in this unit - pbworksstpetersisthebest.pbworks.com/f/chap04.pdf · 2010. 5. 20. · freedom and...

1 How would you

persuade your

parents to let you go

to a rock concert?

2 What would convince

you to give up eating

junk food?

We all have certain

attitudes and beliefs

that determine our

behaviour. We can also

be persuaded to think

and behave differently.

Equally, we may try to

sway others to our own

point of view. How can

we recognise the

techniques of

persuasion in written,

spoken and visual forms,

and how can we use

them ourselves when

required?

In this unit

• Persuasion in poetry

• Persuasion in

advertising

• Persuasion in feature

articles

• Persuasion in essays

• Persuasion in

brochures

• Persuasion in

political propaganda

84 english alive 3

The gentle artpersuasion noun

1. the act of persuading or

trying to persuade: He

spoke so passionately about

the club that his audience

responded to his persuasion

by signing up on the spot.

2. system of belief, sect or

denomination: She belongs

to the Baptist Church but I

am not of that persuasion.

Word history: from Latin

persuasio to convince

Word family: persuade,

persuasive, persuader,

persuasively, persuasiveness,

persuadable

Antonym: dissuasion

Quotation:

Persuasion is often more

effectual than force.

Aesop (620 BC–560 BC)

hen we describe someone or something as being

very persuasive, we may mean it in a positive or a negative

way. We can be persuaded to do something ‘good ‘or ‘bad’. A

person holding a gun to your head is certainly very persuasive but

there are many more subtle persuasive methods that operate in

our society and culture. Sometimes these methods are so subtle

we do not recognise that their purpose is to persuade. Language,

whether written or spoken, is crucial to most forms of persuasion,

although in some instances images alone can be extremely

persuasive. Whether the message appeals to our emotions or to

our intellect, we need to understand the language of persuasion

— to use it when we wish to persuade others and to recognise it

when it is used to persuade us.

Reading and writing persuasionin poetryCan a literary text such as a poem persuade? We probably think of a text such as

an advertisement or an impassioned speech when we think of a persuasive text.

Although poetry is usually a personal expression of emotion or feeling, the poet’s

purpose can be to persuade. The following poem by Mary B. Armitage seeks to per-

suade us that human beings’ treatment of whales is wrong. The margin notes

around the poem provide tips to consider when reading or writing a persuasive

poem.

Wordplay15

Post-mortem

This was the first post-mortem I had seen:

The first incisions, long, precise and clean,

Inscribing red, obscenely glistening welts

With knives drawn keen from scabbard-belts.

Above, the clinic sun in stark blue sky;

On sandy slab, the whale, where it had come — to die.

I’d seen it, lying on the beach, just yesterday;

Obstructing traffic, getting in the way

Of fishermen. Although, for those intent on leisure,

The pristine carcass added to their pleasure:

A curiosity — another ‘sight’ — to see and photograph.

And so they’d pause, to gently touch, to pose and laugh.

Allows the reader toimagine a clinical,

scientific procedure. Atfirst we may imagine that

the subject of the post-mortem is human.

Imagery suggests apotential attack, rather

than science.

Setting words on theirown after a dash

emphasises the image.

It seems incongruous thatholidaymakers could

enjoy looking at a deadanimal.

Describes a cold, sterile approach.

Suggests it is offensive.

Indent may signal more emotional comments from the narrator.

The whale is reduced to being just a nuisance or an object of passing interest to sightseers.

unit 4 • Alive with . . . persuasion 85

Today, forensic fingers, asking — Why?

Where did it live, and breed? How did it die?

As if, in crimson flesh and blood congealed,

The scientific mind could find revealed —

When was its time and place of birth?

And what its stated purpose here on earth?

Probing brain and gut and still red heart,

All daubed with gore in demonstration of their art:

Flailing skin from flesh; flensing flesh from bone,

They bring indignity to death and then go home

With body parts each sealed in plastic bag

— But none has ‘whale song’ written on its tag.

And if I knew a way of whispering to whales,

I’d tell them all to thresh their winging tails;

To sing one last, wild, lovely, wailing song;

To wend that long, last journey — oh so long:

‘Sing!’ I’d whisper, ‘Fly! Swim — for your lives!

To die — away, far, far away, from men with knives.’

Mary B. Armitage

The narrator seems tofind these questions

pointless; the scientistscannot answer the deeper

questions about themeaning of life.

Here the alliterationconjures up the uglyrepetitiveness of thedissection, making it

seem like butchery.

Again the scientificaccuracy of body parts in

plastic bags is at odds withwhat the narrator values in

the next line: whale song— a symbol of the whale’s

freedom and beauty.

Repetition of the idea ofwhale song

The poet would preferthat the whale had died a

natural death in the sea.

This seems a valid question for the scientists, but the narrator does not sound convinced.

The poem has a simple rhyme scheme: aa bb cc and so on.

Underlines how recently the whale was alive.

These words, implying the scientists are proud of their skills, are in contrast to the revulsion contained in daubed with gore.

The alliteration of the soft w sounds contrasts with the earlier harsh, clinical descriptions of flesh and flensing.

Repetition strengthens urgency of advice.

86 english alive 3

Persuasive poems:

• appeal to the emotions

in presenting a point of

view about an issue

• use imagery to

confront, repel and

attract

• select words that paint

vivid pictures and have

emotional links

• include rhetorical

questions to force the

reader to think

• convey messages more

subtly than, say, a

feature article

• use repetition for

emphasis

• use sound imagery such

as alliteration for

emphasis.

READING POETRY TEXTSUnderstanding and knowing

1. (a) Who is cutting up the whale carcass in the poem Post-mortem, and

why?

(b) Why does the narrator find what is happening to the whale upsetting?

Do you feel upset too?

2. (a) Sort the words on the right into a table with

the following headings: ‘Relating to the whale

free in the sea’ and ‘Relating to the dead whale

on the beach’. If you need to, check the

meaning of the words in a dictionary.

(b) How do the contrasting images that these words

create help to strengthen the poet’s message?

3. Find and list all the words in the poem beginning with w. Arrange them in

alphabetical order. Why do you think the poet has used so many w words?

Making meaning

4. Those with knives in the poem are scientists; they want to know why this

apparently healthy animal beached itself. What other, more sinister meaning

might the poet be conveying in the poem’s last two lines?

