Note: This page has been put together using David McClean's revision notes on VCE English, with Victoria University. All credit goes to his work.
P E R S U A S I V E // D E V I C E S
Persuasive devices generally fit into one of three categories.
|
LOGOS: LOGIC OR REASON
|
ETHOS: ANECDOTAL/EXPERT OPINION OF THE AUTHOR
|
|
Expert opinion
Research Anecdotes Reputable sources Appeals to common sense and rationality Cause and effect statements Recognition of opposing viewpoints |
Ethical appeals are used to establish the writer as fair, open-minded, honest and knowledgeable about a subject matter. They want to be seen as:
|
PATHOS: EMOTION
|
Connotation
Attacks/praise Alliteration Repetition Colloquial language and idioms Cloches Generalisations Hyperbole/exaggeration Inclusive language Rhetorical questions |
Appeals to emotion and values
|
E F F E C T
How do they persuade the reader?
1. LANGUAGE (WHAT)
Columnist Phillip Craig comically labels the politicians as “stringed puppets.”
2. INTENDED EFFECT (WHY AND HOW)
This label is designed to make the reader see the politicians as controlled and unthinking (narrow), thus positioning the reader to condemn the politicians actions as merely the opinion of the party machine. (wider).
1. LANGUAGE (WHAT)
- Introduce the persuasive quote
- Use verbs: describes, depicts, debunks, illustrates, labels, suggests
Columnist Phillip Craig comically labels the politicians as “stringed puppets.”
2. INTENDED EFFECT (WHY AND HOW)
- Intended effect
- Considerations of the narrow effects (how does the quote make the reader feel about the thing being described?) and the wider effects (how does this quote position the reader to feel about the issue generally?)
This label is designed to make the reader see the politicians as controlled and unthinking (narrow), thus positioning the reader to condemn the politicians actions as merely the opinion of the party machine. (wider).
