Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow its link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.
Understanding
- I can explain how diction and syntax influence how a writer is perceived and whether an audience accepts an argument. (Guide: “How words and sentences build a writer’s image”; Practice question 1)
- I can explain how word choice can reveal a writer’s bias. (Guide: “Bias and credibility”; Practice question 2)
- I can explain why credibility depends on the particular audience. (Guide: “Bias and credibility”; Practice question 4)
Skills
- I can distinguish denotation from connotation and spot loaded words. (Guide: “Diction: what to look at”; Practice question 3)
- I can describe a passage’s syntax in terms of length, structure, order and repetition. (Guide: “Syntax: what to look at”; Practice question 5)
- I can revise loaded or vague wording so that it protects credibility for a named audience. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice question 7)
Reasoning
- I can explain the effect of a passage’s diction on the writer’s credibility with a stated audience. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice question 6)
- I can explain how syntax shapes the impression of a speaker’s honesty and authority. (Guide: Worked example 2; Practice question 6)
- I can analyse a short public-domain example, such as Douglass’s “yours, not mine”, for diction and syntax. (Guide: “Public-domain examples”; Practice question 8)
All ticked? Move on to the Topic 8.3 study guide, Making Choices for a Particular Audience.