Persuasive Techniques Flashcards
Explain how graphs and diagrams persuade.
It gives a clear picture of a situation and appears to be factual therefore true.
Define exaggeration, overstatement and hyperbole. Provide an example and explain how it persuades.
Exaggeration, overstatement and hyperbole exaggerates the true situation for dramatic impact. Hyperbole uses a figure of speech (simile or metaphor) to do this. An example would be ‘the list of things people are demanding to be added to the school curriculum is endless - ethics, civics, more maths, more PE, more languages and now meditation. I guess kids are going to need it’ this persuades by ways such as it attracts the readers attention through a surprising or extreme claim, especially in headlines. It’s often combined with emotional appeal and can generate humour to make the reader regard the writers viewpoint positively.
Define anecdote, provide an example and explain how it persuades.
Anecdote is a short account or story of an entertaining or interesting incident. An example would be ‘in my experience…’ This persuades by means of usually making the reader sympathetic and receptive to the point, can set up a character, then position the reader to accept or reject that individual character.
Define attacks/praise, provide an example and explain how this persuades.
Attacks/praise entails the writer attacking or praising an opponent or idea. This is an assertion of the writers viewpoint. An example would be denigrating (putting down) or humiliating a person, like ‘Twitter is primarily made up of imaginative ignorant hordes shouting in a crowded echo chamber’.This is often persuasive as it can put the reader in a position of agreement with the writer. This works by forceful assertion through appropriate language and insistent claims that aren’t usually supported with evidence.
Define cliches, provide an example and explain how this persuades.
Cliches are worn-out, overused expressions. An example would be ‘as fit as a fiddle’. This persuades as it is familiar, often colloquial and it can offer a shortcut to convey meaning. It also helps readers to feel more comfortable with an idea.
Define connotations, provide an example and explain how this persuades.
Connotations are implied meanings of words - meanings or associations that words carry beyond their literal meanings. They’re also the shades of meaning that create subtle differences between similar words. Examples would be descriptive words such as slimy, beautiful, ugly etc. This persuades as through careful choices of words different effects are gained and different reader responses are generated.
Define rhetorical question, provide an example and explain how this persuades.
Rhetorical questions are questions that have the answer embedded in them and they often use irony. An example is ‘are we going to accept these third-world hospital conditions in our country?’. This is a powerful device as it manipulates the reader to agree because assumes the answer is obvious. This can position the reader in such a way that to disagree would be to dismiss some point that clearly commands agreement.
Define simile, provide an example and explain how this persuades.
A simile entails one thing being likened to another using ‘like or as’. It persuades by means of clarifying and enhancing the situation. It’s effective if comparison is unexpected as surprise and it can help make a point.
Define alliteration, give an example and explain how it persuades us.
Alliteration is repetition of a consonant, especially at the starts of words. An example would be ‘the dehumanisation, degradation and demeaning of those who arrive on Australian shores by boat to seek refuge is perpetrated by politicians and mass media. It persuades in ways such as it gains attention and adds emphasis and draws attention to key words. It’s not persuasive on its own, but can be when used with other techniques.
Define inclusive language, provide an example and explain how this persuades.
Inclusive language involves the reader directly in the issue by using words such as ‘we’ and ‘us’. An example would be ‘until we have such a national data collection that routinely collects and regularly reports on sports injuries, we will never really know about what injuries occur and why…’ This persuades as it makes the reader feel included and that their view counts. It encourages readers to agree since this view is apparently shared by the group as a whole.
Define emotive language, provide an example and explain how this persuades.
Emotive language is deliberately strong words used to provoke emotion in the reader. An example would be ‘A state parliamentary inquiry drug report to be released today will more than state the bleeding obvious - that ice has a deadly grip on the state of Victoria’. It persuades the reader by means of positioning them to react emotionally, rather than rationally. It also leads the reader to share the writers feelings on the subject.
List some words to describe a writers positive tone.
Amused, assertive, confident, encouraging, enthusiastic, optimistic, playful, proud, reasonable, respectful, soothing and sympathetic.
List some words to describe a writers negative tone.
Accusing, admonishing, aggressive, arrogant, bitter, antagonistic, contemptuous, critical, cynical, mocking, outraged and sarcastic.
List some words to describe a writers neutral tone.
Authoritative, bemused, calm, considered, dispassionate, measured, pleading, restrained, sentimental, serious, thoughtful and concerned.
Describe repetition, provide an example and explain how this persuades.
Repetition is repeated words, phrases, sentence patterns or ideas. An example would be ‘never, never, never to be released’. This persuades as it gives emphasis and prominence to a point or idea; it repeats ideas to reinforce point and help the reader remember the point.
