Text Development and Analysis
Contents Elements of Analysis 3 Analyze 3 Argument 3 Assertion 3 Audience 3 Conclusion 3 Devices 3 Discursive text 3 Effectiveness 4 Evidence 4 Fundamental points of view 4 Information and interpretation 4 Language 4 Main ideas 4 Means used by the author 5 Purpose and inferred purpose 5 Supporting ideas 5 Tone 5 Underlying values 5 Things that go together 5 Literary Devices 6 Amplification 6 Analogy 6 Antithesis 6 Archetype 6 Characterization 6 Conflict 6 Connotation 7 Euphemism 7 Foil 7 Foreshadowing 7 Hyperbole 7 Humor 7 Imagery 7 Irony 8 Metaphor 8 Mood 8 Oxymoron 8 Paradox 8 Point of View 8 Satire 8 Setting 9 Suspense 9 Symbol 9 Tone 9 Notes 10
Elements of Analysis
Analyze
To analyze is break something into its main elements and critically examine those elements. In a text, that means to see if the story works, or if the evidence supports the assertions, or if what is being said is logical, or even if your own outside resources offer contradicting evidence.
Argument
An argument is an attempt to persuade someone of something, by giving reasons for accepting a particular conclusion as true. It is not an argument to say something is so, unless evidence is provided.
Assertion
A statement expressing a view, with or without evidence.
e.g. People are basically good, cars make us lazy, life originated on Mars – all of these are assertions.
Audience
Audience is who you are writing for. Ideally a text should relate well to that audience, or in some cases, as broad an audience as possible.
e.g. People with strong knowledge about your topic, people with little knowledge, parents, children, potential investors, clients, staff, peers etc.
Conclusion
A conclusion (in a non-fiction text) is generally a summing up of the points and a statement of opinion or decisions reached.
Devices
Literary devices are techniques