There are different forms of text depending on how the writing is and its purposes.
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The 12 types of texts (and their characteristics)
Many types of texts are part of everyday life due to their characteristics . Some of the most readable are texts belonging to the media, advertising texts or informative texts.
These and other texts are presented below, all with their particularities. In this article, the purpose of these has been prioritized when classifying them, although there are cases that require a special mention.
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1. Literary texts
Literary texts are linked to aesthetics . Its goal is to express ideas in an elegant way, seeking to convey meaning in a way that is not too obvious. In these texts, the use of different linguistic resources such as metaphors, metonymy or antithesis, as well as a wide vocabulary, is very relevant.
2. Administrative texts
Administrative texts are those relating to institutions . When a person must come into contact with an institution, it is necessary to refer to one of the administrative texts. Some examples are certificates, payment or collection letters, contracts, order letters, or memorandums. This type of text is characterized by its clarity and conciseness, avoiding all kinds of linguistic resources.
3. Legal texts
Legal texts are writings that fulfill legal functions . It is a type of administrative text, but they require a special mention due to their importance. Acts, regulations, jurisprudence or lawsuits are some of the types of texts that fall into this category. The writing must maintain any type of ambiguity so that the interpretation is clear and concise.
4. Novelistic texts
Novelistic texts aim to entertain . Its purpose is to cause pleasure through the description of some events that happen to the characters in the story. These texts generally have an open character, which is why they differ greatly from some previous texts. It can be freely mixed with elements belonging to other types of texts.
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5. Historical texts
Historical texts are intended to help interpret the past . These provide information that is valuable in order to represent a specific historical period. Biography, memoirs and letters are text types that represent this category. The reading must always consider the historical context in which the author wrote a historical text.
6. Scientific texts
Scientific texts contain formal and highly specialized language . Science has generated many fields of research that require specialized vocabulary. Thus, scientists familiar with this lexicon can communicate effectively, although these technical terms are not known by the majority of the population. There are, however, informative scientific texts, which use a more accessible language.
7. Humanist texts
Humanist texts deal with topics related to the human sciences . They are texts that are related to humanistic psychology, sociology, philosophy, politics, etc. These types of texts are often difficult to objectify. The authors reflect to a lesser or greater degree their opinion regarding the issue with which they are dealing.
8. Informative texts
Informative texts have the function of announcing . They do it in a very objective way, and that is that it should not give rise to ambiguities or possible erroneous interpretations. It is about disseminating some type of information efficiently. The instructions of some device, the announcements or the prospectuses of the medicines are some of the examples of these types of text.
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9. Journalistic texts
Journalistic texts have the function of informing or generating opinion . They can therefore be more or less informative. The topics they address can be very varied, from economics to sports, and in general they generate an interest in the population. The chronicle, the news, the opinion column or the criticism are some of the examples of journalistic texts.
10. Advertising texts
Advertising texts aim to persuade people to buy something . They generally respond to economic interests, and seek to ensure that whoever reads them considers that what they advertise is important. In this way they can influence people and increase the sales of a product. These texts are often combined with attractive images and colors and do not follow any written rules.
11. Digital texts
Digital texts are types of texts with special characteristics . In this case they do not differ by their purpose, but by their form. These are texts that appear written in digital support, so no type of physical support is necessary beyond a screen. Nowadays they have expanded a lot, and everyone can access written texts through their laptop, smartphone, etc.
12. Directive texts
Directive texts aim to instruct on how something should be done . These are writings that give instructions, such as the instruction manuals of some appliance. There are more and more examples, since today many services do not offer a person but a machine. It contains instructions that in the past were explained to us verbally.
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Bibliographic references
- Vine, M. (2001). How the written text is produced. Theory and practice. Bogotá: Open Classroom Collection.
- Travaglia, LC (2012). Aspects of research on textual typology. Journal of language studies, 20 (2), 361-387 .
- Van Dijk, T. (1983). The science of the text, Barcelona, Paidós.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.