Transcript Informational Media

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WHAT IS INFORMATIONAL MEDIA?
I.M. presents information, facts, and
explanations of topics that are of
interest to the public. Magazines,
newspapers, billboards, radio, TV,
webpages, bulletins, advertisements,
pamphlets, telephone, mail, yard signs,
and marquees are all examples of I.M.
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PARTS OF INFORMATIONAL MEDIA ARTICLES
1. Head – The title
2. Deck – The small words under the head, but before the article
3. Lead – The first few sentences or paragraphs of an article
before the first subhead
4. Subhead – Smaller titles that divide the article into sections
5. Photograph – A photo that supports or clarifies the article
6. Illustration – A drawing that supports or clarifies the article
7. Caption – The words of explanation under the photo or
illustration
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TYPES OF EVIDENCE USED IN INFO. MEDIA
1. Statistics – Numbers and percentages
2. Expert Opinions – The educated beliefs of a person who has studied
a subject carefully or is part of a profession important to the subject
3. Results of Studies– Conclusions based on research
4. Compare/contrast – Compare means to show how things are alike,
and contrast shows how things are different
5. Problem/Solution – Presents a problem, but also suggests a solution
to the problem
6. Anecdote – A brief, entertaining story based on a single, interesting
or humorous incident, often intended to reveal a person’s character
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
1. Author’s Purpose – The writer’s intention: to
persuade, entertain, inform, describe, warn
2. Author’s Credentials – The qualifications that put the
author in a position of authority on a topic.
3. Author’s Bias – When an author has an unfair
preference for a against something or someone,
thereby preventing him from being objective
4. Author’s Tone – When you can “hear” the author’s
attitude in what he’s saying (his tone of voice)
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TYPES OF READING
1. Previewing – Looking over something to see how it is
organized and what content will be learned
2. Skimming – Reading quickly for the main idea. This is
accomplished by reading only the topic sentence and
clincher sentence of each paragraph in expository and
persuasive writing.
3. Scanning – Looking for specific information (details)
such as in fill-in-the-blank worksheets or when reading
a posters looking for the date a new movie premieres.
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PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
1. Semantic Slanting – Vocabulary words the author chooses
purposefully in order to create a bias in the reader or to
create a strong reaction in the reader. For example, “Junk
food will make our school children grossly obese. They will be
too ugly to get dates, too lazy to hold a job, and their medical
bills will selfishly drain insurance companies and
unnecessarily spike premiums for those of us who practice
self control.”
2. Connotation – Vocabulary words the author purposefully uses
that have a positive or negative spin on them. For example,
“My wife is frugal” has a positive connotation, but “My wife is
cheap” has a negative connotation even though “frugal” and
“cheap” are synonyms.
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TYPES OF PERSUASIVE APPEALS
1. Logos – Appeal to Reason/Logic – Evidential appeal– When the
author attempts to sway the reader using impressive, rational
evidence such as statistics and research. This type of appeal is
allowed in scientific research and courts of law.
2. Pathos – Emotional Appeal – When the author attempts to sway
the audience by eliciting an emotional response through the
use of metaphors, anecdotes, and imagery.
3. Ethos – Ethical Appeal - When an author tries to sway the
reader’s opinion based on what’s right and wrong. Ethical
appeal can also be based on the character, credibility, or
reliability of the writer.
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PROPAGANDA
1. Propaganda - Information, especially of a biased
or misleading nature, used to promote or
publicize a particular political cause or point of
view.
2. Propaganda Techniques – Methods of
persuasion that are not based on facts or solid
arguments.
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Propaganda Techniques
1. Testimonial – An expert or a famous person supports a product, an
idea, or a person. The famous person actually says he uses it or
endorses it.
Ex: Basketball player Will Lang says, “I never go on a road trip
without my Jiffy compact hair dryer!”
2. Transfer – A famous or glamorous person and a product are
associated in order to persuade you to transfer your positive image of
the person to the product. Unlike testimonial, transfer does not quote
the person.
Ex: An ad shows Alison Graves, a famous actress, washing her face
with Silky. The ad says, “Look like a movie star. Use Silky Soap.”
Propaganda Techniques con’t.
3. Bandwagon – The reader is urged to do something just because
everyone else supposedly is doing it.
Ex: Everyone’s talking about Charge! Don’t be the last to see
this year’s best movie!
4. Name Calling – The speaker criticizes a person or a product with
little or no reason or evidence. (used by political campaigns and by
competing stores/restaurants’ commercials)
Ex: Gina Sheraton would make a terrible senator. How could
anyone with that ridiculous hairstyle be trusted?
Propaganda Techniques con’t.
5. Overgeneralization/ Hasty Generalization – A statement about
someone or something that is too broad or based on very little
evidence.
Ex: When the Feline was compared with two other cars, it came out
the winner in economy, traction, and general performance. Drive the
best car of all. Drive the Feline! (Problem: What cars was the Feline
compared with and how were they tested?)
6. Faulty Cause and Effect – The reader is led to believe that one event
caused another just because it happened first.
Ex: Since Jim Bennett has been mayor, traffic accidents have
increased by five percent. We need a new mayor – one who is
concerned about our safety.
Propaganda Techniques con’t.
7. Either-Or – The reader is told that there are only two extreme
possibilities when actually there are many choices in between.
Ex: If you are not in favor of a new teen center, then you
must dislike young people.
8. Reasoning in a Circle – The reader is told something is so just
because it is so. The reason is simply another way of saying
the same thing.
Ex: Nutribread is nourishing because it provides nutrients.
Propaganda Techniques con’t.
9. Emotional Words – Words are chosen to appeal to the reader’s
emotions rather than to his common sense.
Ex: Don’t settle for tired old outfits. Look and play like a
professional athlete in elegant, stylish Jessama sports attire.
10. Card Stacking – The advertisement only talks about the positive
things about the product, not the negative aspects about it.
Ex: This previously–owned car is just right for your newly-driving
16-year-old. It is an Accord, which has one of the most respected
safety records of the last 15 years. (However, the speaker fails to
mention that this particular car has been in a terrible wreck,
therefore, is NOT in the same condition as a new Accord.)
Propaganda Techniques con’t.
11. Plain Folk – The opposite of transfer and testimonial. The ad uses
average people to sell the product to average people in order to give it
credibility and to validate its accessibility.
Ex: The father and son play ball (and make life-long memories) with
a Louisville Slugger
12.Glittering Generalities - An emotionally appealing phrase so closely
associated with highly valued concepts and beliefs (such as love of
country and home, and a desire for peace, freedom, glory, and honor)
that it carries conviction and general public approval without
supporting information or reason.
Ex: A large American flag waves beautifully behind the Kentucky
Fried Chicken sign in a commercial.