Learning intentions 1
• Know – how to annotate & how to use annotations to begin to form the outline
of an analysis
• Do – practise annotating
• Be – reading closely, concentrating
Annotating cont.
• The recording of your thought processes as you read
• The purpose of annotating is to closely and systematically go through a text
identifying the main ideas the writer is using to support a point of view
(contention)
• Annotations are useful to help your discussion of PLTs by ensuring they are only
introduced in relation to an idea being presented by the writer
• The purpose of annotations should be to help you recognise the supporting
arguments the writer is using as well as the overall contention
How annotating supports planning
• Being aware of what the writer is arguing, helps to narrow the focus of your
analysis into specific areas on which to base your discussion of PLTs
• It is important not to skip straight to devices and how they support the writer’s
contention – devices support the presentation of the writer’s supporting
arguments, which in turn support their overall contention
• Annotating helps support the planning of your analysis by identifying the ideas
behind the writer’s language, which helps you to decide what to make your body
paragraphs about
Learning intentions 2
• Know – the ICATS acronym and how to structure an introduction in a media
analysis essay
• Do – copy out acronym detail, look at example introductions & critique, write
your own introduction/s
• Be – focusing on arguments, experimenting with your written expression
Introductions
An introduction to a language analysis needs to contain a number of key elements. There is
an anagram that can help you to remember all those different elements: ICATS. (Not
necessarily in order since it is often the ‘S’ for source that comes first.)
•
I = issue (orientate the reader on the broad subject area of the writer’s focus)
•
C = contention (state clearly in your own words the main point the writer wants readers
to understand or believe)
•
A = audience (who was the piece written for; the target or intended readers – be as
specific as you can about demographic characteristics based on the subject of the piece
and the writer’s position on it)
•
T = tone (what is the emotion behind the writer’s voice?)
•
S = source (the name of the piece, its writer, and the publication it appeared in (if
known), along with the date it was published)
Audience
• The audience of a text can be simply defined as the people for whom the text is
intended (aka intended audience, target audience, readers or demographic)
• It is important for you to identify the audience of a text as specifically as possible
(consider variables such as age, race, socioeconomic status, level of education,
gender, etc.)
• The audience is not always just everyone; it’s more specific than that – it could be as
specific as those having a particular view e.g. people who are vegetarians, who
believe strongly in animal rights, who think asylum seekers should be stopped at all
costs
• This will help you analyse more accurately how an author has made language
choices that will appeal to members of their target audience – audience and
purpose go hand in hand
Tone
Tone refers to the overall feeling of a piece of writing, or how it would sound if read out
loud. Here are some useful words to help you describe tone. For more see PowerPoint on
Moodle.
Examples:
• Logical: rational, reasonable, analytical, cogent.
• Neutral: impartial, balanced, objective, unbiased.
• Informed: knowledgeable, well-read.
• Passionate: emotional, emotive, ardent, vehement.
• Witty: humorous, satirical, light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek.
Tone
• A simple way of understanding tone is how a piece would sound if read aloud.
• A very strong tone and very emotive language usually go together
• e.g. letting evil terrorists roam the streets is a crime against humanity! Whereas a
mild, more reasoned tone is created using controlled language and emotions or
ideas – i.e. Authorities were made aware of terrorist activity at the event.
Sample introduction
Vaccinations have become a widely accepted part of disease prevention in the 20th century,
however there are people who object to this for a variety of reasons, and this number is
increasing. In her article ‘Don’t let any more babies die because of anti-vaccination lobby’
appearing in the Herald Sun March 25 2015, journalist Susie O’Brien passionately argues
that people who are not getting their children vaccinated are ‘murderers’. In O’Brien uses a
variety of persuasive techniques in order to convince her audience of everyday Australian
parents to accept her point of view.
CAN YOU IDENTIFY EACH OF THE DIFFERENT ELEMENT OF ICATS IN THIS.
Sample introduction for ‘Hear the screams’
The issue of the inhumane treatment of animals involved in the food processing industry is
addressed by Dr Mirko Bagaric in the persuasive piece titled ‘Hear the screams’, published in the
Herald Sun on 30 December 2007. The writer contends in a galvanising tone that the treatment of
factory farmed animals is just as horrific and unjust as harpoon whaling by the Japanese for sushi,
and that Australia is performing an act of “whale-sized hypocrisy”. Dr Mirko Bagaric states that
animals suffer pain just as humans do, more so in the case of whales, and that people should be
cutting any meat that is not organic or free-range out of their diets for the sake of the animals and
their consciences. He uses a range of persuasive techniques to position a target audience of meateaters to agree with his point of view, including emotive language, rhetorical questions, statistics,
facts and anecdotes.
IS THIS OR THE PREVIOUS INTRODUCTION STRONGER, AND WHY?
Homework writing
• Some issues we have discussed this week on which you might choose write about giving
your own point of view:
• Whether marijuana use should be legal
• Whether gun control is achievable and/or an effective measure for preventing gun
crime in America
• You could also choose something else entirely that is interesting to you – e.g. euthanasia,
whaling, police corruption, renewable energy, graffiti in Melbourne’s laneways, public vs
private education, etc.
