This document summarizes three examples of factual writing:
1. A step-by-step guide for making a friendship bracelet found in a craft book or girl's magazine. It uses diagrams and minimal text with bold numbering to clearly explain the process.
2. A flyer for a museum party that informs people of dates, times, prices, and music lineup. It uses a stylized digital image and lists information in varying font sizes and a bullet point format for clarity.
3. A passage from a history textbook about Alexander the Great, using images and captions to supplement in-depth textual analysis formatted into paragraphs with bolded keywords. It aims to provide reliable information through multiple sources.
1. Task1.
For the purpose of this first source I have looked at a
step by step instruction guide for people to follow
resulting in a friendship bracelet. That could be found
as a part of an insert into a girl’s magazine such as
‘girl talk’ or within a craft text book full of other
examples of similar content. Combined with a
minimum amount of text diagrams have
accompanied these to help explain and demonstrate
the process, that suggest the idea of them been hand
drawn showing the intricate details to suit the
traditional look. Within these diagrams they have
clearly colour coded each of the strings to help to
visualise this. The choices of colours aresimplistic and
muted that aren’t too blatant to suit any age and
gender and fit with the traditional house style. As
well as thorough the diagrams the colours have
influenced the rest of the content for numbering and
borders of a similar colour palette and are of a pastel
nature that all have calming connotations. The text
itself is very minimal including the most important
facts, addressing the audience and getting straight to
the point with straight forward demands. Bolding the
numbers within the boarder helps to make the text
stand out and is simpler to understand the step by
step diagram that is presented to the reader,
combining both the text and images seamlessly together. As well as this it is important to look at the
text, which draws in audiences numbering each step in larger text to stand out from the main body
of text, as using this type of layout and scattering the instructions makes it a little more complex to
read through as it isn’t set out in columns and instead this box technique which complements the
arts and crafts look that has been achieved. When looking at the writing of this factual source I
would say that it has a sense of clarity and accuracy in way that the text has been formatted using
clear instructions, and making it easy to understand with the combination of using a diagram to as
well as numbering the steps also clarifies this to. Another exampleusing conscience information that
has been selected using key words making it appropriate for anyone to read. This step-bystepinstruction also avoids ambiguity as vagueness and uncertainty can’t be allowed when giving out
clear instructions such language like ‘now’, ‘start’ seen as demanding words. As it wouldn’t found
within a newspaper or as a part of an article there is no form of bias, which could be applied. The
register uses formal language which gets straight to the point, the fact it uses short snappy
sentences gets to the point and makes it appropriate reading for any age. When looking at some of
the other techniques that aren’t relevant evidencing of argument isn’t relevant to this content as
there is no real bias and so there I no reason to show explain your side of the story and referencing
sources as there is no need to research or get information from other sources. Similarly legal
constraints and codes of practice are not relevant
2. Task1.
For my second source I have looked at another form of
factual writing that’s main purpose is to inform the
reader of this official party museum with dates, times,
prices and the line-up. That could be found being
handed out or online around the social media sites
appealing to the open marker for both male and
females of all ages. When looking at the design behind
the flyer theIllustrations are an important part of
drawing the attention of the reader and making it look
more visually appealing and interesting to audiences.
The image created have been editing digitally which will
appeal to the younger audience interested in music
which helps to achieve this stencilled traditional look
which fits in with the ideas them stem from museum
and history. That also contrasts well against the black
background which is used throughout proving striking
to the eye against not only the image but the text to.
Colour palette itself uses a combination of both the
bright for mainly the text and copy with the dark and
duller colours used for the purpose of the background.
There is also a specific format to the layout starting
from the top of the page using a bold font which is
purposely larger to help grab the attention of the
audience. Then looking down from this some of the
other important information such as the dates times
and places are placed a line down but in a smaller font and then from this the music line up has been
formatted into this formal layout all in specific horizontal lines which is then in a similar but smaller
font, and also help to frame the image as the text fall around it. In order to communicate effectively
there are some key factors that can be addressed here you can see from this source that is has a
sense of clarity within it as the fact they have staggered the text in list format makes it clear and
easy to understand suitable for all ages and reading development, making sure it’s just the key
information is used no sentences and instead all in a bullet point fashion also known as conciseness.
Similarly accuracy fits into the same bracket as there is no false information been given here as the
truth is of most importance as the purpose of this flyer is to inform people about this event with
dates times and places otherwise this source would become unreliable.An example of avoiding
ambiguity could be down to the second main line of text where the words ‘2008 I 03 I 25 I TUES
9PM-5AM I’ have been presented in short hand direct way providing other to room for
interpretation without words like maybe possibly or might. When looking at the biasand evidencing
of argument to this source there is no other resources that have been taken meaning there is no
need for referencing source unless you look at the headings that have been provided making the
information clearer to understand and splits it up ‘music by’ and ‘live performances by’ but there are
no two sides to the story for this piece of factual writing and so can’t be relatable expect for the fact
that they are promoting this event. When looking at the register it would seem the language takes
3. more of an informal approach to appeal to the younger generation that would attend these events
for example the brief style used throughout and incorporating brackets as another way to present
the information in a short hand fashion.Just like the first source legal constraints and codes of
practise cannot be linked in as there are no real ideas or issues that they are challenging which could
be seen as controversial.
4. Task1.
My third example of factual writing has been taken
from the insert of a historical text book based around
Alexander The Great. Which could be appropriate for
those in education for example possibly degree and
university level, and so can be students from any age.
As well as that there it could be found in a part of a
newspaper insert as incorporating other sources
helps to back up your opinion and make it sound a lot
stronger, therefore something like this would be
useful. It could also be incorporated into some of the
new media resources for example as a part of a blog
post or online newspaper. As developments are still
being made as things become more interactive
online. For the purpose of this example the
illustrations are of less importance as the ratio is
swayed more text to images, and so theimages help
to split up the text making it a little more visually
appealing. They are also seen as a way to back up the
information that has been give as another source,
both very traditional images relating to the topic and
are original black and white that also suggests this
idea of age. When looking at the typography just like
the images the layout is plain and simplistic with
black text and a white background which works most effectively when there is a lot of text and
information which is of most importance as something to patterned would become difficult to
understand and also reflecting the house style of many text books and informative books. To
highlight some of the key words whether it be a name or a place bold and italics have also been used
to emphases these points future. Underneath each of the photographs they have used captions to
explain each image and to fit in with the main body of text there has also been a title used to the
bottom of the page to get to the point and make the reader aware of the content to this page in a
serif font which fits with the traditional look that has been portrayed throughout. When considering
what makes effective communication it is important to look some of these key things. Such as clarity
because even though the work isn’t short snappy and to the point the purpose is to provide in depth
analysis and information. The set out also helps this to because splitting it into smaller paragraphs
helps to order the text also helping to make it as concise as possible. The accuracy of this source is
also important as it is seem as a reliable source for people to use. the fact they have backed there
facts with other sources makes the reader believe it more and becomes more trustworthy. As the
factual piece of writing is telling a story there is no real room for vagueness or uncertainty as
throughout the article the story is simply being told word for word. And if there was any sense of
this it would have been within the story itself. When telling the story of alexander the great there
could be seen as a sense of bias by the way the story is being told and put across to the audience
however there is no second opinion or view to rival this therefore this side of the story is being
favoured more. When looking at the register and the tone to the text there is an element of formal
5. language towards to fit with the house style of a text book and the sort of image that they portray
and the fact that this would be targeted at student possibly at university the language will be of a
formal nature. The evidence of the argument is backed up by the use of quotations from the book
with slices of the text which was spoken as well as the images to show photograph evidence of this.