How to analyse argument (VCE English)

Your job is to explain how persuasion works, not to debate the issue. Open by paraphrasing the author’s contention, then outline the main moves (e.g. problem setup, moral appeal, call to action).

Work section by section through the written text. For each chunk, ask: what local claim is advanced, what evidence or example supports it, and how language (tone, diction, figurative language, repetition) steers the reader?

Integrate multimodal analysis. If an image or headline appears with the article, ask how it connotes authority, urgency, empathy, or fear; how it directs gaze; how it echoes or undercuts the written claim.

Chain analysis: technique → specific example (quote or visual detail) → effect on the intended audience → how that effect serves the next step in the argument.

Name the audience implied by address (“parents,” “taxpayers,” “young voters”) and the values that audience is assumed to hold. Show how the text flatters, challenges, or recruits those values.

Ethos, logos, and pathos are useful lenses, not paragraph labels. A single paragraph might blend expert citation (ethos), causal reasoning (logos), and anecdote (pathos) — your analysis should capture the blend.

Avoid device laundry lists. One well-developed chain on a pivotal paragraph beats ten unexplained labels.

Conclude briefly: how the parts of the text work together to secure agreement, doubt, or action — without stating your personal opinion on the issue.