• Your homework writing at this stage need not be analytical in nature; presenting your
own arguments and aiming to incorporate a range of PLTs to strengthen what you are
saying is good practise for recognising their use by others
• Please do a little background research to inform your point of view, and make sure your
contention is clear and well-supported
Learning intentions 3
• Know – review ICATS guide for writing intros for media analysis
– how to unpack a sentence in a persuasive text
• Do – write and review introductions to build familiarity with required elements
• Be – thinking, writing, brave, experimenting with expression
Possible introduction to marijuana piece
In his article “Marijuana legalisation is a risk not worth taking”, published by CNN on
July 30th 2014, Stuart Gitlow responds to recent proposals in the US to change the
federal marijuana bill and make cannabis legal. He argues that marijuana should not be
legalised due to the health risks it poses, especially for young people. He writes in a
tone of outrage and disbelief and uses arguments and language that would appeal to a
mature, well-educated audience.
GIVE THIS INTRODUCTION A MARK OUT OF 12 BASED ON:
- Incorporation of all required elements
- Clarity of written expression and flow of language
- Accuracy of contention statement
- Acknowledgement of reader position and the writer’s purpose
Use the grading scale - (high=3, medium=2, low=1)
Apathetic
Bored
Cold
Dejected
Depressed
Despaired
Disappointed
Discontented
Disinterested
Dispirited
Gloomy
Hopeless
Hurt
Melancholy
Miserable
Regretful
Sad
Upset
Apologetic
Critical
Doubtful
Envious
Foreboding
Frustrated
Gloomy
Guilty
Judgmental
Pessimistic
Regretful
Remorseful
Shameful
Solemn
Sombre
Suspicious
Agitated
Alarmed
Anxious
Apprehensive
Disturbed
Embarrassed
Fearful
Helpless
Humiliated
Mortified
Nervous
Powerless
Shocked
Stressed
Tensed
Troubled
Uneasy
Vulnerable
Worried
Defenceless
Distressed
Admonitory
Allusive
Authoritative
Balance
Blunt
Candid
Colloquial
Contemplative
Controlled
Conversational
Discursive
Distinct
Emotive
Evocative
Expectant
Factual
Formal
Frank
Honest
Informal
Informative
Knowledgeable
Learned
Lyrical
Naïve
Noble
Nostalgic
Patriotic
Personal
Picturesque
Questioning
Reflective
Reminiscent
Resigned
Scholarly
Serious
Sublime
Virile
Amazed
Astonished
Attentive
Curious
Eager
Interested
Keen
Polite
Startled
Stunned
Surprised
Calm
Casual
Collected
Composed
Content
Peaceful
Pleasant
Relaxed
Relieved
Serene
Appreciative
Approving
Assuring
Confident
Determined
Encouraging
Grateful
Hopeful
Inspiring
Optimistic
Pleased
Promising
Proud
Respectful
Reverent
Sanguine
Satisfied
Thankful
Affectionate
Benevolent
Compassionate
Concerned
Considerate
Consoling
Empathetic
Empathetic
Friendly
Loving
Merciful
Passionate
Romantic
Soothing
Supportive
Sympathetic
Thoughtful
Amiable
Amused
Cheerful
Delighted
Ecstatic
Elated
Energetic
Enthusiastic
Excited
Exuberant
Happy
Humourous
Jovial
Joyful
Jubilant
Playful
Vibrant
Vivacious
Learning intentions 4
• Know –
• the structural and focus requirements of body paragraphs in a media analysis essay
• Do –
• copy out acronym detail
• co-create a example body paragraph, suggesting your own ideas about what to write
• write your own
• Be –
• concentrating on arguments
• thinking about the writer’s audience & purpose
• putting your ideas on paper
Overview of focus
• Language analysis is easy.
• It just means explaining in detail how a piece of opinionated writing
works.
• Language analysis gives attention to:
• what is said (the points a writer makes to convince others to take their
position on an issue)
• for whom (the specific audience being targeted)
• how (the language choices the writer makes), and
• why (the effect on readers the writer intends to have).
Body paragraphs
• Focused on the writer’s key arguments, the body paragraphs of a language analysis essay
should:
1. Explain one of the writer’s key arguments
2. Identify the specific language techniques the writer has used to present the
argument
3. Describe the effect of those techniques on the reader’s thoughts/feelings/ beliefs
• Body paragraphs are detailed explanations of how the writer’s words are likely to
position readers on the issue and their overall contention
Structuring body paragraphs
• There are quite a few acronyms created to help students get familiar with the process of analysing
a writer’s language choices – none is THE ONLY way to approach your writing, and all are simply
guidelines to help you think about the different elements you should include
• TEA – technique, example, analysis
• TEE – technique, evidence, effect
• TEEL – topic (the ‘what’), evidence (device used – the ‘how’), explanation (of effects on readers –
the ‘why’), link (to the key argument being analysed or the overall contention)
• ADEER – argument, device, example, effect, result (for the reader)
Body paragraphs
• I tend to prefer ADEER, but you can use whichever structuring guide works for you as
long as it encourages you to remember to discuss:
• the impact of the writer’s use of persuasive language techniques on their arguments
• the ways readers are encouraged to view and feel about the issue as a result of what
the writer has said.
