So we've created an image of our superhero and, in the process of doing so, have decided upon what sort of personality our superhero has (black uniform = dark/moody, pink uniform = happy/light).
Now we have to decide why our superhero does what they do...
Why does Bruce Wayne, a fabulously wealthy businessman, dress up every night and venture into Gotham city to fight crime? Watch the videos below to find out:
In order to create a fully developed character it is important that your reader understands why that character acts the way that they do. As a result your superhero MUST have a reason why they do what they do.
Check out Marvel's site for a background on each of their superheroes:
http://www.marvel.com/universe/Category:Heroes
While you're there can you find out why Daredevil fights crime?
Mr Watt
Wednesday 4 February 2009
Superheroes!
Want to create your own superhero image without having to draw it yourself? Then check out the following website for a variety of "hero machines" which will allow you to choose from lots of different physical characteristics for your own personal superhero!
http://www.ugo.com/channels/comics/heromachine/classic.asp
Remember though - your superhero image MUST be sympathetic to the type of superhero that you want to create!
For example: Batman is associated with a bat and dresses in black as he has a somewhat tormented soul. Due to his association with bats he operates at night, and his uniform incorporates bat images and gadgets that give him bat-like powers. It would be no good creating a character with a personality like batman's and then clothing them in pink!
http://www.ugo.com/channels/comics/heromachine/classic.asp
Remember though - your superhero image MUST be sympathetic to the type of superhero that you want to create!
For example: Batman is associated with a bat and dresses in black as he has a somewhat tormented soul. Due to his association with bats he operates at night, and his uniform incorporates bat images and gadgets that give him bat-like powers. It would be no good creating a character with a personality like batman's and then clothing them in pink!
Tuesday 3 February 2009
Referencing
Once you've written your essay it is very important that you provide a list of the sources that you looked at to get your facts. Below you will find links to files to help you reference your essay:
http://www.box.net/shared/acvn8e7zok this is a list of the websites you looked at with each site (source) numbered.
http://www.box.net/shared/jopc0p91xr this is the list of for & against facts that you were given for the poster exercise, at the bottom you will find a key telling you which facts came from which source.
Once you have worked out which sources you have used, make a list of these sources and attach it to the end of your essay with the title "sources" OR "bibliography".
It will also help your essay appear more academic/professional if, in the body of the essay, you state where you obtained the fact from, e.g.:
"88% of all criminal damage in the UK is caused by alcohol (source 4)."
You can either give the exact webaddress of the fact or simply state which source it refers to in your source list - if you take the numbered approach then remember to number your sources on your source list.
Mr Watt
http://www.box.net/shared/acvn8e7zok this is a list of the websites you looked at with each site (source) numbered.
http://www.box.net/shared/jopc0p91xr this is the list of for & against facts that you were given for the poster exercise, at the bottom you will find a key telling you which facts came from which source.
Once you have worked out which sources you have used, make a list of these sources and attach it to the end of your essay with the title "sources" OR "bibliography".
It will also help your essay appear more academic/professional if, in the body of the essay, you state where you obtained the fact from, e.g.:
"88% of all criminal damage in the UK is caused by alcohol (source 4)."
You can either give the exact webaddress of the fact or simply state which source it refers to in your source list - if you take the numbered approach then remember to number your sources on your source list.
Mr Watt
Essay Writing...
So here we are - you're all experts on persuasive writing.
You've tackled: propaganda, advertising and speech analysis. Now is the time to sway the world's opinion with your magnificent attempts at persuasive writing!
Follow the link below for a guide to help you during your essay writing:
http://www.box.net/shared/hzlra9iy1v
Good luck!
Mr Watt
You've tackled: propaganda, advertising and speech analysis. Now is the time to sway the world's opinion with your magnificent attempts at persuasive writing!
Follow the link below for a guide to help you during your essay writing:
http://www.box.net/shared/hzlra9iy1v
Good luck!
Mr Watt
Reliability & Impartiality
Hello once again,
This lesson I taught you all about the importance of using reliable material when writing a persuasive essay, and also the importance of being seen to be impartial.
We discovered that impartiality meant:
•Freedom from bias.
•Weighing both views/opinions equally before coming to your informed decision.
•That you have been fair and open in reaching your conclusion.
In order for you to be truly persuasive in your writing it is important for the reader to believe that you have looked at the argument from both points of view before reaching your decision.
Reliability
We discussed the dangers of relying solely on Wikipedia for information and were given the following three guidelines for finding reliable information:
Ø Reliable sources (government websites, charities, well known organisations etc.)
Ø Accurate information (does the information seem accurate?)
Ø Up to date information (be wary if it's more than a few years old!)
The information that you use to write your essay must be reliable, or else your essay will be inherently flawed. You wouldn't go for a space walk in an unreliable spacesuit would you?
This lesson I taught you all about the importance of using reliable material when writing a persuasive essay, and also the importance of being seen to be impartial.
We discovered that impartiality meant:
•Freedom from bias.
•Weighing both views/opinions equally before coming to your informed decision.
•That you have been fair and open in reaching your conclusion.
In order for you to be truly persuasive in your writing it is important for the reader to believe that you have looked at the argument from both points of view before reaching your decision.
Reliability
We discussed the dangers of relying solely on Wikipedia for information and were given the following three guidelines for finding reliable information:
Ø Reliable sources (government websites, charities, well known organisations etc.)
Ø Accurate information (does the information seem accurate?)
Ø Up to date information (be wary if it's more than a few years old!)
