Exposition Texts
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The modality expresses the writer’s attitude and Exposition reflects whether the discussion is open or authoritative and definite. Texts Responding to persuasive writing helps develop a student’s critical thinking and clarity of expression. It encourages students to question, research and respond to an argument in a clear Structure and features and logical way. of exposition texts There are different types of exposition texts: • Expository writing can change the attitude PURPOSE people have or their point of view,by expressing an argument about a specific issue. An exposition persuades a reader or listener by This persuasive writing appears as newspaper presenting one side of an argument. By taking a editorials, political or campaign speeches, point of view and justifying it, we aim to print, visual and oral media, information texts convince others to see only that side of an in books, letters to the editor, legal defences issue. Some expositions speculate as to what or sermons. Hopefully as students develop might be and persuade others as to what should their skills they will become aware that facts be. can be interpreted in different ways and that a variety of opinions on an issue may be valid. TYPES OF EXPOSITION • Persuasive writing can promote and sell Exposition texts vary according to whether goods, services and activities; for example in they analyse, interpret or evaluate the advertisements and posters persuasive environment surrounding us.They may also language convinces people to do or believe inform or persuade and explain how and why. particular things. It has a positive emphasis or bias and is directed at a specific audience. In an expository text the audience is being Media advertisements are generally eye persuaded to a particular point of view.This catching with catchy slogans and tunes.This may be persuading someone to act in a certain draws people in and makes them identify way or justifying an action. Exposition texts can with the messages and images portrayed.At be personal and emotive in tone and selectively times other texts are adopted, e.g. procedures, explain and analyse events, issues and explanations and descriptions.An example is: phenomena.The writer wants the reader to Ten steps to a beautiful new body. empathise with the emotions and reasons and to support the action. Students need to develop • Expository writing can plead a case, for the ability to recognise that something is one- example Don’t pollute our rivers. sided or biased and presents only one point of Persuasive expositions differ from discussions view, especially if they are being convinced to where the writer explores all sides of an issue behave in a certain way, to buy something or to and comes to a decision based on available do something. evidence. Persuasive expositions have a point of It is important that for the text to be persuasive view that is supported by logical arguments and the tenor must be at the appropriate level for evidence.The writer selects and omits the audience. Generally an impersonal style is information to support a position. Strong used and the passive voice creates an research skills and accurate note making are authoritative tone. Conjunctions give the text needed to write a persuasive exposition if issues coherence, while the vocabulary, which can be relate to areas with which students have had no metaphorical, describes feelings and attitudes. experience. Surveys and interviews about issues 75 can be used to gather information while Frequently each argument begins with current materials gathered from newspapers, background information, followed by points news and radio broadcasts form an invaluable that relate back to the statement of position resource. Students will need to check the and justify or elaborate on the statement. For validity of their sources of information and list arguments to be as effective as possible they a bibliography. should include supporting facts, examples, tables, visual images, quotes or evidence so that they appear convincing.Vague terms such as the Structure of general public, or a large group, should be used carefully, as the accuracy of these observations exposition texts needs to be assessed. The arguments are ordered according to Exposition texts generally begin with an whether the writer believes they are persuasive introductory statement of position giving the or weaker arguments.The writer may wish to author’s opinion or point of view.This previews start with the strongest argument, linking the the argument that will follow.The next section others.An alternative way is to start with the has a series of logical arguments that convince weaker and build with each argument to the the audience why this position has been taken. strongest, or they may wish to intersperse the A conclusion ties it all together by reinforcing strong arguments with those that are weaker. or summarising the author’s point of view. It is important that each elaboration consists of STATEMENT OF POSITION a number of sentences. Each paragraph should be carefully structured with the topic sentence Encourage students to start with a clear and in each paragraph relating to the main idea and forceful statement of position.This is often at times the preceding paragraph. Most supported by some background information paragraphs have one main idea that is argued about the issue in question.The stand taken by and elaborated and forms part of the whole the writer may preview in summary form the exposition. arguments to be presented. Students need to focus on developing a strong statement of An important language feature is the use of position.They can ask themselves the following connectives and conjunctions as they show the questions: relationship between parts of the text.These conjunctions can link ideas, contrast concepts, • Who am I trying to persuade? sequence thoughts, add to ideas and connect • What am I trying to persuade them to think cause and effect. Examples of these words are or do? firstly, finally, in addition, because, as a result of, on the other hand. • What type of arguments will best catch their attention? REINFORCEMENT OF • Is the statement hard hitting and does it clearly state the position? THE STATEMENT OF POSITION This is where the argument is emphasised.The ARGUMENT STAGE summing up of the position in the light of the argument that has been presented reinforces the A number of points are generally made in the statement of position and often calls for some argument stage.The number of arguments is type of action on the part of the audience. flexible and varies in each exposition. Arguments need to be logically developed and In order to persuade their audience in oral supported, and justified with reasons, examples, presentations, students need to focus on expert evidence and statistical information. reinforcing their statement of position and 76 emphasising their main points by varying their scientific from the voice of the expert. voice, tone, volume, pace, body language and • Action (jump), saying (beg), mental gesture. Students’ arguments should be logically (challenge), thinking (hope), modal (must) developed and supported and justified with and relating verbs (it is vital) are used. evidence.They should not be simply emotive • Reasons for actions or choices are shown and intuitive. Students can take different stands through the use of connectives, e.g. however, on the same issue while listeners listen for key similarly,mainly,therefore, so, because, the points on which to question the speakers.The first reason. audience can focus on the evidence that has • Emotive words are used to involve the been presented and assess its accuracy.Tables audience. and diagrams may be used with great impact in e.g.The overuse of our resources will destroy spoken expositions. the land. In written expositions students should be • Evaluative language adding the voice of exposed to community issues and encouraged authority is found. to write letters expressing their support or e.g. It is most important that all people... concern. Nominalisation is a feature of these • The personal pronoun I is often removed. texts, as is the use of extended noun phrases. The author speaks persuasively of people, This text is generally not written in first person, places and things already in the text, e.g. she, but rather in generic terms describing citizens them,Australians, citizens. or Australians or citing authorities and is certain • Reported speech is used when referring to in tone, e.g.This must stop. Passive voice can be what the majority of people have said on the used so that the authority is not identified and issue to indicate the support of others for the so that the tone is both formal and strong, e.g. issue. The opinion has been stated.The vocabulary is • Generally,the text is written in the present often technical and can include abstract terms tense but may change to past tense for while synonyms are often used to avoid recounted events or historical evidence. It repetition and to maintain interest. may be written in the future tense if predictions are being made. When reading expositions students should be • A moderate to high degree of modality or able to identify vague and unsupported claims certainty is found in the words selected, for and misleading or incomplete statistics and example often, nearly,most, generally,might, evaluate how effectively language is being used could.This depends on whether the writer to position the reader. Journalists, politicians and wants to feel authoritative and definite or lawyers develop the above skills when they open to discussion. work objectively with language. • Complex sentences are found. e.g.When the game finished, Jack caught the LANGUAGE FEATURES bus. OF EXPOSITION TEXTS • Nominalisation is used when nouns are made from verbs.