1. Essay Structure and Mentor Text
Analysing Argument
Essay Structure and Mentor Text

2. Learning Intentions KNOW How to identify an argument
The effect persuasion has on the audience
The features of an argument analysis essay DO
Identify the effects persuasive devices have on an audience
Plan and draft an essay
Learning Intentions

3. Getting Ready Read the article and understand it Who is the audience?
Identify the MAIN CONTENTION
What are the arguments the writer uses to support the main contention?
What PERSUASIVE DEVICES does the writer use?
Getting Ready

4. Establish the issue (background) in no more than two sentences
Establish the issue (background) in no more than two sentences. (What is the issue, how did it start?)
Introduce the text(s) by noting in ONE sentence:
Author
Title
Text type
Source
Date
Audience
Main Contention
Introduction

5. Introduction Mentor Text
Women’s AFL has been a popular addition to the Australian spectator sports’ calendar. However, there are some people, mostly men, who use the anonymity of online commenting to make sexist and misogynist comments about women. This occurred when a photograph of Tayla Harris kicking for goal was published on the Channel 7 webpage, taken down and then subsequently reinstated after it was pointed out that the online “trolls” should be punished, not the victim. In her opinion piece for The Herald/Sun on Thursday 21/03/2019, written for sports fans and titled “Obscene attacks on Tayla are an attack on all of us”, Lauren Wood contends that all of us are responsible for stopping online trolls.
Introduction Mentor Text

6. Introduce the main argument that the writer uses to support his/her main contention.
Discuss ONE technique that the writer uses to persuade his/her audience to agree with his/her argument using examples (quotes) from the article… and then explain HOW that SPECIFIC example is persuasive for the intended audience.
Discuss a SECOND technique that the writer uses to persuade his/her audience to agree with his/her argument using examples (quotes) from the article… and then explain HOW that SPECIFIC example is persuasive for the intended audience.
Main Body Paragraph 1

11. A key argument that Lauren Wood raises is that when viewing photographs of talented sportswomen playing sports some men make sexist and degrading comments about the bodies of sportswomen to “bring them down”. She uses an attack on those men calling them “cowards”, “pathetic” and “idiots”. This forceful language positions sports fans to agree with her view because real sports fans enjoy the athleticism of the image and do not want to denigrate women. A further technique that Wood uses is an appeal to authority when she cites famous male footballers, such as “Tony Modra, Tony Lockett [and] Lance Franklin,” who have also been famously photographed while playing in football matches. This would persuade her sports fan audience to agree with her views because it would remind them of great moments in the men’s AFL that have been captured on film and the fact that those men did not have to put up with the degrading comments about their bodies.
Main Body 1 Mentor Text

12. Introduce another argument that the writer uses to support his/her main contention.
Discuss ONE technique that the writer uses to persuade his/her audience to agree with his/her argument using examples (quotes) from the article… and then explain HOW that SPECIFIC example is persuasive for the intended audience.
Discuss a SECOND technique that the writer uses to persuade his/her audience to agree with his/her argument using examples (quotes) from the article… and then explain HOW that SPECIFIC example is persuasive for the intended audience.
Main Body Paragraph 2

13. A further argument used by Wood to support her main contention is that all sports fans must work together to stop the online trolls. She presents some solutions to the offensive online behaviour of the trolls by encouraging sports fans to “ Block them. Report them. Strip them of their rights.” This exclusive language positions her audience to agree with her because she makes it clear that her audience are not like “them” who engage in the foul online comments and that her audience can be part of the way to fix the problem. She also uses inclusive language pointing out to her audience that they must stop the trolls from being “part of our game.” All sports fan would agree with Wood because she includes herself as a sports fan and gives her audience clear instructions for helping those women who are being victimised.
Main Body 2 Mentor Text

14. 1. Explain what the purpose of the article is
1. Explain what the purpose of the article is. (What was the writer trying to do? 2. Did the writer meet their purpose? (Was the audience likely to have been convinced?) 3. Explain which techniques the writer used to persuade their audience and so achieve their purpose
Conclusion

15. Conclusion Mentor Text
Lauren Wood’s purpose in writing her opinion piece was to encourage all sports fans not be “giving in” to online trolls who comment rudely and offensively about images of women playing sport. She writes convincingly about how important it is that all sports fans should fight against this disgraceful behaviour. Wood uses a range of techniques such as attacks, appeals to authority and exclusive and inclusive language to position her audience to agree with her main contention that all sports fans have a responsibility to stop online trolls from making degrading and misogynist comments.
Conclusion Mentor Text