How are you supposed to start your analysis?
with an introductory sentence:
-in the following I am going to examine/ analyse
-in the extract from …’s novel “…” the author creates an atmosphere of tension and suspense by …
The headline often gives you a clue if the article…
There are 3 answers
-is simply informative
-raises a question that can be answered individually after having read the article
-points out a specific attitude towards the topic presented in the article
Here the main focus is on providing factual information so that the article basically provides answers to wh-questions. What type of article is it?
In such articles the author clearly intends to influence the reader and his opinion by presenting arguments that are put forward to express a particular point of view. What type of article is it?
Definition of “bias”
Bias is a prejudice in favour of or against one thing, person, or group. It is a tendency to hold a certain point of view at the expenses of other alternatives. If an article is biased, it means that information is presented in a one-sided way based on a personal opinion rather than facts
Where can you detect bias?
There are 5 answers
-headline
-choice of information (what facts are mentioned and how are they presented?)
-choice of photos
-names and descriptions of people
-choice of words
In such articles the author provides a critical account of an event or a topic and tends to incorporate narrative and evaluative elements. What type of article is it?
What is important to look at when you are analysing the choice of words?
There are 4 answers
Did the author use…
-…strong/ emotive adjectives and verbs, e.g. “shocking”, “alarming”, “cruel”
-…superlatives, e.g. “happiest day”, “highest mountain”
-comparatives, e.g. “larger/ better than”
-personal pronouns, e.g. “we”, “you”
What information does the register provide?
The register is the level of language (degree of formality).
It can be: formal/ academic, informal/ colloquial, neutral/ matter-of-fact
Repetition of a sound at the beginning of neighbouring words
“Why is the window wide mother?”
alliteration
repetition of the same words in neighbouring sentences, usually at the beginning of the clause.
anaphora
repetition of the same or similar syntactical form or parts of the same sentence. Sentences are structured in the same way.
“And I went alone. And I did not mind.”
parallelism
What is an antithesis?
a contrast, opposing ideas
What is a simile?
Something/ somebody is described by a direct comparison (with like or as)
“thick as a brick”
What is a metaphor?
Something/ somebody is described by an indirect comparasion (without like or as)
What is an enumeration?
Naming each one of a series or list of things
“The moon was smiling at me”
What stylistic device is this?
Name six rhetorical strategies:
quotes by experts and authorities
refer so research and statistics (facts and figures)
include personal statements of people affected (personal stories)
claims instead of arguments based on evidence, e.g. “no one can deny that…)
tone: humour, irony, ridicule
emotional appeal/ sensationalism
How can you identify a first person narrator?
Uses I and me
Central character of the novel or minor character
Relatable
Not always reliable because this narrator provides a personal and subjective view
A third person narrator is not part of the story, so the characters are referred to as he, she or they. What are the two types of third person narrators?
Omniscient and limited
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