5. If the poet’s purpose is to persuade readers that this clinical dissection of the

whale is wrong, what audience do you think she is aiming her message at?

Analysing and reflecting

6. Many species are becoming extinct or endangered today as a result of human

activity.

(a) Is the potential loss of any species of whale especially poignant?

(b) Do you agree with the poet that whales are special creatures? What else

could the poet have said to persuade you of this?

7. Persuasive writing often relies heavily

on an appeal to the emotions to

influence the opinion of readers. What

words or expressions in the poem

appeal to your emotions? Explain.

WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS

8. The photo on the right shows

volunteers trying to refloat a beached

whale. How do you think Mary B.

Armitage would feel about this?

Explain. Write a short poem about this

scene, making it similar in style to that

of Post-mortem.

9. Use Post-mortem as an emotional

prompt to write a letter to the editor

in which you express your views on

the attempt by some countries to lift

the ban on commercial whaling.

obscenelycongealedgoreflensingthresh

wingingswimindignitywhale songbody parts

Analysing apersuasive poem

16

I CAN:

understand how poetry can be used to persuade

write a short persuasive poem.

learning�


Reading and writing persuasionin advertisingAdvertising is everywhere. Advertisements are texts that convey messages about

products, services, organisations or issues. Some advertisements are designed to

make you laugh and others to make you shudder; some shout slogans and some

say nothing at all, simply depicting visual images.

What all advertising has in common is its purpose: to persuade the intended

audience to buy a product or service or to think a particular way about an issue.

Here is a typical advertisement for a product. The margin notes point out some

of its features.

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Adjectives

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Adverbs

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Verbs

The central figure inthe photograph is a

fit, healthy man whohas been riding a

bike. The colours inthe image are warm

and appealing.

The second line oftext makes the linkwith the product,

telling the consumerthat if he values his

health then the waterhe drinks should bethe best, the purest.

This subtly suggeststo the consumer that

he is successful anddeserves the best.

The typeface used inthe ad is chunky and

modern. Thisreinforces that the ad

is aimed at tough,practical men.

Details on where tobuy the product are

kept small, at the footof the ad. For

consumers who aretoo busy to shop, the

product can beordered online.

The target market for the ad is men who like to keep fit. The language is straightforward, with a no-nonsense approach, using stuff instead of foods. The first three sentences use the second person (you) to directly address the consumer. If the consumer identifies with those traits, he will read on.

In contrast to bottled waters that claim to come from ancient springs in hidden valleys etc., this ad sticks closer to the truth. Its main slogan is Pure bottled water. It’s that simple. The brief message is intended to appeal to fit, dynamic men who don’t have time to waste, and who consider themselves too smart to be fooled by lengthy descriptions.

88 english alive 3

What is a target market?Most advertising is directed at a selected audience or target market — that is, a

group of people most likely to be interested in the products, services or advice

being advertised. Some examples of target markets are teenage girls, surfers, dog

owners, children, keen movie-goers and retirees. Each has its own particular inter-

ests, lifestyle and language.

Targeted advertising is found in material typically read or viewed by members

of the target market, in places where such people are likely to be found, and (in

the case of television advertising) when they are most likely to be watching. For

example, advertisers of children’s toys might typically advertise on Saturday morn-

ings in between the various children’s programs.

The most effective advertisements use images, colours and a language style most

likely to appeal to the target market. For example, fluorescent colours and funky

slogans would probably not work in an advertisement meant to persuade retirees.

If a target market engages with the visual appeal and language of an advertisement,

it is more likely to connect with the product, service or message it contains.

The slogan summerfun reinforces the

idea that theproduct is fun. The

handwrittenlettering style

appears loose andspontaneous, and

matches thelettering on the

products.

The photo of the girlperforming a

handstand on thebeach suggests ideassuch as fun, freedom

and physicalwellbeing. Linking

the product withsuch an imagesubconsciously

suggests that suchexhilaration is

possible by usingthe product. The

girl’s slender figure isnot one that most

older women wouldidentify with. While

the products are hairproducts, there isless focus on the

girl’s hair than onthe overall beach

image.

The company’s web address also appears in the loose, handwritten lettering. Older people might find this difficult to read . . . but the ad is aimed at young people, to whom readability is less important.

The products themselves tie in with the concept of summer fun at the beach: there is Sea salt mist for naturally salty beachy hair and Beach styler for naturally textured messy hair. The hair of the girl performing the handstand (although not in focus) ties in with this: it is blond, possibly sun-bleached, curly and not ‘overstyled’.

The imagery in this advertisement would immediately engage the attention of young women, particularly those who enjoy outdoor life. The target audience is clearly young women, probably aged between 12 and 25.


Identifying with winnersHave you ever wondered why high-profile athletes, actors and musicians feature

so often in advertisements? It is because their success and high profile has enor-

mous persuasive influence. People naturally want to associate with ‘winners’ and

wish to be like them. Using a product or service that a ‘winner’ recommends or

heeding their advice makes consumers feel confident about choosing that product

or service. It also subconsciously reinforces a message that the consumer is living,

in some small way, like someone they greatly admire.

The image and text ofthis ad is very simple.

The celebrity ‘model’ isposed against a white

background. The sloganis printed across him in

the centre of the ad. Thelogo of the company,

Bonds, appears on theright, printed vertically.

A celebrity Australiansportsman, Pat Rafter,endorses the product.

Although he is achampion tennis player,

he has a ‘boy next door’,down-to-earth image.

Men would regard himas a ‘good bloke’, and

would therefore think ofthe product as down-to-earth but good enough

for a champion.

The slogan very verycomfy undies uses

everyday language witha particularly Australiansound to it. (Australians

like to shorten words andadd an ee sound to the

end, e.g. barbie, vegies.)

The slogan alsoemphasises simplicity.

People will buy thisproduct because they

want comfort rather thana ‘designer’ brand name

or a fashionable look.The extra very has been

made to appear as ifsomeone wrote it in as

an afterthought —another simple,

unpretentious touch.

90 english alive 3

In the early advertisements

about the reality of AIDS, the

figure of the Grim Reaper was

seen knocking people down

with a bowling ball,

indiscriminately killing

them. It was acknowledged

by Professor Ron Penny,

Australia’s leading AIDS/HIV

pioneer at the time, as

being one of the most

effective and persuasive

advertisements of all time —

it instantly raised community

awareness of the then largely

unknown disease AIDS.

