Text Types in Non-Fiction Writing

Text types is generalized in two kinds; fiction and no-fiction. Fiction will be close relating to literature while non-fiction is deal more in technical usage of daily life.
Browsing over the Internet, I find a very useful source to learn text types in non-fiction summary. They are:
1. Report text, this kind of text is to describe the way things are, give detail description as they are
2. Procedure, this instructional text is to instruct or describe how to make something or how something is done through a series of sequenced steps or phases.
3. Recount, this text tries to retell events. Commonly the events happened in the past
4. Explanation, this kind of text surely explains the process involved in nature and how something works. Explanation text is composed a lot in natural phenomena.
5. Persuasion, as its word root, persuasive text tries to argue the case for a point of view and in higher point it makes to convince and persuade readers. Persuasion text is studied in two types; analytical exposition and hortatory text.
6. Discussion, a type of text which present argument and information from different points of view. Generally discussion text is accomplished with a recommendation
7. The other types of non-fiction text such as Internet material, leaflet, interview, diary, journalistic writing, biography and autobiography can be seen at lancsngfl.ac.uk

TEXT TYPES; a complete overview

Based on generic structure and language feature dominantly used, texts are divided into several types. They are narrative, recount, descriptive, report, explanation, analytical exposition, hortatory exposition, procedure, discussion, review, anecdote, spoof, and news item. These variations are known as GENRES.

NARRATIVE
Purpose: To amuse/entertain the readers and to tell a story
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Complication
3. Resolution
4. Reorientation
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Past Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Chronologically arranged

RECOUNT
Purpose: to retell something that happened in the past and to tell a series of past event
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Event(s)
3. Reorientation
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Past Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adjectives
Narrative and recount in some ways are similar. Both are telling something in the past so narrative and recount usually apply PAST TENSE; whether Simple Past Tense, Simple Past Continuous Tense, or Past Perfect Tense. The ways narrative and recount told are in chronological order using time or place. Commonly narrative text is found in story book; myth, fable, folklore, etc while recount text is found in biography.
The thing that makes narrative and recount different is the structure in which they are constructed. Narrative uses conflicts among the participants whether natural conflict, social conflict or psychological conflict. In some ways narrative text combines all these conflicts. In the contrary, we do not find these conflicts inside recount text. Recount applies series of event as the basic structure

DESCRIPTIVE
Purpose: to describe a particular person, place or thing in detail.
Dominant Generic Structure:
1. Identification
2. Description
Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adverb
4. Using special technical terms


REPORT
Purpose: to presents information about something, as it is.
Generic Structure
1. General classification
2. Description
Dominant Language Feature
1. Introducing group or general aspect
2. Using conditional logical connection
3. Using Simple Present Tense

EXPLANATION
Purpose: To explain the processes involved in the formation or working of natural or socio-cultural phenomena.
Generic Structure:
1. General statement
2. Explanation
3. Closing
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using action verbs
3. Using passive voice
4. Using noun phrase
5. Using adverbial phrase
6. Using technical terms
7. Using general and abstract noun
8. Using conjunction of time and cause-effect.

ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION
Purpose: To reveal the readers that something is the important case
Generic Structure:
1. Thesis
2. Arguments
3. Reiteration/Conclusion
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using modals
2. Using action verbs
3. Using thinking verbs
4. Using adverbs
5. Using adjective
6. Using technical terms
7. Using general and abstract noun
8. Using connectives/transition

HORTATORY EXPOSITION
Purpose: to persuade the readers that something should or should not be the case or be done
Generic Structure:
1. Thesis
2. Arguments
3. Recommendation
Dominant Language features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using modals
3. Using action verbs
4. Using thinking verbs
5. Using adverbs
6. Using adjective
7. Using technical terms
8. Using general and abstract noun
9. Using connectives/transition
Then what is the basic difference between analytical and hortatory exposition. In simple word. Analytical is the answer of "How is/will" while hortatory is the answer of "How should". Analytical exposition will be best to describe "How will student do for his examination? The point is the important thing to do. But for the question" How should student do for his exam?" will be good to be answered with hortatory. It is to convince that the thing should be done

