Non-Fiction Text Types

Section 1: What are Non-Fiction Text Types

• Non-fiction text types refer to written materials or texts that provide factual, real-world information.
• Unlike fiction, non-fiction relies on facts and realism rather than imagination or creativity.

Section 2: Types of Non-Fiction Texts

• Articles: Often found in newspapers, magazines, websites, these texts typically cover topics of interest to the audience of that publication.
• Editorials: A type of article featuring the personal perspective or opinion of an editor on a specific topic or event.
• Letters: Can be personal, business or official letters. Often examined for their structure, formality, and purpose.
• Speeches: Can be political, persuasive or informative. Analysed for their rhetorical techniques.
• Biographies and Autobiographies: Life stories written either by the individual themselves (autobiography), or by someone else (biography).
• Essays: A short piece of writing on a particular subject or argument, commonly found in educational publications.

Section 3: Key Features of Non-Fiction Texts

• Accuracy: Non-fiction texts must contain accurate and reliable information as they’re based on real-world events and facts.
• Objectivity and Subjectivity: Some non-fiction texts, like reports and informational articles aim for objectivity, while others, like opinion editorials, embody subjectivity.
• Use of Data and Evidence: To support their information or arguments, non-fiction texts frequently use statistics, quotes, studies and other forms of data.
• Structure: Non-fiction texts usually follow a structure that supports the information or arguments being made.

Section 4: Key Skills needed to Analyse Non-Fiction

• Comprehension: To understand the main ideas, context and themes in the text.
• Critical Analysis: To examine the effectiveness of the text, dissect its arguments and assess its objectivity or bias.
• Interpretation: To draw conclusions from the text, understand the author’s perspective, identify the mood or tone and understand the text’s greater implications.
• Evaluation: To form an opinion on the text, judge its effectiveness, and consider its impact on the target audience.

Section 5: Techniques used in Non-Fiction

• Rhetorical Devices: Techniques used to persuade the reader, such as language choice, anecdotes, repetition, rhetorical questions, irony, etc.
• Structural Techniques: Techniques related to the structuring of the text, such as subheadings, bullet points, paragraphs, etc, to enhance readability and accessibility.
• Presentational Devices: Visual elements used e.g., graphs, photos, that support the text’s key ideas.

Remember, non-fiction is a broad category, and it’s vital to practise analysing different types of non-fiction texts. This will help you better understand how the structure, style, tone, and use of language vary depending on the text purpose and target audience.