Changing thinking and behaviourSome advertising tries to either pro-

mote a kind of behaviour, give advice

or make people think about certain

issues. This type of advertising is typi-

cally created for charities, govern-

ment or non-profit organisations, and

is done in order to ‘raise the profile’

of an issue, such as homelessness,

heart disease, a new tax arrangement,

drink driving, speeding or abandoned

pets. These advertisements are dif-

ferent from the ‘commercial’ kind, in

that they try to persuade people to

feel or think more carefully about

something.

This advertisement is a key element in

Clean Up Australia’s plastic bag reduction

campaign. Its imagery is simple and clearly

understood and the wording of its message

is direct and uncomplicated, making it

highly persuasive.

Some advertisements have a very poignant and sobering message, like this one from the New South

Wales Roads and Traffic Authority.

There is a scrawled message from a teenager to a parent — something that most families would be familiar with.

The message is placed on a kitchen table — an everyday setting.

Authentic language is used in the message, for example the word bolt.

In type, beside the message on the envelope, is a statement about someone’s birth and death dates. We immediately calculate his age: 19. From this we infer

that the young man who wrote the message has died.

At the foot of the ad is amessage from the RTA to

slow down when driving.This confirms the viewer’s

guess that the young man,Dan Teague, died

speeding on his way totraining. The everydaynature of the incident

allows us to imagine ourown family members in a

similar situation.


Persuasive techniques

used in advertising

typically include:

• images or graphics likely

to engage the audience

• word choices and

expressions likely to be

those used by the target

market

• adjectives and adverbs

that appeal to the

senses

• creative and original

compositions and ideas

• endorsements by

‘winners’

• a simple and

uncluttered layout

• attractive models or

interesting settings or

actions.

READING ADVERTISEMENTSUnderstanding and knowing

1. What is the primary purpose of all advertising?

2. Suggest who might be the main target market for each of the advertisements

shown on pages 87 to 90. What target market do you fit into?

Making meaning

3. Why do you think many advertisers associate their products with images and

language that are more exciting, colourful and interesting than normal life?


4. Look at the following advertisement.

WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS5. Design and prepare a persuasive advertisement (using images from magazines

and the Internet as appropriate) best suited for one of the following:

• selling hair wax to teenagers

• promoting the services and facilities of your school to the local community

• encouraging people to be sun smart

• selling cheap holiday packages to family groups.

(a) What product is

it advertising?

(b) Who do you

think the target

market is?

Why?

(c) In what ways

are elements

of this

advertisement

likely to appeal

to this target

market?

(d) How persuasive

do you find this

advertisement?

Explain.

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I CAN:

understand the purpose of advertising and its targeting of particular audiences

analyse why advertisements are persuasive, and design and write one of my own.

learning�

Ad break!17

92 english alive 3

Avoiding verbosityOne of the most effective ways of persuading readers and listeners is to

avoid unnecessary wordiness or verbosity. If the message is not direct and

hard-hitting, the audience will

simply tune out. To be

persuasive, a message should be

communicated quickly and

economically, using emotional

emphasis and repetition where

effective but not overdoing it.

1. Look at the cartoon on the

left. Which of the following

would make the least verbose

but clearest substitute?

(a) Beware!

(b) Caution: falling rocks!

(c) Rocks may fall so take

care.

(d) Rocks!

2. Replace each of these

expressions with a single

word.

• at this point in time

• hold a discussion with

• as a consequence of

• in close proximity to

• due to the fact that

• in the event that

3. Use the example at left as a guide when crossing out all the unnecessary

words in the statements that follow.

(a) Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman. My speech, or what I want to

talk to you about this afternoon, is about the environment and about

the damage we are doing to the environment.

(b) The dress, which was orange in colour, had a sale ticket on it and was

marked down to sell for $40.

(c) Good morning customers, ladies and gentleman, boys and girls. This

morning these grapes in the crate in front of me have been reduced

and are selling for a greatly reduced price of $4 per kilo.

Over to you

4. Write a short statement for a new person in your class to persuade them

to feel proud of being part of your school. Be deliberately verbose: use

long-winded phrases, unnecessary detail and more words than you need.

Swap your text with a partner and see if you can simplify it while keeping

it persuasive. Read the texts aloud before and after adjustment and see

what a difference it makes!

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

I am writing to advise

you that Tthe article

entitled Buyer beware

published in last week’s

newspaper on 22

March was absolutely

and completely

inaccurate.


Reading and writing persuasion in feature articlesFrom time to time a particular issue receives a lot of media attention, usually gen-

erating two or more points of view. People are for or against something, or have

some other angle to argue. Those with a particular point of view are keen to per-

suade others to agree with them.

The online feature article below is about the advertising of junk food during

children’s television programs. Although it seems to present both sides of the

issue, it uses a number of techniques to persuade readers to agree with a particular

viewpoint. Read the article and the annotations and try to decide what point of

view the author is promoting.

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Implies a largenumber of

experts, all ofwhom are saying

the same thing. This word implies that children are victims who are being fired upon, as in a war, and that the number of junk food ads is excessive.

This is very persuasive because the findings were published in a highly regarded medical journal, which adds weight to the arguments of the experts.

Ban junk food ads from kids’ TV?by Peter Lavelle

Do junk food ads make kids fat?

Should they be banned? Based

on the evidence, a growing

chorus of experts say yes.

The latest salvo comes from a

group of New Zealand experts

who say they’ve made a link

between kids watching television

and bad health.

Researchers from the Univer-

sity of Otago in Dunedin studied

1000 children from age three to

26. They found that those who

watched television more than

two hours a day had higher

levels of obesity, blood chol-

esterol and smoking — as well as

lower levels of physical fitness —

when they reached adulthood

than kids who watched less than

two hours a day.

Why? Partly because, while they

are watching TV, kids aren’t getting

out, exercising and playing with

other kids, and burning off those

kilojoules. But more insidiously,

while watching TV, they’re being

bombarded with ads for drinks

and foods of dubious nutritional

value, full of sugar and fat.

The researchers published their

findings in a recent edition of the

prestigious UK medical journal

The Lancet. An editorial in the

same issue called for a worldwide

ban on food advertising in chil-

dren’s viewing times.