•
A = argument (the broad point made by the writer on which the paragraph will focus)
•
D = device (a PLT used in the presentation of the argument)
•
E = example (a quote from the article showing the PLT)
•
E = effect (the intended effect on the reader of the writer’s use of this PLT for the
argument)
•
R = result (future behaviour/opinions of the reader on the writer’s contention; as a
result of the writer’s use of this argument, the reader now thinks / feels / believes /
etc.)
This kind of statement covers ‘device’ and introduces ‘effect’, and could be
followed with a sentence containing the ‘example’ (quote) that elaborates
on the ‘effect’ leading in to a reader ‘result’ statement.
Sample body paragraph 1
Gitlow argues that marijuana should not be legally available because of
the negative health effects. A key persuasive technique used in this text
is repetition. For example, Gitlow refers to fact that he is repeating the
idea of “if you use marijuana heavily prior to age 25, your brain won’t
work anymore”, this influences the reader to be aware of what
marijuana can do to you and persuades readers into believing that
marijuana should not be used. This ultimately causes the reader to
understand that marijuana is ‘a risk not worth taking’.
Sample body paragraph 2
The way in which marijuana can have significantly detrimental effects on the health of those who use it is
presented as being one of the key reasons that people should think twice about supporting a move towards
the legalisation of the drug. Gitlow draws attention to the range of harmful effects on the brain that are likely
to occur in heavy users through the use of repetition, going as far as to mention explicitly that he has done this
by saying ’[l]et me repeat that for emphasis’. This reinforcement of the alarming prospect Gitlow presents that
‘your brain won’t work anymore’ is brought in to challenge the assumption that marijuana is a harmless
recreational drug that can even have health benefits. Readers are confronted by the emphasised value Gitlow
places on the possibility of ’psychiatric disease’ and a ‘drop in IQ’ as a result of heavy use of this addictive drug
while young, and the direct address of the pronoun ‘your’ in ‘your brain’ more intensively targets the message
towards current and potential future marijuana users. The analogy of a lottery helps readers to recognise the
element of chance involved in a person’s decision to use marijuana, presenting it as a gambling situation in
which someone might try their luck. Except that, due to the nature of marijuana and the randomness of its
possible impacts on the brain, the winning tickets lead not to long-term wealth and happiness, but instead to
one of a number of gruesome and awfully irreversible things that no reader could imagine wanting for
themselves or anyone they know who may be tempted to try or continue using marijuana. Readers are brought
to an unequivocal understanding of the way that using marijuana to excess in youth will result in damaging
impacts on the brain in later life and so are led to the conclusion that increased availability and ready access to
marijuana as a result of making it legal could not possibly be good for people.
Better analysis
Example:
• Joe Bloggs uses a rhetorical question when they say “Are we all stupid”. Rhetorical
questions really only have one answer.
A more effective answer:
• Joe Bloggs challenges the audience with the rhetorical question: “Are we all
stupid?” This confronts readers with a black and white choice - we can either
accept that we are stupid, or think that we are smart by agreeing with Bloggs’
argument.
- Still making the same point, but using more analytical language
Key Phrases
The following phrases help to explain exactly how a particular language strategy is
being used by an author to position his or her audience or support a point of view.
This strategy is designed
to…
The writer/speaker hopes to…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Alienate dissenters by…
Appeal to a sense of…
Advocate the view that…
Divide the audience by…
Elicit an emotional response which…
Encourage support for…
Evoke a sense of…
Include the audience in the debate by…
Incite anger or outrage by…
Propose an alternative to…
Provoke serious debate by…
Validate their underlying contention by…
Linking words
Linking words are effective
‘signposts’; they make it easy to
follow a line of argument. They can
indicate:
• a new point of a similar nature to
the previous one
• a new point of a different or
contrasting nature
• a conclusive point (the logical end
of an argument)
• a complete change of topic
A new point (of a
similar nature)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
In addition
Similarly
Moreover
Likewise
Furthermore
On top of this
Added to this
First of all,
second, third etc.
A new point (of a
different nature)
•
•
•
•
•
Conversely
On the contrary
However
In contrast
On the other
hand
• Meanwhile
• At the same time
• Yet
A conclusive point
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
As a result
Therefore
For this reason
Hence
Finally
Consequently
Thus
In conclusion
Ultimately
Discussing how the language effects a
reader…
Some phrases you can use after you’ve identified the technique
e.g. The author repeatedly attacks the ‘hippy parents’.
• The effect of this is to …
• The reader is left in no doubt …
• The impact of this is set to …
• These words position the reader …
• This argument/sentiment/contention/attack/tone positions the reader …
• The reader is positioned to feel …
• What this techniques does is …
• The author’s use of … to … makes …
Learning intentions
• Know –
• how to anaylse an image in a persuasive article
• Do –
• copy out features to look for
• look at example image analysis & critique
• write your own image analyses
• Be –
• thinking about connections between visuals and words
• trusting your perceptions
• writing and putting ALL your ideas down on paper
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3