Originally posted by Dangar
Would i be better off using extra material about someone that manipulated the truth, or an article that has actually manipulated the truth itself? Because with the second one i guess i could talk more about techniques and stuff but i can't find any, i mean how are you supposed to be able to tell whether it's actualy manipulated the truth or not, because as the audience you can't tell right?
The way I see it - in both materials, someone has manipulated the truth, afterall, someone must have composed the text for it to exist - right? *sorry, I'm being weird again...*
But the thing is, isn't it recommended that you have two additional material anyway? Why not use both? Even if you have another one, if you have three, all the better. That way if one of them doesn't fit into the question, then you can use the other two! (That's if you don't memorise your essay...)
The way people tell if a text is manipulating the truth through the construction of a representation of an event, personality or situation is finding different articles on the particular issue - for example, looking at overseas media. (Don't ask how to get these, I have no idea.) Obviously, an Australian paper would have a different perspective on the Bali bombings than I dunno - say Iraqi news paper. I mean, that's really obvious - it was just a blunt example. But you can find other subtle things -
Maybe sport - if there's a footy game between Melbourne and Sydney - if you can find an article of the game from each cities you might be able to see the different representations of the event.
Anyway - otherwise, you can look at the techniques the composer uses - emotive language in order to persuade or to gain empathy. Use of visual language - a universal language to communicate subliminally to the viewer that what they see is "truth." Look at how. It's the easiest ticket out I think.
And like Timmii said - stick with what you can write well with. Perhaps hand in (not exactly an essay) but a one page response of each - see which one gets the better marks. See which one you can make stronger links to Frontline. See which one gives you a stronger response to the question.
BTW Timmii - thanks for the notes, mate! Wish I came here earlier too... woulda helped boost my trials up.