(continued)

94 english alive 3

Across the globe, about 155

million kids are obese,

according to the International

Obesity Task Force. At stake is

not just the wellbeing of these

kids as they reach adulthood,

but hundreds of billions of

dollars of health expenditure on

adults with heart disease, dia-

betes, arthritis, and other dis-

abilities they’ll incur.

Australia, land of junk

food ads

In Australia, two thirds of chil-

dren are overweight and one

third are obese. Twenty years

ago, only about ten per cent

were obese. And Australia has

the greatest amount of junk

food ads per hour of television

than any other country in the

world, including the US and the

UK. About 30 per cent of all ads

in kids’ viewing time are for

food or drinks. Most of this is

for junk food: burgers, chips,

soft drinks and sweets — high

in fat, salt and/or sugar, says

the Dietitians Association of

Australia.

Here in Australia, experts are

also calling for a ban on TV

advertising of junk food to kids.

Ms Kaye Mehta is a lecturer in

the Department of Nutrition

and Dietetics at Flinders Univer-

sity in South Australia. She’s

also chair of the Coalition on

Food Advertising to Children

(CFAC), a lobby group that

includes Nutrition Australia, the

Australian Medical Association

and the Australian Consumers’

Association. The CFAC wants

changes to the Broadcasting Serv-

ices Act banning all food adver-

tising on TV during periods

when children aged under 12

years are watching. This

includes early and afternoon

slots, and evening TV between

5 pm and 9 pm, says Mehta.

Advertisers opposed

This sort of talk is enough to

cause TV and advertising exec-

utives to choke on their canapés.

The advertising industry —

represented by groups such as

the Australian Association of

National Advertisers and the

Advertising Federation of Aus-

tralia — and the commercial

television industry, represented

by groups like Free TV Australia,

are vehemently opposed to any

suggestion of a ban.

They argue:

• A ban would be futile anyway.

There’s no way you can stop

kids being exposed to food

advertising — if not during the

ads, then in actual program-

ming content, in adult time

slots, and in other media.

• Food advertising is a necessary

revenue stream — without ad

revenues from food com-

panies, TV channels couldn’t

afford to make kids’ program-

ming. Kids would suffer.

• It’s not up to the kids what

they eat. It’s parents who make

decisions about what their

children consume.

• There are already regulations

in place; specifically, a volun-

tary code recently brought in

by the Australian Broadcasting

Authority which bans TV

stations running ads that pro-

mote ‘inactive lifestyles’ and

‘unhealthy eating habits’.

• The link between junk food

and obesity has never been

clearly established. In Sweden,

Norway and Quebec, where

foods ads are banned from

kids’ TV, there’s no evidence

that obesity rates have fallen.

• There are other factors at work

besides television advertising,

such as the popularity of com-

puter games and the lack of

interest by kids in sport and

exercise.

Appeals toreaders’ fear of

economic wasteand desire tospend wisely.

This is designed toshock.

This shocks andshames the reader

by appealing tonational pride.How shameful

that Australiacompares so

badly with the restof the world!

Provides asummary of the

arguments againstsuch a ban,

conveniently setout in dot points.

Cites an expertand gives hercredentials.

Indicates the strength of their opposition.

This word is chosen to indicate how completely useless such a ban would be.

Implies a need for parents to accept responsibility.

Cites other countries as evidence to prove a point of view.


But the CFAC disagrees with

many of these arguments. ‘The

TV industry survived the ban on

cigarette advertising, even

though they made the same

sorts of arguments about loss of

profits. The voluntary code is

toothless; it has no real effect on

the content of food advertising.

And the industry itself acknowl-

edges that the strength of kids’

advertising is its ‘pester power’

— the ability for kids to influ-

ence their parents’ buying pat-

terns,’ says Kaye Mehta.

And the evidence is considered

strong enough by both the WHO

and the International Obesity

Task Force to link obesity with

junk food advertising on kids’

TV, she says.

Consumers to the rescue?

But there may be help from an

unlikely source — the food

industry itself. Thanks to a

groundswell of consumer sen-

timent away from fast foods,

food companies are turning

away from high-fat, high-sugar

products to more healthy alter-

natives. Over the last few years,

the fastest growing area of

revenue growth for Coca-Cola

Amatil — distributors of Coke in

Australia — has come from min-

eral water and fruit juice. A fort-

night ago, it announced a

takeover offer for SPC Ardmona,

which makes canned fruit and

vegetable products. The com-

pany told its shareholders it sees

its future growth in healthier

food lines.

It mirrors what’s happening

globally. In response to falling

profits, McDonald’s, for example,

is heavily advertising its new

range of fruit and salads to

counter negative perceptions of

its products caused by obesity-

related lawsuits and by the film

Super Size Me.

Still, junk food, and junk food

ads on TV, aren’t going to dis-

appear altogether any time soon.

So it’s up to parents to exercise

their discretion. The Coalition

on Food Advertising to Children

recommends parents:

• teach kids to discern what is

marketing and what isn’t

• limit the hours kids spend

watching TV (under one hour

a day or ban it altogether)

• encourage their kids to eat

healthy foods.

ABC Online, The Pulse: Health

Matters, 25 November 2004

Implies it has noimpact at all.

Uses alliteration toappeal to readers.It is a phrase that

is likely to beremembered and

identified with.

Provides anexample of howfast food chains

are responding toconsumerconcerns.

Summing up the situation and recommendations in dot-point form to make message easy to remember

96 english alive 3

Articles persuade

readers by:

• using statistics

• appealing to values,

emotions and fears

• using information that

shocks or otherwise

engages attention

• citing expert opinion to

support a point of view

• using language that

makes readers want to

identify with a point of

view or dissociate

themselves from the

opposing point of view.

READING PERSUASION IN ARTICLESUnderstanding and knowing

1. What is the source of this online article?

2. What two reasons are suggested as to why children who watch a lot of

television are likely to become obese adults?

3. What is the groundswell of consumer sentiment referred to in the first paragraph

under the heading Consumers to the rescue?

Making meaning

4. There are several groups involved in the issue of the advertising of junk food

during children’s television programs. Who are the ones named in this article

and what is their viewpoint?

5. What is the effect of quoting statistics from the International Obesity Task

Force?

