{"id":24,"date":"2016-03-08T23:42:52","date_gmt":"2016-03-08T23:42:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/waymaker-level1-english\/?post_type=chapter&p=24"},"modified":"2016-08-12T17:35:09","modified_gmt":"2016-08-12T17:35:09","slug":"outcome-types-of-writing","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-college-composition\/chapter\/outcome-types-of-writing\/","title":{"raw":"Types of Reading Material","rendered":"Types of Reading Material"},"content":{"raw":"

Introduction<\/h2>\r\n
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Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n
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  • identify various forms of writing, from various sources<\/li>\r\n \t
  • identify distinguishing characteristics of journalism, literature, nonfiction, and academic texts<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWe love categorizing things, and defining items by their differences as much as their similarities. \u00a0Consider movie genres: when a friend asks you to go see the new horror movie, you know to expect something different than when you snuggle up for a romance with your significant other.\r\n\r\n\"Movie\u00a0vs.\u00a0\"Movie\r\n\r\nWe use genre<\/strong> to define types of writing, as well. \u00a0Knowing some of the basic differences between types of readings you'll complete in college, will help you know what to expect from the reading before you begin.\r\n\r\n
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    The Academic Style<\/h2>\r\nIn everyday life, what you read is usually written to grab your attention and get a message across quickly before you \"switch channels,\" so to speak. By contrast, academic texts often raise broad, abstract questions and are unconcerned about arriving at quick answers. For example, where a newspaper headline might say:\r\n

    \"Voters Ready for Tax & Spend, Claims Guru\"<\/strong><\/p>\r\nthe text, written by Richard Layard in the article \"The Secrets of Happiness,\" and published in The New Statesman<\/em>, actually says:\r\n

    \r\n

    \u2026taxation is one of the most important institutions we have for preserving a sensible balance between work and leisure [\u2026] I suspect that, in some almost unconscious way, the electorate now understands that the scramble to spend more money is partially self-defeating and that this explains why people are more favourable to public expenditure. But the time is ripe to make argument explicit.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\nThe headline makes its point quickly, but it says far less. It presents little basis for analysis and debate. You can agree or disagree, but you can't easily discuss the proposition. Layard carefully teases out a variety of issues, but the headline simplifies everything down to a well-established formula: free markets or public spending \u2013 which side are you on?\r\n\r\nUnlike general public debate, academic debate advances through finely-tuned language and disciplined methods of argument. The Layard paragraph may be a lot longer than the headline, but it is not \"wordy\" for the sake of it. It is very precisely argued; it would be quite difficult to cut out words without altering the meaning.\r\n

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    Academic writing<\/h3>\r\n
    \r\n\r\n\"PhotoAcademic writers use cautious, considered language in an effort to be as exact<\/i> as they can in their analysis. They try to say only<\/i> what they mean and what they think can be justified<\/i>. In daily life we cheerfully use language as a blunt instrument, to cudgel our way through the discussions that spring up around us. By contrast, academic writing uses language as a scalpel, to cut precisely between closely related arguments, so that they can be spread\u00a0apart and analyzed in detail. Learning how to read, think and write in this way is a central part of learning in college.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    What Academic Sources Look Like<\/h3>\r\nAcademic and specialist sources, such as the ones you have just considered, may have different purposes and contain different kinds of information but they all aim to present content in a clear way. This is why they all follow a clear and predictable structure.\r\n\r\nThe structure of each type of source depends on its purpose. For example, to help readers to find a specific term easily and quickly, dictionaries arrange words and their definitions in alphabetical order. Once readers understand the way the words are listed, looking up a word is not difficult.\r\n\r\nAcademic articles or book chapters also follow a clear and predictable structure. They normally contain an introduction, several paragraphs and a conclusion. Paragraphs may also be grouped into sections. This is their typical structure:\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_147\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"280\"]\"Five The typical structure of a journal article or a book chapter[\/caption]\r\n\r\nOther texts such as newspaper articles, web pages, and fact sheets are organized differently.\r\n\r\n
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    Distinguishing Features of Reading Types<\/h2>\r\nThe types of reading you do in college will depend on your major and your elective options. \u00a0It helps to be able to identify the type\u00a0of source you're being asked to read in each class. That way, you have some expectations about why you're reading it, what you should expect to learn from it, and how to read it effectively.\r\n

    Literature<\/h3>\r\nLiterature includes poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and drama.\r\n
    Primary goal: to entertain.<\/div>\r\n

    Distinguishing Features<\/h4>\r\n
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    • Artistic use of language<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Plot = action<\/li>\r\n \t
    • Characters<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_79\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"300\"]\"Line The dramatic arc that many fictional stories follow.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nWorks of fiction and drama usually follow a similar plot structure, called a dramatic arc<\/strong>. \"Exposition\" provides setting and background information. \u00a0\"Rising action\" is where the events of the story start to get complicated. \u00a0The \"climax\" is where the drama reaches its most dramatic moment. \u00a0\"Falling action\" then shows the fallout from the climax, and \"resolution\" (also known as a denoument<\/em>) is the closing action where the issues of the plot are fully resolved.\r\n

      Examples<\/h4>\r\n
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      • the Harry Potter<\/em> series of books, by J. K. Rowling<\/li>\r\n \t
      • the plays and sonnets by William Shakespeare<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

        Journalism<\/h3>\r\nJournalism\u00a0is news, usually focused on current events.\r\n
        Primary goal:\u00a0to inform.<\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\nBecause of this purpose, the writing is neutral<\/strong>: it shows no opinion, just\u00a0facts.\r\n

        Distinguishing Features<\/h4>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_75\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"254\"]\"Illustration The Inverted Pyramid structure of news articles[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe inverted pyramid<\/b> is a\u00a0metaphor used by journalists\u00a0to illustrate how many news articles are organized. Many blogs and editorials follow this structure, in addition to most\u00a0newspaper pieces.\r\n\r\nThis upside-down pyramid\u00a0consists of three parts. The widest part at the top represents the most substantial, interesting, and important information the writer means to convey, while the lower parts\u00a0illustrate that other material should follow in order of diminishing importance.\r\n\r\nThis format is useful\u00a0for two reasons. First, readers can leave the story at any point and understand it, even if they do not have all the details. Second, readers get a sense of how important different content is, depending on where it appears in the article.\r\n\r\nJournalism relies on research. They refer to sources by name, but don't have separate citations at the end of the piece.\r\n

        Examples<\/h4>\r\n
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        • articles from The New York Times<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
        • stories from the evening news<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nActor Dennis Franz gives a demonstration of pulling out the key features from a newspaper story in this video clip.\r\n