When you tune into your favourite radio host, listen to a commentator on the television news, read a letter to the editor in the daily newspaper or refer to an opinion on one of the numerous blogs on the internet, you are invited to see the world from the perspective of the speaker or writer.
Think about what you know about climate change, same-sex marriage, the rise in obesity, the invasive nature of social media sites, refugees and transport projects. Generally, we gain our understanding of these issues through media texts that consist of carefully selected words and images that tell us how to think and feel.
The “mediating” process involves many components: the selection of information, the composition of images, the style of presentation, the choice of words and experts and the slant of opinion-makers.
Your task is not to agree with the writer: simply to analyse how they seek to convince you that their views are important and correct.
What do they say? How do they say it? And why do they say it? How do they target our thoughts and feelings?
TIP: Be clear about the author’s point of view, their evidence and their supporting reasons. This will help you identify more accurately and specifically, the impact of an author’s persuasive words and techniques.
Secondly, you must build an analytical vocabulary so that you can more accurately and insightfully explain and evaluate the author’s techniques and their purpose. The exercises in the workbooks and “Suggested Responses” model the words and phrases you need to write sophisticated responses with confidence. Specifically, you will need a good bank of tone words as well as relevant phrases to accurately identify the impact and purpose of an author’s techniques. Think about wide-branching sentences with an emphasis on analysis – not summary. (eg… )
TIP: In order to avoid generic responses (simplistic statements that can be applied to any media text) you must have a sound analytical vocabulary and a perceptive and insightful knowledge of the author’s views and reasons. You must show an ability to read between the lines. Choose strategic words and explain what they imply. How do they reinforce this author’s views and values?
Thirdly, you will need to write an essay turning an annotated list of the author’s techniques into a fluent discussion. You will need to prioritise the author’s techniques and word choices. You will need to think about which ones are critical to the development of an author’s argument and identify connections between overlapping techniques, appeals and word choices.
Publications:
Techniques of Persuasion: a step by step introduction to the techniques of persuasion. Exercises target the specific skills and knowledge you need to acquire to be able to analyse an author’s techniques. Click for more information.
The Language of Persuasion: become an expert: an in-depth discussion of the techniques that support an author’s argument. Click for more information.