6. Often advertisers will use product labels such as ‘Free’ or ‘Lite’ in order to

attract and persuade consumers. Look at the two images below. How do you

think the labels act as a persuasive device in each case?


7. Who are the experts whose opinions are quoted in the

preceding article? Do you believe that these experts have

the necessary expertise to persuade you to their point of

view? Explain your answer.

8. This sort of talk is enough to cause TV and advertising

executives to choke on their canapés (finger food typically

served at a cocktail party). What image of television and

advertising executives is conveyed by this sentence? How

does this work to encourage readers to have a particular

attitude towards these executives?

9. Whose viewpoint is not represented in this article? What might that group

have to say about the issue?

WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS10. Which of the arguments advanced by the advertisers in the article do you find

most persuasive and why?

11. Choose one of these arguments and write a short, well-reasoned reply.

I CAN:

appreciate how statistics and expert opinion can be used in an article to persuade

consider and respond to arguments presented in a persuasive article.

learning�


YES

NO

UNSURE

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Should Australia put more money into

training and promoting its sportsmen

and women?

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

resp

on

de

nts

Using statistics to persuadeStatistics are often used to support an argument. They are thought to be

particularly persuasive because they are objective rather than subjective.

However, statistics can be very easily manipulated and do not always tell the

‘truth’. As a reader, therefore, certain questions need to be asked before you

can accept the statistics as proof of a particular point of view.

• Who is providing the statistics? For example, statistics from a tobacco

company about the harm done by smoking might not be as objective as

those from a medical research organisation, because the tobacco company

is biased. Statistics gained from independent research are usually more

reliable than those from groups with a commercial reason to promote a

particular view.

• Do they come from a representative sample? What does this mean? Every

individual in a particular group (such as Australian women aged 18 to 25)

cannot be consulted about an issue, so a sample of women in this age

group must be interviewed. To be representative, this sample needs to have

the same mix as the total group, so the women must have varying

education levels, occupations and socio-economic backgrounds; they

cannot all be 24-year-old accountants, for example. Likewise, if the group

is self-selected (for example by choosing to respond to an online survey),

then the sample is not representative. The statistics could therefore be

regarded as distorted.

1. Which of the following statistics would you regard as persuasive and why?

For those you are not persuaded by, explain what extra information you

might need before you could accept the statistics.

(a) Seventy-five per cent of Australians would rather watch AFL than

soccer (event survey conducted in Melbourne by the AFL).

(b) Crispy Flakes have 95 per cent less fat than any other breakfast cereal

(Crispy Flakes advertisement on television).

(c) In the past twelve months, a further 13 per cent of Queensland

beachfront has been lost to erosion (annual report of the Save Our

Beaches Association).

(d) One third of deaths by heart attack could be prevented if patients did

not wait so long to get to hospital after experiencing symptoms

(Australian Medical Association).

2. Consider the graph on the left. What questions would you need to ask

before you could accept these statistics as persuasive?

3. Why do you think that statistics from an Internet survey on the question

‘Is homelessness no longer a serious problem in Australia?’ should be

regarded with caution?

Over to you

4. Collect two newspaper articles in which statistics are used to persuade. In

small groups, discuss the credibility of your sample articles. From those

you discussed, agree on one in which statistics are a persuasive tool, and

explain why. A spokesperson will present findings to the class.

98 english alive 3

Reading and writing persuasion in an argumentative essayThe following argumentative essay puts forward a point of view on the issue

examined earlier: the problem of junk food. It uses a variety of techniques to try to

persuade the reader. Read the annotations carefully to see what these are.

Eye-catchingheadline, to attract

readers’ attentionwith a provocative

but misleadingstatement

The use of statisticsis designed to

emphasise the extentof the problem.

Appeals to parents’guilt over allowing

too much TVviewing.

Supportingargument

Provides source ofstatistics from a

reputableorganisation.

Statistics from such asource are likely to be

persuasive.

Each topicsentence makes a

strong point,supported in each

paragraph by furtherdetail.

This implies thatthese people are

biased and thereforenot to be believed.

Call for action

Parents may feel theyshould act

responsibly too.

Contention — the viewpoint being argued

Designed to frighten parents and appeal to their desire to look after their children’s welfare.

Supporting statistic

Cites an expert but, since he or she is not named, this tends to lessen the persuasive impact of the statistics that follow.

Supporting argument

Supporting statistics

Counter argument, followed by its rebuttal

Readers feel that commercial TV stations are currently acting selfishly, ignoring the problem they help to create.

Strongly worded conclusion

Australians watch too much junk!It is 4.00 p.m. on any weekday. Around Australia, millions of chil-

dren position themselves in front of the television to consume

their daily diet of cartoons, game shows and advertisements for

junk food. In fact, in one hour of ‘children’s television’, youngsters

will consume at least 12 advertisements for junk food. Parents con-

cerned about the amount of television their children watch now

have even more reason to limit their children’s viewing time.

Australian children should not be exposed to the number of junk

food commercials currently screened on television as these threaten

their good health and wellbeing. A recent survey conducted by the

Australian Consumers Association, based on a study of 100 hours

of children’s television programs, found that 48 per cent of all food

commercials were for fast food of some kind. No advertisements

were shown in this time for fresh fruit and vegetables.

Clearly, the excessive amount of fast food advertising and absence

of ‘healthy’ food promotion can be seen to contribute to the dis-

turbing dietary inadequacies of Australian youth. A leading dietitian

has commented that, considering the junk food messages young

people are being bombarded with on television, it is no wonder

30 per cent of Australian children aged between 10 and 15 are

overweight. An estimated 40 per cent have higher than normal

cholesterol levels.

Those with a vested interest in promoting junk food, such as

advertising agencies, argue that children are selective consumers,

able to pick and choose the products they want to try. This argu-

ment ignores the fact that advertising is geared to persuade the

targeted market to believe they need what is being offered.

Commercial television stations must be made to take

responsibility for the excessive amount of junk food advertisements

inflicted on Australian children. Parents should be aware that, as

youngsters watch their favourite cartoons, junk food products star

alongside Daffy Duck. It is time to remind children of the benefits

of healthy eating, and stop letting the ‘junk food’ dominate what

children perceive as treats.


