This Resource is for students studying Mainstream English in the Victorian VCE Curriculum. The criteria is a check list for students about to undergo an Oral Presentation or write a Point of View (POV) Essay.
Follow the check list below to help prepare for your Oral or POV
KNOW THE ISSUE’S CONTEXT
Have a clear understanding of the BIG ISSUE
Why do you feel strongly about this particular issue?
Select carefully your focus from the big issue
Your Main Contention should be clear and easy to understand
Do not have an ambiguous contention
THE AUDIENCE
Decide who is your intended audience
Make sure your target audience is appropriate for the issue
The target audience will be connected to the public forum you choose to write your article in
WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?
What exactly do you want to achieve through your arguments?
What are your aims for positioning your audience?
Are you wanting to:
Shock
As a Call to Action
To effect change
To ridicule
To demonise someone
To attack
WHAT IS YOUR FORM OF PRESENTATION / PUBLIC FORUM?
A speech
Opinion piece for a newspaper / online media such as ABC News Online or The Conversation or Crikey or Mamamia
Letter to the Editor of a newspaper
A debate in Parliament
Guest panellist on a current affairs program
CONSTRUCT YOUR ARGUMENTS
Clearly state your Main Contention
List your arguments with evidence to support your reasoning
Consider a Rebuttal & your Counter Arguments
USE PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE TECHNIQUES
Opinions need emotive language to persuade
Use Idioms as figurative language
Consider your tone – are you forceful enough
Don’t ‘tell’ with boring information be able to ‘show’ with descriptive language
STRUCTURE OF POV/ORAL
Introduction / Hook / Main Contention
Body Paragraphs – at least 3 + a Rebuttal
Use single sentences or rhetorical questions in between body paragraphs to change structure and make it more interesting to read
