See Chapter 3: the essay, pp. 66-71
Complete the guided essay plans in this chapter. They encourage you to focus on the author’s views and the persuasive techniques that best support their views. Think about a common thread. Which techniques complement each other?
Complementary (overlapping) techniques See p. 7.
It is important to recognise how persuasive techniques overlap and reinforce each other. Look for a common thread or focus.
Authors often criticise opponents; they use a critical, harsh or mocking tone; they use negative words and descriptions; they may appeal to fear or anger. (In this case, authors may contrast the villains and the victims). See pp. 12-13.
Authors might cite a range of evidence such as real-life examples and statistics/research; authors may present the statistics comparatively; this evidence might depict the victims of a scheme in a sympathetic light; it might also evoke other emotions; authors may use a candid, sincere or practical tone. See pp. 10-12, 14.
Here are a few more plans, based on other articles.
See “Toe the line”, by Dr Carren Clegg, p. 33
You can use the following topic sentences and the three point plan to construct an essay.
Introduction: The insidious nature of junk food and the industry’s advertising tactics have prompted widespread debate about who should take responsibility for the health debacle and who should pay for the consequences. In her opinion piece entitled “Time to toe the line” (published in The Daily newspaper on the 5th August 2010), Dr Carren Clegg, a public relations consultant at FamilyFirstFoods, makes a passionate plea to the public, and consumers of junk food in particular, to hold the junk food industry to account. Similarly, the cartoon by Mr Baldwin that accompanies the opinion piece highlights the disastrous effects of junk food on a teenager’s sense of wellbeing.
(Paragraph 1: Topic sentence: Dr Clegg seeks to shame and isolate the junk food industry through the use of comparisons with cigarette companies.
Include:
- the comparison between junk food industry and cigarettes and
- the attack on junk food companies (colloquial language)
- purpose of the attack and tone.
Paragraph 2: Topic sentence: To advance her argument and make the public apprehensive about the severity of the health risk, Dr Clegg relies on alarming real-life examples and statistics.
Include:
- Examples and statistics and their purpose
- Use of clichés and their purpose
(Evidence/ examples) While the example of a 10-year-old child who weighs 88 kilos is likely to shock and disgust readers, the emotive and perhaps hyperbolic example of two-year-old victims will certainly elicit sympathy. Continue ….
Paragraph 3: Topic sentence: The author’s appeals to public health and corporate accountability encourage us to realise that it is important that the government sets the agenda because there is a conflict of interest between public health and the vested interests of these companies.
Appeals to public health and responsibility (tone)
- Appeal to hip pocket and common sense
- Purpose and impact
(Evidence/ examples) Such appeals are likely to anger consumers because they imply that the government is not holding these companies to account. The author’s use of common sense and logic also seem to dictate that (view and purpose)
Similarly, the cartoonist depicts a doctor who alerts his patient to the fact that he is ill because he has high blood pressure. The cartoonist quotes the doctor who compares the blood pressure of this elderly and seriously overweight patient to that of a teenager’s. (View and purpose).
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