PROCEDURE
Purpose: to help readers how to do or make something completely
Generic Structure:
1. Goal/Aim
2. Materials/Equipments
3. Steps/Methods
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using Imperatives sentence
3. Using adverb
4. Using technical terms

DISCUSSION
Purpose: to present information and opinions about issues in more one side of an issue (‘For/Pros’ and ‘Against/Cons’)
Generic Structure:
1. Issue
2. Arguments for and against
3. Conclusion
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Use of relating verb/to be
3. Using thinking verb
4. Using general and abstract noun
5. Using conjunction/transition
6. Using modality
7. Using adverb of manner

REVIEW
Purpose: to critique or evaluate an art work or event for a public audience
dominant Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Evaluation
3. Interpretative Recount
4. Evaluation
5. Evaluative Summation
Dominant Language features:
1. Focus on specific participants
2. Using adjectives
3. Using long and complex clauses
4. Using metaphor

ANECDOTE
Purpose: to share with others an account of an unusual or amusing incident
Generic Structure:
1. Abstract
2. Orientation
3. Crisis
4. Reaction
5. Coda.
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using exclamations, rhetorical question or intensifiers
2. Using material process
3. Using temporal conjunctions

SPOOF
Purpose: to tell an event with a humorous twist and entertain the readers
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Event(s)
3. Twist
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Past Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adverb
4. Chronologically arranged

NEWS ITEM
Purpose: to inform readers about events of the day which are considered newsworthy or important
Dominant Generic Structure:
1. Newsworthy event(s)
2. Background event(s)
3. Sources
Dominant Language Features:
1. Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline
2. Using action verbs
3. Using saying verbs
4. Using adverbs : time, place and manner.

Writing For Business; a procedure text

writing something for your business can be pretty intimidating. Well, you don't have to.
Here's a simple checklist to follow. I'm not saying that following these rules will make your company the next Google, but it will help.

Firstly, take the topic of benefits, not features. Your customers don't care about you. They want to know "What's in it for me?"

Secondly, write your benefit like you talk it. Use regular words. Read aloud what you've written. How does it sound?


Thirdly, lose the weak words. Don't describe how your company may, might or should help customers but talk about how your company will.

Fourthly, Use a nice rhythm. Some sentences are long and some are short. Mix them up and keep things interesting.

Fifthly,re-read what you've done before publishing. Edit it necesarily. It's so easy to make mistakes which you don't notice the first time through.

Simplified from: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_F_O'connor

Analyzing the Text
Generic Structure Analysis
Goal; informing on how to write for business
Material; excluded
Steps/ method; showing the method in writing for business; choosing the advantageous topic, writing the topic like the way it is talked, re-reading what have been written .

Language Feature Analysis
Imperative sentences; write like you talked, re-read what you have done, etc
Action verb; write, read, etc
Temporal conjunction, firstly, secondly, etc

What is Procedure?

Procedure Text

Definition of Procedure

Procedure is a text that show a process in order. Its social function is to describe how something is completely done through a sequence of series

Generic Structure of Procedure

1. Goal: showing the purpose

2. Material: Telling the needed materials

3. Step 1-end: Describing the steps to achieve the purpose

Language Feature of Procedure

· Using temporal conjunction

· Using action verb

· Using imperative sentence

· Using Simple Present Tense

Planting Chilies; a procedure text

Planting is a nice activity in our spare time. The following is guided information on how to plant a chili-plant easily. Here are the steps.
Firstly, dry a handful seeding under the sunlight
Secondly, put the seeding on the soil. It should be in open area
Next, wait it. There will come out the sprout after that let it be bigger.
Finally, put it in another big pot. It will soon grow bigger and bigger and yield us some fresh chilies soon.