A persuasive

argumentative essay:

• has an eye-catching or

provocative title

• has an interesting first

paragraph

• contains a clearly

argued point of view

• has topic sentences at

start of each paragraph,

plus supporting detail

• makes use of reliable

statistics

• refers to reliable expert

opinion

• appeals to both logic

and emotion

• includes the counter

argument and then

states why it lacks

credibility

• contains a conclusion

that forcefully restates

the argument.

READING PERSUASION IN AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Understanding and knowing

1. What is the point of view being argued in this essay?

Making meaning

2. How is the reader meant to regard the arguments put forward by advertising

agencies? Why?

3. Copy the table below and use it to list examples from the essay of persuasive

techniques. In the third column, indicate whether or not you find this example

persuasive and explain your reason.


4. Consider the use of the word inflicted in the sentence ‘Commercial television

stations must be made to take responsibility for the excessive amount of junk

food advertisements inflicted on Australian children’. How does the use of this

word persuade the reader to respond in a particular way?

5. The image portrayed in the opening paragraph of the essay is particularly

effective. What makes it so persuasive?

6. In the last paragraph, when describing the action that needs to be taken by

commercial television stations and parents, the writer uses the words must and

should and the expressions it is time and stop letting the ‘junk food’ dominate.

Why do you think the writer chooses to use these?


7. Write an argumentative essay in which

you seek to persuade your reader of one

of the following points of view. In your

essay, include at least two of the

persuasive techniques listed as margin

notes on page 98.

• Only healthy food should be sold in

school tuckshops.

• Advertising for unhealthy food should

be banned in the media.

• All manufactured food products

should carry a health rating and a

warning to consumers about potential

health risks.

Persuasive technique Example How persuasive is it?

Use of statistics

Quoting an expert

Appeal to readers’ fears or sense of guilt

on th

e CD-ROM

Sentences

on th

e CD-ROM

Paragraphs

Order! Order!18

WARNING:may contain traces of nuts

250 gI CAN:

identify and analyse persuasive techniques in an argumentative essay

write an argumentative essay on a given topic.

learning�

100 english alive 3

Reading and writing persuasion in a brochureBrochures are another means by which those

fighting the problem of childhood obesity are

persuading people to change their dietary habits.

Because brochures are visual documents that can

be read quickly, they are effective tools in com-

municating a persuasive message.

Call to action, addressed directly to the reader

Highlighted information, designed to shock the reader

Source and sponsor are clearly indicated.

The expertise of Young Media Australia on this issue is clearly established.

Establishes the YMA as being on the ‘side’ of parents.

Likely to appeal to the reader because of these qualities

Appeals to parents’ desire not to be pestered and to have healthy children.

Appeals to parents’ desire to see their children happy.

Cites Steve Biddulph, author of books on raising children, as an expert.

List of practical suggestions

Designed to shock the reader and appeal to national pride. It is shameful that Australia should compare so badly with other countries.

Repetition of don’t know paints children as victims who need to be protected, particularly by parents.


Brochures designed to

persuade:

• highlight information in

order to make the

reader think about the

issue

• use language that calls

for action/response

• have a positive tone

• include helpful

suggestions, hints and

guidelines

• appeal to readers’

values and emotions

• incorporate attractive

graphics

• summarise information

in bullet points, text

boxes or similar graphic

devices

• use lots of white space

so the brochure is

uncluttered

• have punchy headings

and labels to guide the

eye through the

content.

READING PERSUASION IN BROCHURESUnderstanding and knowing

1. Who is the target market for this brochure?

2. Why might this audience be interested in this issue?

3. Who has produced this brochure? What is their reason for being involved in

this issue?

Making meaning

4. What message is conveyed by the sketches on the front panel of the brochure?

5. (a) Why is know printed in bold (on the second panel)?

(b) What impact does this have on the reader?

6. There are several examples of military phrases used in this brochure. List these.

Why do you think these expressions were chosen by the author?


7. Why do you think Steve Biddulph is mentioned on this brochure? Do you

think that readers of the brochure will be persuaded by what he has to say?

Explain your answer.

8. How is the design of this brochure intended to be persuasive? (You might like

to comment on the sketches, the typefaces, the colours, the use of shading

behind text, and the use of dot points.)


9. Watch a children’s television program and tape an advertisement for junk food.

Study this advertisement carefully through repeated viewing. Analyse how it

tries to persuade children to want that particular food. Consider the colours,

background music and general feel of the advertisement, as well as the

particular appeals to taste, fun, and so on.

Present your analysis in brochure format (it might be called Watch out for

junk food ads on TV! or similar), using the brochure opposite as a guide to

structuring and setting out your information.

I CAN:

analyse the persuasive features of a brochure

use my analysis of television advertising to design and produce a brochure.

learning�

102 english alive 3

Reading and writing persuasionin politics

Political cartoonsPolitical cartoons are another form of per-

suasion, very similar to opinion pieces by

newspaper columnists. They get their mes-

sage across with humour — often very

black humour that is clever or satirical.

Although political cartoons contain simple

messages and clever images on a political

or social topic, they are not propaganda

because they are not created by an organ-

isation in order to further a particular

cause; they are the opinion of a cartoonist

on a given topic on a particular day.

In political cartoons, the message is con-

veyed by the combination of image and

speech bubbles, labels or title.


Political speakSometimes politicians can persuade us purely through their choice of words. For

example, a pro-war politician might refer to civilian deaths as collateral damage; to

soldiers killed accidentally by their own side as being killed by friendly fire; or to

acts of genocide as ethnic cleansing. All these

examples are euphemisms, which make

something sound milder and less repellent

than it really is, so that we are more likely to

accept it.

Politicians also make effective use of

hyperbole: that is, they exaggerate. The

behaviour of an opposing politician is never

just bad; it is outrageous, and if he or she has

let someone down, they have blood on their

hands.

Another feature of political comment is

the cliché. For example, a politician might

suggest that a proposed strategy is a blueprint

for success or a recipe for disaster; that the work

of a committee of inquiry is no more than a

whitewash or as ineffective as a drop in a

bucket. Their opponents have hidden agendas

and take part in mud slinging and smear cam-

paigns. The phrases become so familiar that

we sometimes stop questioning whether they

are true or not, and we become persuaded by

their constant repetition.