The information that you use to write your essay must be reliable, or else your essay will be inherently flawed. You wouldn't go for a space walk in an unreliable spacesuit would you?
Monday 2 February 2009
I need a HERO...
So you're now experts of AFOREST - in this lesson I taught you a few more advanced persuasive techniques that can be used. Welcome to the world of HERO!
Hyperbole - Deliberate exaggeration or overstatement for emotional effect.
End with the one that's not like the others
Repetition
Opposites
Toby Free Trade Speech from West Wing
Hyperbole - Deliberate exaggeration or overstatement for emotional effect.
End with the one that's not like the others
Repetition
Opposites
Toby Free Trade Speech from West Wing
Watch the above video for an example of ERO in action - as for Hyperbole then Churchill is your man!
Churchill "We Shall Fight..."
A forest you say?
Can't see the wood for the trees? How about a forest?
This lesson I introduced you to the mnemonic acronym AFOREST, an easily remembered list of effective techniques to be used in persuasive writing:
Alliteration
Fact and evidence
Opinions and weaknesses
Rhetorical questions
Emotions
Statistics
Threes (rule of)
We then looked at an example of a speech and, in your groups, you went through it picking out the examples of AFOREST that you could find in the speech.
Watch the famous speeches below for examples of AFOREST in practice.
Aragon's Speech at the Black Gate
A Few Good Men
Independence Day
This lesson I introduced you to the mnemonic acronym AFOREST, an easily remembered list of effective techniques to be used in persuasive writing:
Alliteration
Fact and evidence
Opinions and weaknesses
Rhetorical questions
Emotions
Statistics
Threes (rule of)
We then looked at an example of a speech and, in your groups, you went through it picking out the examples of AFOREST that you could find in the speech.
Watch the famous speeches below for examples of AFOREST in practice.
Aragon's Speech at the Black Gate
A Few Good Men
Independence Day
Sunday 1 February 2009
What is an argument?
In this lesson we learned that an effective piece of persuasive writing does four main things:
1. Attempts to convince the reader that you are right
2. Considers contrary arguments but shows why they are insignificant
3. Finishes with a valid conclusion which convinces the reader
4. Contains personal reflection
Watch the Monty Python clip above to discover an apt definition of what an argument is: "Connected series of statements to establish a definite proposition".
The important thing to learn from this is that when writing your essay you must use a connected series of statements (arguments) that you can back up with evidence and that you have a personal opinion on - you won't get a good mark by relying on contradiction!
Find your own favourite advert...
I showed you my favourite advert - now find your own...
Go to the following excellent site for thousands of free advert clips:
http://www.tellyads.com/
Remember those excellent Tango adverts ("You know when you've been Tangoed!")? Or the ever impressive Guinness ads?
A decent site to kill some time - although you could always tackle that English homework if you have a few spare minutes on your hands instead...
Mr Watt
Go to the following excellent site for thousands of free advert clips:
http://www.tellyads.com/
Remember those excellent Tango adverts ("You know when you've been Tangoed!")? Or the ever impressive Guinness ads?
A decent site to kill some time - although you could always tackle that English homework if you have a few spare minutes on your hands instead...
Mr Watt
Advertising
Welcome to the wonderful world of advertising!
This lesson we learned all about advertising - what makes it effective, techniques used and (the biggy) target audience!
I had you all think about why we advertise and where we can find advertising in our everyday lives (simple answer: everywhere! complicated answer: buses, tv, films, magazines, shopping bags, clothes, billboards etc. etc. etc.)
This lesson we learned all about advertising - what makes it effective, techniques used and (the biggy) target audience!
I had you all think about why we advertise and where we can find advertising in our everyday lives (simple answer: everywhere! complicated answer: buses, tv, films, magazines, shopping bags, clothes, billboards etc. etc. etc.)
I showed you my favourite advert (Metz Judderman) and described the advertising technique primarily used in the advert: transfer.
Follow the link below for the worksheet I handed out containing a list of advertising techniques:
http://www.box.net/shared/tlmiqno7xq
I then showed you various other adverts and had you decide what technique was being used in each one. Then we tackled the subject of target audience, defined as:
"The primary group of people (or audience) that something, usually and advertising campaign, is aimed at appealing to. A target audience can be people of a certain age group, gender, marital status etc."
You were then shown an advert and asked to work out who the target audience for it was.
I then handed out various magazine adverts for you to examine, using your new found advertising expertise!
Next lesson: Argument & persuasive writing techniques
Lesson 1 - Persuasive Writing
Hi,
So here we go with the first lesson recap for you all - you lucky 3rd years...
In this lesson we learned what is meant by the term "persuasive writing" and what it is used for. The definition for persuasive writing that I gave you all was:
"Persuasive writing is used to argue logically with reasons, to present another viewpoint, to sway opinions, and to convince someone to writer’s way of thinking".
You then discussed what persuasive writing could be used for in real life and came up with a variety of reasons - including: Propaganda!
So here we go with the first lesson recap for you all - you lucky 3rd years...
In this lesson we learned what is meant by the term "persuasive writing" and what it is used for. The definition for persuasive writing that I gave you all was:
"Persuasive writing is used to argue logically with reasons, to present another viewpoint, to sway opinions, and to convince someone to writer’s way of thinking".
You then discussed what persuasive writing could be used for in real life and came up with a variety of reasons - including: Propaganda!
“Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behaviour to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.”
—Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O'Donnell, Propaganda and Persuasion
Finally I had you look at examples of propaganda in your groups (such as the Nazi's American Monster - above) and decide why they were created and whether or not they were effective.
Next lesson......Advertising!
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