Steps to Language Analysis

What to do when you read the text during reading time

Step 1 – What is the Issue?Read the text to gain an understanding of the

general issue and what the writer is saying about the issue.

Take a step back and think: What is the wider issue? What is the context or background to the issue?

Why is it being discussed now? What specific aspect of the wider issue is being

discussed and what is the writer saying about it?

Step 2 – What is the Text?What type of article is this? (eg. editorial,

feature article, letter to the editor)What are some of the features of this type of

article?Make sure you’ve got a good understanding

of what the text is so that you can use the correct metalanguage in your response.

Step 3 – Who Wrote It?Who has written the article? What are their qualifications or experience? How would these details persuade readers to

accept the writer’s point of view?

Step 4 – What’s the P.O.V. Presented and What is the Tone?What is the writer’s point of view on the

issue? Generally speaking, consider what the writer thinks

about the issue. Positive, Negative or Neutral? Supportive, Anti- or wanting to take a step back?

Where are they coming from and what do they think about the issue?

What is the tone of the text? Is it serious or flippant? Mocking or uplifting?

Cynical or compassionate? Make sure you have memorised a word bank of

adjectives to identify and describe the tone.

Step 5 – What’s the Contention?Once you’ve figured out roughly what the writer thinks

about the issue, you then need to figure out specifically what the writer’s position is. What is the contention?

Read the article again, all the while trying to understand exactly what the writer’s contention is. Specifically, what are they arguing for. What’s their main point?

Don’t confuse supporting arguments or examples with the overall argument put forward by the text.

Try to formulate a single, one sentence summary of the writer’s contention silently in your mind and in your own words.

Step 6 – Who, Where, When and Why?Quickly scan the article. Where and when was it published? Who was the writer’s intended audience?

Who would or did read it?What is the purpose of the text? What was

the writer hoping to achieve in creating this text? What did they want the reader to do, think or feel once they had finished reading it?

Step 7 - Ethos, Pathos or Logos?Quickly scan the article again. From a conceptual point of view, how is the

author trying to convince you the reader? Are they trying to:

Sweep you off your feet on a wave of emotion? (Pathos)

Blow your mind with clear logic? (Logos) Convince you that they are in charge or are the

moral leaders on this issue? (Ethos)

Step 8 – Main ArgumentsScan the article again and try to conceptualise what the

writer’s main supporting arguments and points are. Try to avoid getting too focused on specific examples used. Rather, try to take a step back and think about why the author has used these examples. What are they trying to say or prove by providing these main arguments or examples?

For ESL students, start to construct an image of the note-form summary in your minds. How will you set it out? Think about the logical flow of the arguments and how you could present these visually. Also, think about what symbols you might use to represent certain ideas, concepts, relationships or opinions.

Step 9 – Visuals?Is there a visual image included with the

text?If so:

What is shown, highlighted or focused on? How does the image relate to the text? Does the

image support the author’s contention? How is the image persuasive? Does the image link to any particular argument

forwarded by the author? Why do you think it has been included? What does it

add to the written text?

Step 10 – Persuasive TechniquesTry to mentally highlight any words, phrases or

techniques which jump out at you and tell you how the author is trying position the reader on the issue.

Consider your initial impressions – what is the main type of appeal used by the text: Ethos, Pathos or Logos? How do you know? What techniques or language choices can you see?

What is the intended effect of these choices on the reader?

How in turn do they work to position the reader on the issue?

Step 11 – Persuasive Techniques Work TogetherTry to identify ‘clusters’ of techniques based

around main points or arguments.Ask yourself how the techniques work

together to position the reader on the issue.Make sure you understand that individual

language choices and persuasive techniques do not work in isolation. They work together to have a desired effect on readers.

Does the tone of the text change or develop throughout the text? How?

Step 12 – Mentally Assemble a PlanPause and review what you know you need to

put into your language analysis essay. Think about:

What you need to put into your introduction How will you organise your essay What will be your main points What evidence you will use What will your conclusion be

SummaryStep 1: What is the Issue?Step 2: What is the Text?Step 3: Who Wrote It?Step 4: What is the Point of View and Tone?Step 5: What is the Contention?Step 6: Who, Where, When, Why? (Who was it written for?

Where and when did it appear? Why was it written?)

Step 7: Ethos, Pathos or Logos?Step 8: What are the Main Arguments?Step 9: VisualsStep 10: Persuasive TechniquesStep 11: Persuasive Techniques Work TogetherStep 12: Mentally Assemble a Plan