PropagandaPropaganda is the systematic spread of material (films, posters, cartoons, speeches

etc.) designed to make people believe, feel or act in a certain way in connection

with a political cause or organisation. Most propaganda is not subtle: the message

is fairly direct. Like advertising, it wants to attract the attention of the audience —

those whom the propagandist wishes to persuade. In fact, it could be said that

propaganda is advertising which is selling a political belief.

The purpose of propaganda is to persuade and shape opinion, either in support

of a particular cause or organisation or against it. This is done by selectively

including information in a colourful or clever way, or in a way that influences the

emotions and values of the audience. A propagandist’s audience may be voters in

an election, people who might enlist for the army, students, workers or old people,

depending on the issue.

Propaganda is typically used by governments during war time, when a country

wants either to:

• rally and strengthen the morale of its own people and unite them in opposing

the enemy

• demoralise the enemy.

It is frequently designed to make people feel rather than think.

Propaganda:

• is like advertising that

conveys a political

message

• uses information that

supports a particular

point of view

• appeals to an audience’s

emotions and values

• uses short, punchy

slogans that are easy to

remember

• often uses striking,

interesting or

confronting images that

support the message

• frequently relies on

stereotypes to convey

messages.

104 english alive 3

The poster is kept simple withtwo images, a slogan, andthe logo of the sponsoring

organisation. The overallcolour is bright in order to

attract the viewer. Languageis short and punchy.

The slogan must be read inconjunction with the images.

In the top illustration, anupright soldier is seendressed for battle. The

background is sunny andcheerful. In the lower

illustration, the same man isseen lounging in a deckchair

with tennis racquet andcricket bat by his side and a

bottle of beer or spiritsnearby. At the time, it would

have been obvious to theaudience that the man in the

deckchair was ‘shirking’ —not doing his duty.

This imitates a wanted posterused by police seeking

criminals. It immediatelycaptures the viewer’s

attention through its starkmessage.

Block capitals and anexclamation mark giveurgency to the poster’s

message.

The photograph is head-and-shoulders, like a police mug-

shot — at odds with theimage of an attractive

woman. This underlines themessage that ordinary people

can do the wrong thing.

Although the subject of thephoto is attractive, her smile

is a little sinister. This perhapshas the effect of preventing

the viewer sympathising withher too much.

This slogan aims to shame men into enlisting for the armed forces serving in World War I. It relies on the fact that fathers do not want their children to be ashamed of them. The handwritten look of the text was probably very modern for that period, and possibly had a ‘friendly’ look to it.

The logo of the ‘Win the War League’ is on the poster. Its motto is ‘I serve’, leaving the viewer in no doubt about the aim of the poster: to find more recruits so that the war against Germany and its allies could be won.

PosterWestern, HarrySydney 1914–1918Which picture would your father show his friends?74.4 × 50.2 cmAustralian War Memorial (ARTV00147)

Using the word murder deliberately overstates what the woman has done.

The explanation of how the woman has committed murder is explained in the final line and printed in red for emphasis. At the time, the audience would have known that it was forbidden to even mention where one’s husband was fighting, because spies could convey this information to the enemy.

Most World War II posters about ‘careless talk’ depicted women as the most likely offenders, making use of the stereotype of the gossiping female. Stereotypes work well in propaganda, because they are like visual shorthand — we do not have to think about them.


Word Euphemism

old neutralise

toilet air support

kill rest room

bombing mature

READING PERSUASION IN POLITICSUnderstanding and knowing

1. Why does propaganda involve the selective use of information?

2. Draw lines to connect words in the first column of the table at left with a

euphemism in the second column. Think about the different messages

conveyed by the euphemisms.

3. What features do propaganda and advertising share (textually and visually)?

Making meaning

4. How is the propaganda poster at the top of page 104 trying to persuade viewers?

5. Do you think the second poster on page 104 would be as effective if it had been

the face of a serviceman or servicewoman? Explain.

6. Look at the cartoon on page 102 depicting a dead whale.

(a) How do the labels in this cartoon add meaning to the speech caption?

(b) What is the main topic of the cartoon?

(c) What nation is it making fun of?


7. Look at the political cartoon on page 102 about warfare. The figure on the left

is meant to be US President George Bush; the figure on the far right is the ex-

leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein; the small boy represents innocent civilians.

How might this cartoon by viewed by (a) United States citizens, (b) Saddam

Hussein, and (c) Iraqi citizens?

WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS8. Search carefully through some recent newspapers, looking

particularly at the sections that report on political events.

Find an example (text or visual) of any two of the following:

cliché, hyperbole, euphemism or propaganda. In small

groups, briefly discuss your findings, and why you consider

each is an example of one of the listed techniques. Evaluate

how persuasive each item is.

9. Add words to the speech bubbles of the cartoon on

the left. The dialogue can be humorous, but must be

designed to persuade the audience to accept a particular

viewpoint about an issue.

he techniques of persuasion can slip softly and

subtly into your consciousness or they can hit you heavily like

a hammer. Whatever the technique, it is important to understand

the messages we are bombarded with every day from the media

and from other influences that clamour for our attention. Once

these messages are understood, we need to evaluate them

critically: to assess how the message seeks to persuade us and then

to decide whether we agree or not. Remember: you can lead a

horse to water but if it is a thinking horse that has worked out the

water is poisoned, it will not drink!

Propaganda war19

T

on th

e CD-ROM

Script Scriber

106 english alive 3

Water, water everywhere?Water is Earth’s most precious resource. This is

because it is vital to the survival of all living things.

About 80 per cent of the world is covered by water

— in oceans, lakes and rivers — yet only 2.5 per

cent of it is fresh. A person who lives an average

lifespan will consume close to 61000 litres of water.

Considering the rate at which the world’s population

is increasing, and the demands placed on water for

farming and industry, this represents a lot of water.

In an attempt to persuade people to be more

careful about the use, conservation and pollution of

water, you have been commissioned, as a member of

a team, to ‘flood’ the marketplace with the message

that water is important and precious. Choose one of

the tasks described on these pages as your

contribution to the team effort. Use the stimulus

items shown here, and any other information you

might research, to help you complete it.

Write a short free-verse poem designed to

persuade the general public how precious the

natural resource of fresh water is — it should not

be taken for granted.

Design an advertisement for inclusion in a

magazine or newspaper read by the general

public. The ad should aim to make people aware

of the amount of precious water they use and

waste. Make it eye-catching and easy to recall.

