

20. Some Key Features/Techniques • Connotations: the associated meanings of words as either positive or negative. • Positive connotations include: • secure, safe, love, slender, hope, victorious, brave, courageous, patient, kind, generous, thoughtful… • Negative connotations include: • greedy, power-hungry, selfish, fat, hateful, xenophobic, discriminatory, prejudiced, illegal, dangerous, weak, scared, stupid, ignorant…

21. Appeals to Emotions: appeal to a reader’s emotions in order to elicit a favourable response to the argument • Appeal to patriotism (invokes sense of national pride in our history, symbols – flag, green and gold, anthem, indigenous animals – and icons – ANZACS, Ned Kelly, etc. • Appeal to justice and fairness (it would be unfair or unjust to disagree with the argument) • Appeal to common sense (it makes sense to agree) • Appeal to hip-pocket (it will cost me money if I disagree)

22. Revision Task Articles • Opinion Piece: ‘I fear for the future of Melbourne’ by Mike Sheehan (Herald Sun, August 20, 2009). • Opinion Piece: ‘Think. One punch can have a million consequences’ by John Rule (The Age, October 12, 2008).

23. Read each piece once through (eg. in reading time) • On the second read look carefully at the following: • Headline (contention? Persuasive language?) • Opening paragraphs, including first sentence • Middle paragraphs • Closing paragraphs, including final sentence • Highlight examples of persuasive language in each paragraph, including the headline (you don’t have to find everything). • Annotate (label/make a note about the examples in the margins). • Who is the intended audience for each text? → how do you know? How does the text appeal to this audience?