Introduction to Argument Analysis
This module introduces Argument Analysis, focusing on the examination of persuasive texts to identify techniques and their intended effects on readers. It outlines the components of an Argument Analysis essay, including types of texts, the importance of background information, and the distinction between persuasive techniques and their effects. Key skills include recognizing different persuasive texts, understanding their components, and analyzing the intended impact on the audience without forming personal judgments on the issues presented.
Purpose
As part of each of these modules, there will be a purpose that connects back to VCE English.
The purpose of this module is to serve as an introduction into the Argument Analysis essay, which involves reading some sort of short persuasive text and analysing its persuasive techniques and their effects on the reader.
Post-Module Learnings
Following this module, these are the following skills you should have.
I know what an Argument Analysis essay is, and its different components.
I know what types of Argument Analysis ‘texts’ there are to study.
I know what the difference between analysing a persuasive technique and ‘effect on reader’ is.
Content
Introduction to Argument Analysis
What is Argument Analysis?
What is an Argument Analysis, and why do we sometimes call it Language Analysis?
This is where you read a persuasive text (generally a newspaper opinion piece), that's between 1 to 3 pages long (but it doesn't have to be a news article, it just has to be a persuasive piece) and analyse the intended effect of the persuasive techniques in the article/piece on the readers/audiences.
The purpose of an Argument Analysis is not to judge and have your own opinion on the issue. Your goal is only to read what the author/presenter/speaker has written (or spoken) and analyse the persuasive techniques they use, in order to determine what you think is the overall effect on the reader or audience.
Note: I’ve seen weird stuff where schools give an Article or Text that is not even persuasive, and then get students to analyse it… if that happens, just go along with it, but it won’t be that bad.
VCAA WILL NEVER MAKE THE SAME STYLE OF ARGUMENT ANALYSIS TEXT FOR THEIR ACTUAL EXAM.
The different types of texts that can be provided are:
- Newspaper Opinion Piece
- An article written in a newspaper that gives an opinion on a subject or topic.
- This is the most common form of Argument Analysis texts that are provided by schools.
- Editorial
- An article written by the editor (the boss) of a newspaper.
- Letter to the Editor
- Normally written in response to an actual newspaper article by newspaper readers. Not the same as a comment at the bottom of a webpage.
- Speech Transcript
- A written version of a speech. It can be an in-person speech to an audience of hundreds in a lecture hall, or just an online Zoom call. Speeches are not listened to by readers, they are listened to by listeners and audiences.
- Blog Post
- An online post written usually by a blogger.
- Advertorial
- A marketing post usually placed in a newspaper, not the same as an Opinion Piece as this is straight up just an advertisement.
- Social Media Post
- An online post that has been published on some form of social media platform.
- Newsletters
- A weekly or monthly newsletter that is given to a neighbourhood area.
- Reviews
- Some sort of review published by a critic, could be a restaurant review or a book review, movie review.
- Podcast Transcript
- This being a podcast extract.
- And many other ‘uncommon ones’
Now, in the past, the old VCE syllabus (2012 to 2016) referred to Argument Analysis as Language Analysis. Now, in the current syllabus, it is known as Argument Analysis. For all intents and purposes, they are the same thing, don’t be tricked by the difference in name. We’re going to stick with Argument Analysis, but just letting you know, Language Analysis is basically the same thing.
Teachers get really passionate about calling it whatever they think is right. Call it whatever they wish to call it.
Components of Argument Analysis
Is the article fake? No, not always. VCE Exam articles will always be fake*. Your school articles that you will most likely be real (taken from The Age, Herald Sun).
Typically, in the VCE Year 12 Exam, you will be given a specifically-made Argument Analysis text, that you’ve never seen before. It can be somewhat based on a real-life event. For your school SAC’s, you can either be given a specifically-made Argument Analysis text, or just be provided a real newspaper article (which is common too).
Background Information
Not all schools provide this section all the time, but the VCE Exam will have it.
The Background information section of an article is the part of any Argument Analysis text you should ALWAYS read first. It contains summary information generally about either both or one of the two things below:
- Information on the text itself, e.g. whether it’s an article, who wrote it, where was it published, who is it addressed to.
- Information on the situation, e.g. recently there has been a lot of discussion about climate change, or that there was a conference/lecture that took place where climate change was discussed.
To make it really clear, they don’t need to talk about both of these in the Background information section, just one.