Write an argumentative essay or feature

article, arguing that land and water resources

should be used in ways that minimise pollution

and land degradation. Conduct research on this

as necessary. Your primary audience is those

who have a direct connection with the land

(e.g. farmers, land developers). Your purpose is

to persuade readers to think about the issues.

Improving river and wetland environments• Replanting native vegetation provides a buffer to

protect rivers, streams and wetlands from the activities of the surrounding water catchment area.

• Fencing river frontages limits stock access and grazing, and allows vegetation to grow.

• Replanting deep-rooted native trees in the vicinity helps to reduce salinity.

• Designing passages in weirs and causeways help fish move along waterways.

• Taking water from dams at a variety of levels ensures that water temperature is not too warm or too cold downstream.

• Removing constructed levee banks enables the land to experience the natural cycles of flooding and drying.


Design a political cartoon suitable for

inclusion in your local newspaper. It

should present a strong viewpoint on

water use and management in Australia.

Your intention is to sway voters to think

‘green’ at the upcoming government

election.

Look to

the future

so we will

have oneBy Caroline Pidcock, NSW President of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects

What would our future built environ-

ment be like if we put sustainability as

the chief driver?

. . . The pricing and demand manage-

ment of all utilities (power, water,

petrol, etc.) would be set to properly

reflect their true environmental cost.

This would encourage the growth of

industries that can provide sustainable

alternatives to ensure our standards of

living are maintained without damaging

the environment in the process . . .

We would recognise the great value

of the rare resource called water.

Instead of regarding rain as a waste

product to be removed from the built

environment as quickly and effectively

as possible, we would collect and use it

as efficiently as possible. Owners of

new and existing buildings would be

assisted by way of rebates either to

install water tanks to provide water for

gardens and toilets or to use larger

communal schemes . . .

It would be impossible to purchase

power- and water-inefficient appliances

and equipment . . .

The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 March 2004

In groups of three, design a brochure to persuade

Australian families to adopt practices that will

conserve water around the house and garden. Keep it

simple, clear and engaging. Provide evidence of having

developed ideas and concepts and agreed on a solution

via online chat forums.

Did you know . . .� A full-flush toilet uses 11 litres per flush. Newer

versions of dual-flush toilets use six litres for a full flush and three litres for a half-flush. A silent leak in a toilet can waste 225 litres or more each day.

� A dripping tap can waste up to 22 litres per day.

� If a tap is left running while you brush your teeth, it can waste five litres or more.

� A standard bath holds 120 litres when half full — that’s just over 13 buckets each holding nine litres of water.

� A standard washing machine uses about 100 to 200 litres per cycle (about one bathful).

� A garden sprinkler will use 1000 litres per hour. That’s about six bathfuls.

A garden sprinkler left on accidentally overnight (e.g. from 7 pm to 7 am) will use enough water to fill one-third of a standard swimming pool.

� An uncovered pool will lose up to 200 litres per day in evaporation.

Unit 4

108 english alive 3

Key termsalliteration: repetition of a

consonant at the start of words

positioned close together in a

sentence, e.g. the west wind whined

biased: not neutral; favouring a

certain view that is not impartial

black humour: joking about

subjects that are really serious or

distressing e.g. about death or pain

cliché: well-worn, overused phrase

credentials: qualifications and

experience that give someone

authority

credibility: believability

demoralise: to cause someone to

lose confidence in themselves or to

lower their spirits

euphemism: an inoffensive

expression that is substituted for a

harsh, confronting one

feature article: the main article

in a journal or magazine or on an

online web site

hyperbole: an exaggerated

expression

infer: to work something out by a

process of deduction or reasoning

objective: describes something

that is factual and not influenced

by emotions, personal opinion or

prejudice

propaganda: information or

imagery that is systematically spread

in order to further one’s cause or

damage an opposing cause

propagandist: an individual or

organisation who creates and

spreads propaganda

rhetorical question: a question

asked to make readers/listeners

think, but which does not expect

an answer

satirical: describes a text that

makes fun of an issue or a human

vice or weakness, often with the

intent of criticising or changing an

aspect of our society

slogan: a distinctive and

persuasive statement or call to

action that is engaging and usually

easy to remember

sponsor: an individual or

organisation who supports a

person, team or event; or a

company that provides financial

support for a non-profit group’s

advertising campaign

stereotype: a fixed, oversimplified

image of someone based on his or

her category (such as race,

nationality, sex) rather than that

person’s individual characteristics

subjective: personal; coming

from an individual’s mind and

therefore affected by personal bias

target market: the specific

sector of an audience likely to be

most interested or most persuaded

by the product/service/message

on offer

topic sentence: the main

sentence in a paragraph (nearly

always the first sentence) which

outlines the essence of what the

paragraph will be discussing

verbosity: using too many

unnecessary words in a

communication

Word list Word Alternative

coercion compulsion, persuasion

emotional heartfelt

manipulate outsmart, control, influence

plausible believable, credible

postulate suppose, assert

premise basis, assumption

provocative troublemaking, stimulating, inciting

sinister threatening, ominous

subliminal unconscious

usurp seize, take over, annex

Try theseNovelsThe Great Gherkin Conservation

Quest by Dan Ashlin, John Wiley &

Sons

The Chocolate War by Robert

Cormier, Laurel Leaf Books

Papio by Victor Kelleher, Puffin

Watership Down by Richard

Adams, Puffin

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan

Paton, Vintage

PoetryLinda by Steven Herrick

Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred

Own

The Child Who Walks Backwards

by Lorna Crozier

FilmsTo Kill a Mockingbird, Universal

The Day After Tomorrow, 20th

Century Fox

ConnectionsFeature articles: see pages

17–18, 206–9

Poetry/song lyrics: see pages

64, 149, 151, 171–9, 192

On the webGo to www.jaconline.com.au/

englishalive/ea3 and click on

the following weblinks:

Powers of persuasion

The power of advertising

On the CD-ROMGrammar (adjectives,

adverbs, verbs, sentences,

paragraphs): get a grip on

grammar (see pages 87, 99)

MeZine: make your own mini-

mag (see pages 91, 93)

Script Scriber: get set to script

write (see page 105)

http://www.jaconline.com.au/englishalive/ea3

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