Year 10 – Year 12 Persuasive Language Techniques List

Each Technique:1) Defined2) Reduced to 3 simple clear words3) Example provided4) The effect his has on the audience / reader

The structure of each techniques overview Definition

Three word summary (student created)

Evidence: “Example in quotation marks”

The effect this has on the reader

Alliteration The repetition of vowel or consonant sounds

for effect.

Repetition of Sounds.

Evidence: “Jared Jokes about John”.

The effect this has on the reader:Draws attention to the point. Nice to read and listen to.

Anecdote Any story or retelling of an event, can be a personal story or

a story heard elsewhere.

Personal, emotional, story.

Evidence: “Recently my neighbour experienced this problem first hand”.

The effect this has on the reader: It encourages the reader to show emotion and see the topic as more related to them.

Appeal to Authority A reference to someone with experience on the topic.

Words from expert.

Evidence: Professor John Matthews said “it’s true, trust me, I’m a professor”.

The effect this has on the reader:Positons the audience as a learner, with someone knowledgeable explaining things. It must be true because a person with experience said it.

Appeal to Common Sense

Refers to things that most people would agree to.

Pressures practical point.

Example: “Terrorism is like an angry dog, if you poke a dog it will bite.”

The effect this has on the reader: Makes a complex argument seem simple and easy to decide on, usually by comparing it to something more simple.

Appeal to Family Values Links the wider world to family groups to inspire

warm feelings.

Traditional family, pls.

Evidence: “Move your family to Craigieburn, and they will be safe, happy and smart!”

The effect this has on the reader:Makes the text appeal to people who have a family, or who are parents.

Appeal to Fear and Insecurity Refers to potential, imagined, or real threats to

safety.

Be scared & Fearful.

Example: “Imagine your dad exploding”.

The effect this has on the reader:Intends to make them scared, fearful and therefore easy to convince.

Appeal to Hip-Pocket Nerve Referring to money and the way that it is used.

Saving money = good.

Evidence: “ Imagine how much money you would save if you stopped driving your car”.

The effect this has on the reader:Either tries to make the reader angry at being charged money for something or Positions the reader to support an opinion because of their desire to save money, or to not see money wasted.

Appeal to Tradition and Custom

Reference to traditions, the old ways and customary actions.

Change is bad.

Evidence: “Elders have been complaining about young generations for years, and look what the result of it is a decayed society!”

The effect this has on the reader:Makes a person feel comfortable about doing the same old things.

Appeal to Loyalty and Patriotism

Referring to the love of ones country.

Love your Country.

Example: “Aussies rule the world”.

The effect this has on the reader: Positions the reader to agree with actions that benefit the nation as a whole.

Appeal to sense of Justice

Refers to a sense of fairness and punishment.

Crime = time = fair.

Evidence: “ The death penalty is the ultimate form of cruelty, it’s a violation of fundamental human rights, its not a right or just thing to do.”

The effect this has on the reader:Making things sound fair will catch the readers eyes by making sure that something is in it for everyone.

Attacks Attacks people or groups not respected by the

author.

Your are revolting.

Evidence: “Mr Kolber is the most massive idiot yet born.”

The effect this has on the reader:The reader can clearly tell who the ‘baddies’ are.

Clichés Using a commonly used or well-known phrase.

Cheesy, overused phrase.

Evidence: “We brought our A game”.

The effect this has on the reader:The phrase is familiar, so the reader feels safe and familiar with the writers expression.

Colourful Language A use of strange or uncommon language to

draw interest to key concepts.

Swearing, exaggeration, connotations.

Example: “The brutal beheading of people.”

The effect this has on the reader: Evokes a sentiment or opinion through word choice.

Connotations and Loaded Words

Words that carry baggage and associated meanings.

Emotional, implied baggage.

Example: “The Australian dollar slumped to a new low last night due to increasing nervousness about Europe’s economic woes.

The effect this has on the reader: Works up the readers and makes them feel emotional about it.

