Reviewer Info Texts
Reviewer Info Texts
Reviewer Info Texts
Procedural texts
Procedural texts list a sequence of actions or steps needed to make or do something.
Typical examples of procedural texts include recipes, science experiments, assembly
manuals or instructions for playing games.
Expository texts
Expository texts, or informational texts, are non-fiction texts that give facts and information
about a topic. These academic texts are common in subjects such as science, history and
social sciences.
Expository texts typically follow one of five formats: cause and effect, compare and contrast,
description, problem and solution, and sequence. Students can learn to recognize the text
structure by analyzing the signal words contained within the text.
Persuasive texts
A persuasive text is a form of non-fiction writing that aims to convince the reader of a
certain point of view. Adverts and newspaper columns are good examples of persuasive
text.
Though there are many techniques to write persuasively, most persuasive texts include a
central argument, evidence to support the point and a conclusion, to summarise the text.
newspaper columns;
advertising campaigns;
academic essays;
reviews;
brochures;
campaign flyers.
a. Rhetorical Questions
Rhetorical questions are ones that don't need an answer, but they get the reader or
listener thinking. This technique is commonly used in advertisements.
b. Emotive Language
Emotive language stirs your imagination. It helps to paint a picture in your mind.
This technique is particularly common in persuasive texts that have a moral message.
If you want to convince someone that they should listen to you, you'd use facts, reasoning
and statistics, right? 100% of our readers say, 'yes'!
Evidence is frequently used in persuasive texts to convince the audience that the writer or
company advertising to you is trustworthy and reliable. For example, they may say something
like, '85% of our customers agree!'. Hearing that other people trust this service or product
encourages us to try it too.
Statistics can also be used to show the importance of something. A campaign flyer about
rainforests may include statements such as the fact that over 200,000 acres of rainforest are
burnt every day.
d. Repetition
The more you hear something, the more likely it is to be true, right? Well, not exactly - but
hearing something over and over again does convince us on a subconscious level. That's
why lots of persuasive texts use repetition throughout.
For example, if a company is having a summer sale, they might repeat the phrase '50%
off!' to convince you how great of a deal it is. This can be particularly annoying if it's part
of a jingle that gets stuck in your head!
Modal verbs call the reader to action. These are verbs such as 'must', 'should' and 'will' - 'you
MUST act now'. They make the audience sense the urgency in the situation, persuading them
to take action as soon as possible.
Modal adverbs leave no room for question - these are words such as 'definitely', 'absolutely'
and 'certainly'.
Sometimes, modal verbs and adverbs can be used together to create a persuasive call to
action. 'You absolutely must act now.'
f. Opinion as Fact
Particularly for opinion pieces such as articles and essays, writers will state their opinion
as if it's fact to convince the reader of their argument.
For example, if a persuasive text were discussing the topic of deforestation, the writer
might say that 'deforestation is a cruel way to rid so many species of their homes'. This is
the writer's opinion written as plain fact.
This technique persuades the reader to trust the writer and their opinion on this topic.
'Celebrities and socialites are also turning their backs on fur. In January,
Anjelica Hustondonated her old, unwanted furs to PETA and helped us cut
them up to be used as bedding for orphaned wildlife. "These coats were given
to me decades ago, when I had no idea how animals suffered in the fur
trade", explained the Oscar winner.'
'It's now widely accepted that animal fur and faux fur have the same R-value,
a measure of the heat retention provided by fabric. Notably, Team Canada's
Winter Olympics uniforms (which members of parliament once proposed
should include fur from dead seals) were manufactured this year using all-
vegan materials—a tacit admission that using animal skins for performance
clothing is obsolete. It's a sign of the times that the maker of these uniforms,
Hudson's Bay Company, was established nearly 350 years ago as a fur-
trading business.'
Analysis
The article includes many writing techniques that are common in persuasive texts. Here are
just a few:
The text includes examples of high-profile celebrities such as Anjelica Huston and
Canada’s Winter Olympics team who have shown a public stance on the issue of fur.
The author does this to demonstrate that a number of important and well-respected
figures agree with him on the issue, adding a greater degree of authority to the text.
The author comments on the Canadian Winter Olympic’s team use of vegan materials
for their uniforms as 'a tacit admission that using animal skins for performance clothing
is obsolete'. Although this is the author’s opinion, it's written as though it's a statement
of fact, which encourages the reader to share and accept his point of view.
In this sentence, the word 'obsolete' and the author’s comment that this is a 'sign of the
times' portray fur as an outdated and unfashionable material, whereas more animal-
friendly options are growing in popularity. As readers will not wish to feel left behind or
uninformed, they almost have no option but to adopt the view that fur is wrong.
Literary Non-Fiction
What is literary nonfiction?
Literary nonfiction is when an author uses facts and research to create a story with no
“made-up parts.” Literary nonfiction is dramatic true stories that can explore a variety of
subjects. Nonfiction is biography, autobiography, memoir, and informational texts.