ILLUSTRATIONUsing examples to prove a point.

What is Illustration?

Illustration is the use of examples…

•Facts

•Anecdotes

•Samples

•and many other kinds of specific

information

…to make a generalization more vivid,

understandable, or persuasive.

What is Illustration?

EXAMPLE:

“The films coming out of Hollywood place

too much emphasis on violence.”

•This statement is broad, vague, and

even open to challenge.

•Detailed examples from actual movies

would give depth and impact.

What is Illustration?

EXAMPLE:

“Americans are a pain-conscious people

who would rather get rid of pain than

seek and cure its root causes.”

•This statement is overly general.

•Needs to be supported by examples,

situations, and even specific cases in

which Americans have gone to the

drugstore instead of the doctor.

What is Illustration?

EXAMPLE:

“Today’s music is perverted and

sometimes obscene.”

•Again, this is vague and puzzling,

especially to those who don’t listen to

modern pop music.

•Descriptions of specific songs and

lyrics would clarify the statement.

What is Illustration?

•Writing that consists wholly of

generalizations strung together page

after page can be extremely difficult to

read.

•Good writers recognize this fact and

try to provide just the right kind and

number of examples to make their

writing interesting, convincing, and

understandable.

What is Illustration?

•An illustration can be anything from a

statistic to a story.

•It can be stated in a few words or go

on for several paragraphs or pages.

What is Illustration?

The key is, the illustration must be

RELEVANT.

•A statistic showing how much of a

particular drug Americans have

purchased might be interesting.

•A statistic showing the increase in

pain-killer sales have increased more

rapidly than the population would be

more effective as proof.

What is Illustration?

To be most effective, the illustration

must be REPRESENTATIVE.

•The story it tells or the facts it

presents should be typical of many

others the readers are sure to think

of.

•Aspirin statistics would be more

representative than some new, mostly

unknown prescription drug.

Why Do Writers Use Illustration?

1. Examples are used to make

writing more vivid and

entertaining.

An essay about television bloopers

would be dull and pointless

without some examples of on-

screen blunders.

Why Do Writers Use Illustration?

1. Examples are used to make

writing more vivid and

entertaining.

An essay about the dangers of

drunk driving will gain impact if it

is illustrated with descriptions of

the victims’ shattered lives and the

grief and outrage of family/friends.

Why Do Writers Use Illustration?

1. Examples are used to make

writing more vivid and

entertaining.

2. Examples are used to explain

and clarify ideas.

3. Examples are used to support

a generalization and make it

more convincing.