Download Unit 6: Argument/Persuasion/Propaganda

Unit 6 Text Analysis Workshop
 Grab notebooks!
Strong arguments include…
Claim: writer’s position on issue
2. Support: reasons & evidence to support claim
3. Counterargument: acknowledges objections the “other
side” might make and negates them
1.
Steps to Evaluating an Argument
 1. Identify the claim




Read through the whole article
Determine the claim, or their opinion
Claim is often stated in form of a generalization, a broad
statement covering many situations
Ex of generalization: “Every eligible citizen should be
required to vote”
Steps to Evaluating an Argument
 2. Examine the evidence (how the author supports claim)

Logical Appeals use convincing reasons and evidence to appeal
to a person’s logic
o Reasons explain why the author holds the opinion, ex: “Citizens
should be required to vote because only then will elected officials
represent all the people.”
o Evidence is specific info that is used to back up a reason.
o Types of evidence: facts, statistics (number facts), examples, and
quotes by experts

Watch for errors in logic such as hasty generalizations, or conclusions
drawn from too little evidence
o Ex: Our student body president is doing a terrible job and he is a
guy. Boys should not be allowed to run for student council.
Steps to Evaluating an Argument
2. Examine the evidence cont.
 Emotional Appeals stir feelings, though are not
necessarily fact based. Authors use emotional appeal
because they know it might override reason
o Loaded words-words with strong emotional
connotations or associations)
o Anecdotes- brief stories or personal accounts of an
event.
Steps to Evaluating an Argument
 3. Consider the counterargument
 Has the writer dealt with objections?
 Turn to pg. 633
 Complete the Close Read questions for Model 1 and
Model 2
 I MIGHT collect them (Muwhahahaha)
Persuasive Techniques
(Otherwise known as: PROPAGANDA)
PROPAGANDA: techniques used to influence opinions,
emotions, attitudes or behavior.
Who uses propaganda?
 Military
 Media
 Advertisers
 Politicians
You and I!!!
Propaganda Techniques
 Bandwagon Technique
 Testimonial
 Loaded Word
 Misuse of statistics
 Appeal to fear
 Appeal to pity
 Ethical appeal
 Plain Folks
 Snob Appeal
 Transfer
Bandwagon Technique
Everyone is doing it! You
should too!!!
Testimonial
 A famous person
endorses a product
Loaded Word
 Use “loaded”
words like . . .
 new
 improved
 best
 super
Misuse of Statistics
When the statistics are based on a
falsehood.
Appeal to Fear
 Motivates by fear
Appeal to pity
 Uses strong emotions of sympathy or pity to motivate
Ethical Appeal
 Taps into value’s or moral standards
 “If you believe in education, vote against cutting after-school
programs. With your help, we can keep these programs going
strong.”
•
Plain Folks
Makes the leaders look like
common people (mom and pop
style).
Transfer
-Feelings (good or
bad)
are transferred to something
else.
Transfer tries to make you view something in
the same way as they view something else.
In the Kerry vs. Bush campaign, an
internet email circulated showing
similar physical characteristics
between John Kerry and a
Frankenstein monster.
Another example: “Take pride in being
an American. Vote for John Doe!”
PRACTICE:
What type of propaganda technique is used in the following
ad?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
Bandwagon
Loaded Words
Testimonial
Name-Calling
Plain Folks
Snob Appeal
Misuse of Statistics
Transfer
B. Loaded
word
What type of propaganda technique is
used in the following ad?
A.
Bandwagon
B.
Loaded Words
C.
Testimonial
D.
Name-Calling
E.
Plain Folks
F.
Snob Appeal
G. Misuse of Statistics
H.
Transfer
C. Testimonial
C. Testimonial
Loaded Word
What type of propaganda technique is used in the
following ad?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
Bandwagon
Loaded Words
Testimonial
Name-Calling
Plain Folks
Snob Appeal
Misuse of Statistics
Transfer
A.
Bandwagon
What type of propaganda technique is used in the
following ad?
A.
Bandwagon
B.
Loaded Words
C.
Testimonial
D.
Name-Calling
E.
Plain Folks
F.
Snob Appeal
G. Misuse of Statistics
H.
Transfer
C. Testimonial
What type of propaganda technique is used in the
following ad?
A. Bandwagon
B. Loaded Words
C. Testimonial
D. Name-Calling
E. Plain Folks
F. Snob Appeal
G. Misuse of
Statistics
H. Transfer
Loaded
What type of propaganda technique is used in the
following ad?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
Bandwagon
Loaded Words
Testimonial
Name-Calling
Plain Folks
Snob Appeal
Misuse of Statistics
Transfer
Bandwago
What type of propaganda is this?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
4 out of 5 vets recommend
Iams to help your dog live
healthier, longer.
Bandwagon
Loaded Words
Testimonial
Name-Calling
Plain Folks
Snob Appeal
Misuse of Statistics
Transfer
 Misuse of Statistics
What type of propaganda is this?
A.
Bandwagon
B.
Loaded Words
C.
Testimonial
D.
Name-Calling
E.
Plain Folks
F.
Snob Appeal
G. Misuse of Statistics
H.
Transfer
 Transfer
What type of propaganda is this?
A.
Bandwagon
B.
Loaded Words
C.
Testimonial
D.
Name-Calling
E.
Plain Folks
F.
Snob Appeal
G.
Misuse of Statistics
H.
Transfer
Testimonial
Turn to pg. 635
 Complete the Close Read questions for Model 1 and Model 2
Rhetorical Devices
 Rhetoric- powerful language
 Rhetorical devices:
 Repetition
 Parallelism
 Analogies
 Rhetorical questions
Repetition
 Use same word or words more than once for emphasis
 Ex: “Freedom leads to prosperity. Freedom replaces the
ancient hatreds among the nations with comity and peace.
Freedom is the victor.”
---Ronald Regan
Parallelism
 Uses similar grammatical constructions to express ideas that
are related or equal in importance
 Often creates a rhythm
Analogy
 Comparison between to things
 The captain is to his ship as the leader is to his tribe
 Pupils are more like oysters than sausages. The job of
teaching is not to stuff them and then seal them up, but to
help them open and reveal the riches within. There are pearls
in each of us, if only we knew how to cultivate them with
ardor and persistence.
(Sydney J. Harris, "What True Education Should Do," 1964)
Rhetorical Questions
 Questions asked to make a point with no expectation of an
answer
 Ex:
 "If your friend jumped off the bridge would you do it too?"
 "You don't think I'm that stupid, do you?"
 "Is the sky blue?"
 "Is the Pope Catholic?"
Turn to pg. 636
 Answer the 2 Close Read Questions for the sample reading