Note that there is no consistent standard for the Background information to be written - meaning each article might have very different ideas of what to put in the background information.
You'll probably notice in the very last one, the Yvette Yergon, the Background information is garbage, garbage in the sense that you literally cannot understand what the background or topic is even about.
What do we do when we can't find what to put in the Background information? We have to use the article itself to find out what happened.
Main Article
This is the primarily what you will be analysing. It is generally between 1 to 3 pages long (VCE Exam will be either 1 or 2 pages long maximum, but SACs can be 3 to 6 pages long).
What is really important to note for yourselves is that the Main Article itself doesn’t always have to have a title, or an author’s name. Some articles can be written/spoken by an anonymous individual. It’s okay to not have an author.
The Main article typically contains at least one image within it. This is important to note because soooooo many students always forget to analyse the image as well.
Additional Comment (Optional)
Sometimes, you may be asked to do ‘Comparative’ Argument Analysis, which is when you have an additional comment (or Article, see below) to compare the Main Article against.
The Year 12 School SAC is guaranteed Comparative Argument Analysis, while the VCAA Exam can be single or comparative. Sometimes, some schools even do a Triple Comparative (Melbourne High).
Typically, the comment will go against what the Main article is trying to say. For example, if the main article is about how climate change is real, the comment could be trying to ‘dismiss’ climate change. If it agrees with the Main article, then it’s not that bad, it just makes it ‘slightly’ harder to compare.
Additional Article (Optional)
This is when you have an additional article to look at alongside the Main article. Remember, while it is common for schools to give you an Additional article that contrasts in their viewpoint with the Main article, sometimes they can give you an Additional article that offers a similar viewpoint (just slightly different) for you to compare.
The two articles will ALWAYS be related to each other.
For many schools, this is how they run their School SACs, two separate articles.
Additional Image/Cartoon (Optional)
Sometimes, there can be an additional Cartoon attached that is a separate ‘Text’ by itself. You can usually tell as it will be stated it is a separate Text, as opposed to being part of one of the previous Texts.
What makes a Persuasive Text ‘difficult’ to analyse?
Quite a few things can affect the difficulty of a Persuasive Text. The main problem is when students find it boring or not as ‘intense’ to read.
Students generally struggle with Texts:
- about topics they are completely unfamiliar with. Solution: Read the news more! We will go into more details on this here
- with opinions that are not that ‘intense’ or strong. E.g. if someone is more scientific on climate change, students tend to struggle with finding persuasive techniques within it. Solution: focus less on the opinions of the author, and more on its effect on reader,
- with multiple texts, e.g. a Main article, an Additional Article AND an Additional Image. Solution: Practise breaking down these more complex examples (we will go through this in .
Persuasive Techniques vs Effect on Reader
This is the MOST important part of Argument Analysis, and if you do not understand this, then you CANNOT claim to know what Argument Analysis is.
If I had to boil Argument Analysis down into a single concept, it would be the difference between Persuasive Techniques and Effect on Reader.
The purpose of an Argument Analysis is not to judge and have your own opinion on the issue. Your goal is only to read what the author/presenter/speaker has written (or spoken) and analyse the persuasive techniques they use, in order to determine what you think is the overall effect on the reader or audience.
Like we mentioned before, for Argument Analysis, you will be reading a short Persuasive text. You need to be able to do two things:
- Identify what persuasive techniques have been used. We will go into more detail on Persuasive Techniques in this module: Identifying Basic Persuasive Techniques
- More importantly, understand what the intended effect on reader is. We will go into more detail on Effect on Reader in this module: Identifying Basic Effect on Reader
Persuasive Techniques
Need a list, here is some that you can use!
This is also a point of contention and debate between teachers and schools as well. It’s really important that you guys think about or ask your teacher whether they specifically want you to name the names of techniques.
Effect on Reader
It is best to show this through some examples, so that you understand how to find what the intended effect on reader is. It is how a reader may think, feel or react after being exposed to a persuasive technique.
Just remember, this is the intended effect, not the ACTUAL effect, so it’s really important that you don’t mention it too ‘definitively’ in your essay, don’t say stuff like:
- Readers WILL feel
- Readers DEFINITELY become angry
- Readers ARE angry
- Now, readers become angry.
You want to instead frame it in this manner, don’t word it as definitively:
- Readers are more likely to feel
- Readers may become angry…
- Readers are likely to …
- Readers are more vulnerable to…
- Readers may perceive…
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