Analyzing the Text
Generic Structure Analysis
Goal; informing on how to plant chillies.
Material; excluded
Steps; showing the steps or method in planting chillies; from drying seed to putting the sprout in big pot.


language Feature Analysis
Imperative sentences; dry a handful seeding, put it, etc
Action verb; put, dry, etc
Temporal conjunction; next, finally, firstly, secondly
Simple present tense pattern; planting is a nice activity, the following is a guided information

Between Explanation and Procedure Text

Seeing the social function, both procedure and explanation texts have the similarity in which both describe how to make or done something. They give the detail description on something, phenomena, goods, product case or problem.
To see the differences between explanation and procedure, we have to analyze the dominant language feature and how the texts are used.
Procedure, this text type is commonly called as instruction text. It uses pattern of commend in building the structure. It use the “to infinitive verb” which is omitted the “to”. It is a kind of instruction text which uses full commend verb. Procedure is commonly used to describe how to make something which is close to our daily activity. For example how to make a cup of tea, how to make a good kite, etc is the best example of the procedure text. It is such word; first boil water, secondly prepare the cup, and so on.
Explanation, it is commonly used the passive voice in building the text. Explanation is such a scientific written material. It describes how certain phenomenon or event happen. How a tornado form, how tsunami works are the best example of explanation text. It uses passive pattern in describing the topic.

Contoh/Example of Procedure Text in Making Kite

Having a kite flying is interesting and make it by self is easy. Prepare the following materials to make a kite:

Butcher cord
Scotch tape or glue
1 Sheet of strong paper
2 Strong, straight wooden sticks of bamboo
Markers, paint or crayons After the materials have been prepared, the directions bellow is easy instruction on how to make a kite:
1. Make a cross with the two sticks, with the shorter stick placed horizontally across the longer stick.
2. Tie the two sticks together with the string in such a way as to make sure that they are at right angles to each other.
3. Cut a notch at each end of the sticks. Make it deep enough for the type of string you are using to fit in to. Cut a piece of string long enough to stretch all around the kite frame.
4. Lay the sail material flat and place the stick frame face down on top. Cut around it, leaving about 2-3cm for a margin. Fold these edges over and glue it down so that the material is tight.
5. Make a tail by tying a small ribbon roughly every 10cm along the length of string.
6. Decorate your kite with the markers!
Source:www.skratch-pad.com/kites/make.html

Contoh/Example of Procedure Text in Installing SIM Card

How to insert SIM Card Cellphone
Cellphone is a modern communication device which connects one to the others by voice, written message and data. However this device can not work until the SIM card is inserted.
When inserting the SIM Card to cellphone, make sure that the cellphone has been switched off and follow the direction bellow:
First of all, press the locking catch and slide the cover then lift it off the phone.
After that, push two catches in the opposite directions and remove the battery.
Next, slide the SIM card carefully into the slot and make sure that the golden connect arson are facing to the connector of the phone.

Then, put the battery and align it until snaps into its place.
Finally, insert the two catches of the back cover corresponding slot in the phone and slide the cover forward button of the phone until locks into place
Don't forget to switch on the cellphone. Wait until it is ready to use.

Procedure Text in Making Candles

Making coloured and scented candles is really quick and simple. What's more, you'll save so much money. If making candle is easy, why do you ever bought one from a shop? What you need in making candle are wax, moulds, wick, dye discs, essential oils, and a double boiler. All these materials are available from craft shops. Or if you do not want to buy them, you can improvise with an old saucepan, pyrex jug, or even a sturdy can, in a pot of water. After providing the materials, follow this procedure or instruction in making candles!
First of all, melt the wax. All wax has a flash point, so to prevent it bursting into flames, you must melt it in a double boiler, with water in the bottom pan.
Then, prepare the mould with the wick. Thread the wick through the mould and make sure that you leave a good few centimetres sticking out of the hole in the bottom.
After that, add the scent. If you want a scented candle, add a few drops of essential oil to the melted wax. You can use any essential oil you like, as long as it doesn't contain water.
Next step, pour the wax into the mould. Try and tip the wax into the mould quickly, all in one go, to minimise spillage and air bubbles.
Then, release the bubbles and top it up. Releasing the air bubbles will eventually make the candle sink, so you will need to top it up with more melted wax.
Finally, remove it from the mould. After four or five hours, the candle can be taken out of its mould.
Your candle is now ready for display. Remember, you must always leave it for a day before lighting it.

Source: www.channel4.com/4homes/design-style/how-to-guides/how-to-make-candles-intro-09-04-21_p_1.html