Five Steps In Language Analysis 1. Read article carefully and take notes - What is the writer saying? How is it said? Why is it persuasive?
2. Prepare your ideas for writing - Identify the writer’s main contention. Decide which examples of persuasive language you will analyse.
3. Plan your structure - Decide what you will include in each paragraph.
4. Write your language analysis - Develop introduction. Link body paragraphs. Conclude.
5. Edit and proofread your words - Are the main ideas clearly presented? How can you improve the writing?
Step One: Read carefully and take notes You will need to read the article twice to get the most out of it. Use the first reading to identify the writer’s overall point of view; then use the second reading to focus on how the point of view is developed and presented persuasively.
What is the writer saying? · Identify the main contention · Track the supporting points or arguments. A good approach is to put these in brief annotations around the article.
How is it said? · Write a few key words to describe the writer’s tone and style. · Highlight some of the persuasive words, phrases and techniques being used.
Why is it persuasive? · Why are some of the highlighted words, phrases and techniques persuasive? · Think about how they make you feel about the writer’s point of view. What effects do they achieve? · Do the techniques help to persuade you to agree with the writer’s main contention? How? If not, why not?
Step Two: Prepare your ideas for writing Rewrite the main contention in your own words. This forces you to make sure you clearly understand the writer’s point of view, and will allow you to work more quickly when you come to write the analysis.
List the supporting points or arguments – Also in your own words.
Select the persuasive words, phrases and techniques you are going to analyse.
Select some quotations to use as evidence. Be selective; what are the most effective examples to use? When selecting examples to use, choose the most obvious but also the examples that give you the greatest range in your discussion. However, do not use four different examples of the same persuasive technique, e.g. emotive language, when one will be enough. Use the opportunity to choose three other examples that illustrate different techniques such as inclusive language, appeals to authority, and so on.
Step Three: Plan your structure As in all essays, the analysis will have an introduction, body and conclusion. Your introduction needs to include specific details shown below
Introduction
· State the name of the article · Who wrote it (or drew the cartoon/illustration)? · When and where was it published? · What kind of text is it? E.G. Opinion, editorial, feature, cartoon. · State the writer’s contention in your own words. · Refer to the tone of the piece – does it sound angry, sad, mocking, cynical, critical?
Body Paragraphs
Use T E E L · Topic sentence · Examples · Explanation – why it is effective · Links to next paragraph
The body usually consists of 4 or 5 paragraphs; each paragraph focuses on one persuasive feature or technique. The discussion within the paragraph can be divided into 4 steps:
1. Statement of the main point being made in the paragraph.
2. Examples as evidence of persuasive language use from the text to support or illustrate the point.
3. Explanation of effectiveness of the examples.
4. Links to the next paragraph.
Conclusion
The conclusion brings your ideas together. · Comment on how effective you find the writer’s use of language – the analysis is always objective. · Be careful that you do not give your point of view on the issue; DO NOT say whether you agree or disagree.
Step Four: Write your language analysis · Use the plan you have constructed and stick to it. · Use the ideas for sentence starters and varied vocabulary in the following section to develop effective analytical writing about language use.
Step Five: Edit, then proofread, your work Use the editing and proofreading checklist below. If you use this in your practice examples then it will be automatic when you do your SAC and exam.
- Included introduction details: type of text; who wrote it; when and where it was published; the tone and main contention of the piece
- Explained the context of the text (that is, relevant aspects of the issue) if needed
- Identified persuasive techniques and strategies and shown how they persuade
- Discussed any visual material included - Linked paragraphs - Constructed a strong conclusion
- Used clear expression
- Corrected spelling and grammar
- Varied your sentence structure and vocabulary
1. Read article carefully and take notes - What is the writer saying? How is it said? Why is it persuasive?
2. Prepare your ideas for writing - Identify the writer’s main contention. Decide which examples of persuasive language you will analyse.
3. Plan your structure - Decide what you will include in each paragraph.
4. Write your language analysis - Develop introduction. Link body paragraphs. Conclude.
5. Edit and proofread your words - Are the main ideas clearly presented? How can you improve the writing?
Step One: Read carefully and take notes
You will need to read the article twice to get the most out of it. Use the first reading to identify the writer’s overall point of view; then use the second reading to focus on how the point of view is developed and presented persuasively.
What is the writer saying?
· Identify the main contention
· Track the supporting points or arguments. A good approach is to put these in brief annotations around the article.
How is it said?
· Write a few key words to describe the writer’s tone and style.
· Highlight some of the persuasive words, phrases and techniques being used.
Why is it persuasive?
· Why are some of the highlighted words, phrases and techniques persuasive?
· Think about how they make you feel about the writer’s point of view. What effects do they achieve?
· Do the techniques help to persuade you to agree with the writer’s main contention? How? If not, why not?
Step Two: Prepare your ideas for writing
Rewrite the main contention in your own words. This forces you to make sure you clearly understand the writer’s point of view, and will allow you to work more quickly when you come to write the analysis.
List the supporting points or arguments – Also in your own words.
Select the persuasive words, phrases and techniques you are going to analyse.
Select some quotations to use as evidence. Be selective; what are the most effective examples to use?
When selecting examples to use, choose the most obvious but also the examples that give you the greatest range in your discussion. However, do not use four different examples of the same persuasive technique, e.g. emotive language, when one will be enough.
Use the opportunity to choose three other examples that illustrate different techniques such as inclusive language, appeals to authority, and so on.
Step Three: Plan your structure
As in all essays, the analysis will have an introduction, body and conclusion. Your introduction needs to include specific details shown below
· Who wrote it (or drew the cartoon/illustration)?
· When and where was it published?
· What kind of text is it? E.G. Opinion, editorial, feature, cartoon.
· State the writer’s contention in your own words.
· Refer to the tone of the piece – does it sound angry, sad, mocking, cynical, critical?
Use T E E L
· Topic sentence
· Examples
· Explanation – why it is effective
· Links to next paragraph
1. Statement of the main point being made in the paragraph.
2. Examples as evidence of persuasive language use from the text to support or illustrate the point.
3. Explanation of effectiveness of the examples.
4. Links to the next paragraph.
· Comment on how effective you find the writer’s use of language – the analysis is always objective.
· Be careful that you do not give your point of view on the issue; DO NOT say whether you agree or disagree.
Step Four: Write your language analysis
· Use the plan you have constructed and stick to it.
· Use the ideas for sentence starters and varied vocabulary in the following section to develop effective analytical writing about language use.
Step Five: Edit, then proofread, your work
Use the editing and proofreading checklist below. If you use this in your practice examples then it will be automatic when you do your SAC and exam.
- Included introduction details: type of text; who wrote it; when and where it was published; the tone and main contention of the piece
- Explained the context of the text (that is, relevant aspects of the issue) if needed
- Identified persuasive techniques and strategies and shown how they persuade
- Discussed any visual material included
- Linked paragraphs
- Constructed a strong conclusion
- Used clear expression
- Corrected spelling and grammar
- Varied your sentence structure and vocabulary