Argumentative and Expository Texts

Posted on Oct 5, 2024 in Religion

Argumentative Texts

The argument is to provide reasons to defend an idea or opinion. Its purpose is to persuade the listener or reader through an argument to act or think in a particular way. The appellate or argumentative texts are frequently used in social and cultural contexts. They are used in newspaper articles and advertisements (opinion articles, advertisements), as well as political oratory (debates, speeches), judicial settings (assistance from lawyers and prosecutors), and scientific or humanistic tests (advocacy of new theories or recent scientific discoveries). The argument seeks to demonstrate, test, and convince.

Characteristics

Structure:

An argumentative text has the following parts: thesis, arguments, and conclusion. The argumentative text is organized from a basic idea called the thesis. The thesis is the idea to be defended and which reflects the text. The arguments are the reasons given to support the thesis. The conclusion reaffirms the initial thesis and summarizes the arguments presented. The thesis should be raised briefly and specifically, avoiding ambiguity. It has to be written using complete sentences, well-built, and in the affirmative. In general, the thesis appears at the beginning of the argumentative text, but it can also be made at the end, after the arguments.

Arguments:

An argument is a statement designed to prove or justify something. They are organized hierarchically (in order of importance) and are related to each other. To formulate statements, the following resources are used, among others:

  • The facts or scientific evidence supporting the thesis.
  • A comparison with other events that are placed as examples.
  • The advantages or drawbacks of working under the idea that it defends.
  • The invocation of higher values (freedom, justice) which is based on the idea of the thesis.
  • The opinion of an expert on the subject or a person whose standing is recognized by all. The well-formulated argument is called argument from authority.
  • The elimination of alternatives, to present itself as the best of all possible options.
  • The proverbs and sayings of popular wisdom, which contain truths accepted by all.

The Language of Argument:

It must be clear and direct. Its characteristic features are:

  • If the author argues from a personal point of view, they use resources such as rhetorical questions, exclamatory sentences, or hortatory sentences, and the 1st and 2nd person of the verb.
  • If the theme of the argument is a technical or scientific subject, then the illustrative pattern and verbs in the 3rd person predominate. Sentences and paragraphs are linked by connectors of diverse meaning, such as: condition (if, in the case of), grant (although, despite), cause (because, since), consequence (therefore, so then), and exemplification (for example, such as).

Expository Texts

The exposition is the clear and orderly explanation of any topic. Its purpose is usually to explain a matter, present an issue, or disclose knowledge. It is commonly used in academic and cultural contexts. Expository texts include newsrooms, written work and school assignments, teacher’s explanations and lectures, and textbooks.

Features

The Internal Structure:

The content of an exhibition is developed following a previously established order. It is organized into 3 parts:

  • Introduction: introducing the topic.
  • Development: explaining the issue with facts and examples.
  • Conclusion: summary of the main points and conclusions.

It can include examples, quotations, diagrams, or graphics to substantiate the explanation. Additionally, other typographical resources are used to facilitate the comprehension of the text: bold, underlining, capitalization, and so on. In an expository text, the author intends to report on a topic, presenting it objectively. However, the structure of expository texts varies widely, depending on the subject matter and the author’s intent. Some of its main structuring models are:

  • Deductive structure: The main idea is presented at the beginning of the text, followed by reasoning with data and then with particular examples.
  • Inductive structure: Various examples and data are presented, finally reaching the main idea.
  • Chronological structure: All data is presented in chronological order.
  • Cause and effect structure: A fact is exposed, followed by its effect or consequence.
  • Problem-solution structure: A problem is presented first, and then its solution is explained.
  • Enumerative structure: It details a series of characteristics that describe an event, object, or phenomenon.

The Expository Language:

It should be clear, accurate, and appropriate to the topic. Its most characteristic features are:

  • Words are used with their literal meaning, ensuring that ideas are transmitted unequivocally and without ambiguity. Depending on the topic, technical terms may be more or less frequent.
  • Declarative sentences and verbs in the 3rd person predominate since this is a way to express a fact objectively. Sentences and paragraphs are linked by connectors of diverse meaning, such as: addition (and, also), explanation (that is, for example), distribution (first, on the other hand), opposition (but, however), and cause (because, since).