Emotive Language Uses emotional words to tap in to emotional responses

and empathy in the reader.

Feels bad / good.

Evidence: “Come on, you don’t want to be sad your whole life, don’t you want to be happy?”

The effect this has on the reader:To make them feel the way you want them to feel when they read your essay.

Evidence Providing quotations or clear pieces of evidence to

support arguments.

Hard facts, supports.

Evidence: “ An ACER report found this pattern common.”

The effect this has on the reader:Makes the argument seem objective and reliable.

Exaggeration, Overstatement and Hyperbole

Expressing arguments in an overt, overblown way.

OTT (Over The Top) or Overreacts, dramatic, emotional.

Evidence: “The spurs are the best team ever, they are so fit, young and beautiful. They are so good and full of skill, such an amazing team”.

The effect this has on the reader: Is very over the top, so the reader either finds this funny or believable.

Expert Opinion Using an expert to support arguments.

Important Person says.

Evidence: “Professor Phillips states, all animals have no brain”

The effect this has on the reader: Makes it more believable, because it is easier to believe an expert than a writer.

Generalisation Grouping people arbitrarily, stereotyping.

Everyone thinks same.

Evidence: “All of Tony Abbott’s supporters are biased, bigoted racists who don’t deserve your vote.”

The effect this has on the reader:Makes the reader think a group or type of person are all the same, or share the same opinion.

Graphs and DiagramsParliament Members

Labor LiberalIndependentGreens

Simple, readable, Facts

The effect this has on the reader:Simplifies and makes the information Readable and easy to understand

Inclusive Language Use of collective pronouns to unite views.

Includes reader together.

Example: “Finally, the research to back up what we all know’, that the cost of parking in this city is painful.”

The effect this has on the reader:It is meant to include the reader into the article and make them feel involved.

Irony Expressing the opposite meaning to what one is

arguing for humour or effect.

Meaning is opposite or sarcastic opposition people.

Evidence: “ Is Jill dumb, Nahhh.”

The effect this has on the reader: It gives the reason some enthusiasm, fun, laughter

Metaphor and Simile A use of descriptive language to make

comparisons clear and imaginable.

This like that or Comparing x = y.

Example: “Coburg is a melting pot.”

The effect this has on the reader: Gives a comparison between two things and makes the reader more interested.

Praise

Praises people or groups respected by the author.

Your are perfect.

Evidence: “Mr Kolber is amazing!”

The effect this has on the reader:The reader can clearly tell who the ‘goodies’ are.

Pun Using a shared awareness of homonyms (words

with multiple meanings) to generate comedy.

Play on words.

Evidence: “ Being a vegetarian is a missed steak”.

The effect this has on the reader:Makes them laugh, or be impressed by the writers word play.

Reason and Logic Performing logical steps to support arguments.

Sensible, logical, superior.

Evidence: “If the spurs beat the heat, the heat suck.”

The effect this has on the reader:Makes complex things simple by saying: if _____ is _____, then _____ is true.

Repetition Using the same word more than once.

Repetition of word.

Example: Blah, Blah, Blah.

The effect this has on the reader:Makes the text easier to read and remember, emphasises certain words and points of view.

Rhetorical Question A question for which an answer is not expected.

Don’t answer = rhetorical or No thinking needed.

Example: “ Do you want your children to grow up and become alcoholic druggies?”

The effect this has on the reader: Draws attention to the reader by forcing the reader to then agree with the statement being put forward.

Statistics Providing numerical proof to arguments.

Numbers, number one!

Example: 500% increases in the taxable income of normal Australians would mean death for the Aussie battler`.

The effect this has on readers: Information can be obscured, and manipulated to produce shocking and surprising pieces of information.

The Rule of Three Grouping concepts into groups of three.

Thing 1, Thing 2, Thing 3

Example: “We all need life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

The effect this has on readers: Pleasing to the eye and ear, easy to digest information.

FinishedThese informative slides were originally begun by 10N class – Circa 2014 (Graduating Class of 2016)

The effect this has on the reader: relief at being finished