Expository Text Conventions

Front 1

Connotations

Back 1

Associations or implied meaning of words.
e.g. Predictably, the feminist pop up again bleating about unfair treatment!

Front 2

Emotive Language

Back 2

Deliberately strong words used to provoke emotion in the reader.
e.g. I am absolutely disgusted at the travesty of justice apparent in the pathetic sentence given to such a vicious killer

Front 3

Evidence and statistices

Back 3

Facts, information or expert opinions; often from an authoritative source. May be used selectively.
e.g. The CSIRO's extensive testing has found no or minimal risk associated with GM foods.

Front 4

Generalisation

Back 4

Involves the claim that's if something is true of some people, it is true for all member of the group of which they belong.
e.g. Older drives are a real menace on our roads. They are less alert, have slower reaction times and panic under pressure.

Front 5

Inclusive Language

Back 5

Involves the reader directly in the issue by using words such as 'we' or 'us'.
e.g. its up to all for us to stand up to multinational corporations whose rampant development is destroying our town.

Front 6

Metaphors

Back 6

Comparisons that describe one thing in terms of another.
e.g. Love of money is a cancer that is eating away at our society.

Front 7

Appeal to Family Values

Back 7

Based on the belief that traditional family arrangements are the best foundation for individuals and society.
e.g. Blame the ease of divorce nowadays, which results in fractured and fatherless families for the spiraling crime rate.

Front 8

Appeal to Group Loyalty

Back 8

Uses the desire of people to belong to a group in order to persuade them to agree with the view point or take action.
e.g. It was heart warming to see so many in our community joining forces to prevent the new freeway destroying our town.

Front 9

Anecdotes

Back 9

A brief personal account or story.
e.g. A friends visiting form interstate was baffled by our train ticketing system. Rather than being helped, she received a fine for not having the correct ticket.

Front 10

Rhetorical devices

Back 10

Persuasive techniques used to encourage readers to accept the view offered.

Front 11

Expository writing

Back 11

A form of non-fiction that explains, instructs and persuades. It aims to explain a issue or topic or put forward a view.

Front 12

Persona

Back 12

The role adopted by the writer. It is the mode of address.

Front 13

Authorities

Back 13

People, organisations or texts the reader is expected to accept as reliable because of their field of expertise or position.

Front 14

Personal touch

Back 14

Attempt to involve readers at a more personal level as a way of encouraging them to accept the view promoted. This is achieved by drawing on people like the readers or representatives of ordinary people.
This may include: Personal anecdotes, case stories, narrative, anecdotes, interview or quotes.

Front 15

Language

Back 15

Language is not neutral but imbued with connotations and values and capable of evoking responses at an emotive level.

Front 16

Structure

Back 16

Structured as an argument, proving a point. There are varied structures, like development, transitions, cause and effect, question - answer, problem - solution