Statistics

Statistics are facts which are expressed in numbers. They add credibility to your writing, as they support and prove your ideas, making your writing seem more accurate and believable.

74% of Year 11 students

Last year, 74% of Year 11 students stated that homework was actually preventing them from revising properly for their exams.
- In this phrase, the statistic ‘74%’ suggests that an actual study has been done, and that an overwhelming majority agreed with the idea that homework was a bad idea. The statistic itself implies that there is proof of the study and adds credibility to the writer’s ideas.
- The high statistic (74%) is used to support the writer’s argument that homework is a negative thing.

8/10 teenagers

8/10 teenagers currently suffer from mental health issues.
- In this phrase, the statistic ‘8/10’ suggests that an actual study has been done – this high statistic would also add to the writer’s arguments about the severity of mental health issues.
- The high statistic (8/10) is used to support the writer’s argument that mental health issues are a big problem amongst teenagers.

13% of people recycle plastic

Only 13% of people actually recycle all of their plastic waste.
- In this phrase, the statistic ‘13%’ suggests that an actual study has been done, and that an overwhelming minority of people recycle plastic, suggesting that a lack of recycling is a big problem.
- The low statistic (13%) is used to support the writer’s argument that a lack of recycling is a huge problem.

Tips for Using Statistics

Statistics are facts which are expressed in numbers. They add credibility to your writing, as they support and prove your ideas, making your writing seem more accurate and believable.

Make up believable statistics

You can (and should) make up your statistics, but make them believable! Don’t, for example, claim that 100% of people who are forced to do homework will die horrible deaths – be sensible with your ideas.

Use statistics to support your argument

Make sure your statistics actually support the points you are making. For example, if you are arguing that school uniform should be abolished, you could say ‘82% of pupils in the school argue that uniform is pointless’ – avoid something like ‘22%’ because it doesn’t support the point strongly enough.

Choose vocabulary carefully

Your choice of vocabulary is vital in creating your language devices effectively.

1Key Terms

1.1Key Terms

1.1.1Key Terms - Nouns, Verbs & Sentence Types

1.1.2Key Terms - Words, Sounds & Language

1.1.3Key Terms - Images, Symbols & Mood

1.1.4Key Terms - Other Techniques

1.1.5End of Topic Test - Key Terms

2Language Techniques

3Paper 1: Reading

3.1Structuring Your Answer - Section A

3.1.1Overview - Section A

3.1.2Answering Question 1

3.1.3Answering Question 2

3.1.4Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading

3.1.5Answering Question 3

3.1.6Answering Question 4

3.1.7End of Topic Test - Section A

3.1.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Reading

4Paper 1: Writing

4.1Structuring Your Answer

4.1.1Overview - Section B

4.1.2Answering Section B

4.1.3Answering Section B - Checklist of Techniques

4.1.4End of Topic Test - Writing Section

4.1.5Exam-Style Questions - Paper 1: Writing

5Paper 2: Reading

5.1DAFORESTER

5.1.1Direct Address

5.1.2Alliteration

5.1.3Facts

5.1.4Opinions

5.1.5Repetition

5.1.6Exaggeration (Hyperbole)

5.1.7Statistics

5.1.8Triples (Rule of 3)

5.1.9Emotive Language

5.1.10Rhetorical Questions

5.1.11End of Topic Test - DAFORESTER

5.2Structuring Your Answer

5.2.1Overview - Section A

5.2.2Answering Question 1

5.2.3Answering Question 2

5.2.4Answering Question 3

5.2.5Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading

5.2.6Answering Question 4

5.2.7End of Topic Test - Section A

5.2.8Exam-Style Questions - Paper 2: Reading

6Paper 2: Writing

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