Academic Skills Centre, Dawson College
X3.1
EXIT EXAM: ‘TECHNIQUES AND DEVICES’
In your Exit Exam essay, while discussing a main idea from the reading, you must also “comment on . . .
techniques and devices” used by the writer. This is a secondary task and can be handled quite briefly.
(Remember that the overall purpose of your essay is to “explore a main idea”—not to analyze the author’s
style. The ‘techniques and devices’ requirement represents only one of the twelve grading criteria.)
To help you choose techniques and devices to mention, the exam’s instruction sheet includes a list of
suggestions, but you are free to mention any devices that you recognize—not just those on the list.
What ‘Techniques and Devices’ Are:
The phrase “techniques and devices” refers to a wide range of stylistic elements and strategies that
writers use to help convey their ideas to a reader while making their work effective and interesting.
For example, essayists might contrast two things, provide detailed descriptions, or simply give a series
of examples. To support their points, they can rely on anything from logical argument, to scientific
evidence, to accounts of personal experiences—and can choose casual or formal English.
Meanwhile, in short stories, authors usually rely on characterization and plot, but might also convey a
theme through the setting, a certain form of narration, or their characters’ dialogue. You might
recognize other literary devices such as flashbacks, imagery, or symbolism.
Note that, normally, certain devices are found in only short stories (e.g. characterization or
foreshadowing), while others are seen only in essays (e.g. examples or analogies). Many other
devices (e.g. irony, contrasts, description, or metaphors) are seen in both genres.
What You Have to Do:
The exam instructions do not indicate a specific number of techniques or devices that must be
mentioned, but it is sufficient to include two or three.
You should identify these techniques or devices and comment on how the writer has used them in
connection with the main idea that you are discussing. Include your opinion on how effective they are.
(You do not have to define them—just to identify them and explain how the writer has used them.)
You may mention these techniques and devices at any point in your essay. (An obvious place would
be where you are explaining the author’s main idea—perhaps in your first body paragraph.) Another
approach is to name the techniques and devices in your introduction and then, at some point later in
your essay, comment on their use.
Strategic Tips:
As you read—or perhaps as you reread—your selection, take note of techniques or devices that you
recognize. Then choose two or three of the most important ones to mention in your essay.
Choose devices that you understand clearly—not ones that are unfamiliar or complicated.
How to Prepare:
Consider the advice about techniques and devices on the back of this sheet. (Note which ones are
found in essays, which are found in short stories, and which are found in both.)
If necessary, consult definitions (available on a separate handout sheet)—but remember that it’s best
to discuss devices that you know. Don’t waste time memorizing definitions of unfamiliar terms.
When writing about a short story, it would be typical to mention some of these techniques and devices:
CHARACTERIZATION
(central to any story; always an important element to relate to the main idea)
CONTRAST
(perhaps between two characters, two settings, two different situations)
DESCRIPTION
(present in nearly all stories; very easy to discuss)
DIALOGUE
(easy to discuss if conversation helps to convey the main idea)
DICTION
(challenging: you must discuss author’s choice of certain words or types of words)
FLASHBACKS
(an easy device to recognize if the story jumps back to an earlier time)
FORESHADOWING
(discuss this only if the author provides subtle hints of upcoming events)
IMAGERY
(easy to discuss if vivid sights, sounds, etc. help to convey the main idea)
IRONY
(do not discuss irony unless you are sure that you recognize it)
LEVEL OF LANGUAGE
(you would have to discuss the effect of the writer’s formal or casual English)
METAPHOR
(a good choice if you can recognize metaphors and their implications)
POINT OF VIEW
(you would have to discuss the writer’s choice of 1st-person or 3rd-person narration)
REPETITION
(very easy to notice if a certain word or phrase is used repeatedly)
SETTING
(a good choice if there’s a connection between time/place and the main idea)
SYMBOLISM
(not present in every story, but good to mention if you can recognize and interpret it)
TONE
(you would have to identify a certain emotional sense—e.g. anger, joy, nostalgia)
Safest Bets:
description, contrast, setting, characterization, imagery
When writing about an essay, it would be typical to mention some of these:
ALLUSIONS
(a simple device: easy to notice if the writer mentions some well known person/thing)
ANALOGY
(easy to discuss these detailed comparisons if any are present)
APPEAL TO AUTHORITY
(easily recognized when the author refers to the opinions of experts)
ARGUMENTATION
(logical reasoning can be identified; difficult to be more specific than that)
CAUSE AND EFFECT
(quite easy to recognize when causes and their outcomes are explained)
COMPARISON
(easy to discuss; essayists often mention similarities/differences to make a point)
CONTRAST
(easy to discuss if the writer points out major differences between two things/people)
DEFINITION
(very easy to notice if the essayist actually defines certain terms for the reader)
DESCRIPTION
(nearly always present; easy to recognize and to discuss)
DICTION
(challenging: you must discuss author’s choice of particular words or types of words)
EMOTIONAL APPEAL
(easy to discuss if the essayist plays on the reader’s emotions to make a point)
EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE
(noticeable and easy to discuss if the essayist presents scientific data)
ENUMERATION
(a simple, recognizable device: something is listed in a 1-2-3 sequence)
EXAMPLE
(very easy to recognize and discuss; present in nearly every essay)
IMAGERY
(easy to discuss if the essay conveys vivid sights, sounds, or other sense impressions)
IRONY
(do not try to discuss irony unless you are sure that you recognize it)
LEVEL OF LANGUAGE
(you must discuss the effect of the essayist’s use of formal or casual English)
METAPHOR
(a good choice if you recognize metaphors and understand what they imply)
NARRATION
(easy to discuss if the essayist tells a story to make a point)
REFUTATION
(easy to notice when an essayist criticizes or attacks opposing opinions)
REPETITION
(very noticeable if a word or phrase is used repeatedly; easy to discuss)
RHETORICAL QUESTIONS (easy to comment on the essayist’s use of actual questions in the text)
TONE
(easy to discuss if some distinct emotion is shown in the essay)
Safest Bets:
example, description, contrast, comparison, narration
WM 2010