Scientific, Technical, and Humanistic Texts: Key Features
Scientific and Technical Texts: Features, Linguistic Features, and Text Structures
Scientific papers report on research, studies, or expertise in the Natural Sciences. Technical texts arise when scientific knowledge is applied to the development of tools and technology.
Features
Scientific and technical texts have the following characteristics:
- A clear and logical organization with a coherent sequence of content.
- Information presented objectively, leading to verifiable conclusions.
- Short paragraphs and sentences.
- Support from graphics and artificial languages, such as mathematical signs.
Linguistic Features
The use of a specific lexicon, mostly known only by specialists, best distinguishes these texts.
Lexical Features
- Using a denotative vocabulary.
- Preference for semic mono words.
- Use of jargon specific to each area.
- Prevalence of concrete nouns.
Morphosyntactic Features
- Prevalence of present indicative verb forms.
- Postponed and specified adjectives.
- Abundance of passive sentences and passive periphrastic reflex.
- Abundance of impersonal sentences.
- Prevalence of declarative sentences and copulation.
- Presence of appositions, coordinated sentences, and subordinate explanatory adjectives.
Textual Structures
The innovative nature of scientific language encourages the constant creation of new terminology. Scientific texts often use the following resources in descriptions and explanations:
- Definition: Explains a concept with precision, making it easily recognizable and distinguishable.
- Classification: Groups beings or things according to shared characteristics, often used for enumeration.
- Comparison: Identifies similarities and differences between two objects. Modeling is often necessary to compare a concept or idea.
Humanistic Texts: Features, Linguistic Features, and Text Structures
The term humanities refers to everything concerning human beings, their intellectual aspects, training, and relationships. The human sciences and humanities subjects group diverse fields such as philosophy, psychology, and history.
Features
The following stand out in this type of text:
- Variety of contents and forms of textual organization.
- High degree of abstraction in the content, due to thought processes and conceptual reasoning.
- Presence of subjectivity in the contents and modes of development.
- The type of language used may be doctrinal or speculative.
- Job-exposure and argumentation as a form of utterance.
Linguistic Features
It is difficult to establish definitive linguistic characteristics. However, some common features can be found:
Lexical Features
- Usually use a connotative vocabulary, the first person, and personal style.
- Abstract vocabulary abounds, especially related to thoughts.
- Creation of specific technical terms, with synonyms.
- Adjectives may be specified or evaluative.
Morphosyntactic Features
- Syntactic broad periods.
- Abundance of sentence elements for clarification.
- Use of changed tenses.
Textual Structures
Humanistic content is usually part of academic and journalistic textual forms such as manuals, opinion pieces, or essays. Utterance forms typically include exposure and description. In humanistic texts, like scientific texts, the following explanatory resources are often used in describing:
- Definition
- Classification
- Comparison
Moreover, the essay, which is a humanistic textual form, intends to present the reader with various issues through reflection. Some of its main features are:
- Variety of themes.
- Free structure.
- Variable extension.
- Subjectivity.
- Range of tones.