Persuasive conventions

Question 1

Appeal

Answer 1

Writers often appeal to different emotions, such as a reader’s sense of fairness, justice or patriotism.

Question 2

Anecdote

Answer 2

Short, personal stories that help to illustrate a point. e.g. “For my three most recent books, on motherhood, cancer and nursing, I interviewed more than 300 people about the nuts and bolts of what our incredibly short time on this planet is really about – life, death, family and love. If there is one thing I can guarantee, it’s that there will never be a person who lies on their deathbed, shaking with rage, sobbing, ‘Dear God, I wish I’d spent more time watching MasterChef.’”

Question 3

Connotations

Answer 3

All words have connotations or associations. Some words, for example, may have the same literal meaning but very different connotations. Connotations may be negative or positive. Think about the word ‘thin’. There are lots of words that share this meaning—slender, lithe, slim, skinny, lean, slight, lanky, undernourished, wasted, gangly, rake-like, anorexic, spindly. If someone was describing your body, you would probably prefer to be called ‘slender’ or ‘slim’ rather than ‘lanky’ or ‘anorexic’. When people are writing an argument, they think very carefully about the words that they select and the impact these words will have on their audience.

Question 4

Emotive words

Answer 4

Words that provoke an emotional reaction from the audience. e.g. “But no, people from the bush were saying it is cruel to kill foxes with a poison that causes a slow, agonising death.”

Question 5

Exaggeration

Answer 5

Writers often exaggerate or overstate something to help persuade readers of their point of view. e.g. “Our experts will tell you a million reasons why it can’t or shouldn’t be done here. They have turned excuse-making into an art form.”

Question 6

Evidence

Answer 6

Writers will often use evidence – which might take the form of facts, figures, quotes or graphs – to help support their argument. e.g. “According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, males are 400 per cent more likely to commit an offence intended to cause injury than are females.”

Question 7

Expert opinion

Answer 7

Sometimes writers will use the opinion of experts to give further weight to their argument. e.g. “A new research report by Victorian doctors illustrates why: because when kids are worried their parents will be told their private medical details, they simply don’t go to the doctor.”

Question 8

Inclusive language

Answer 8

Using the words ‘we’ or ‘us’ – is often used to get a reader onside. e.g. “We might not like it, but our kids’ right to confidential medical advice should take precedence over our right to know about it.”

Question 9

Imagery

Answer 9

Descriptive writing can be a powerful persuasive technique. Describing something vividly can persuade readers.