REFLECTION

Unit 1: An Introduction – Who Produced This Text, For Whom And Why?

In this topic, we have been exposed on how to identify ten areas to understand more about an article. The ten areas include the topic, the content, the sources, the audience, the rhetorical function, the purpose, perspective, positioning, the impact and the visual literacy. We also have been introduced with the way of looking or understanding particular article by not just focusing on the text, but also the word being used and the visual aid that being portrayed. It focusing more about the writer or producers of the text or article, the target readers and also the reason for come out with such topic.

For example, in this topic we have been exposed with an article, entitled “Convicted killer back at work”. As being explained and taught by our lecturer, Sir Humamuddin bin Abu Samah (Sir Humam), we have identified that in this article, the writer is Lucie Morris and the article is taken from a daily newspaper in London, as stated in the article.

Besides that, the article is intended to readers who want to know about current issues. Also, the non-specialist audience base on the word being used as it does not using any specific terminology. Basically, this article is designed to give information and also to warn the reader about a convicted killer back on duty, which is a nurse who was accused as a killer, released or set free by paying some amount of money then being accepted by British Health minister to work back in England.

As for my opinion, focusing on the writer, the readers and the reasons of the articles are the things mostly attract me to study this topic.

Apart from focusing on the article, in this topic we also had been taught on the factual writing and the rules and regulations of both speech and writing. In factual writing, Martin, J R (1987) explores the relationship between the function and form of different type of writing. The chapter focuses on forms of factual writing like description, recount, procedure and report in writing to illustrate the link between form and purpose.

In rules and regulations, Fowler, Roger and Kress, Gunther (1979) show how common the text can control and manipulate readers in their beliefs and actions.

In the early stage of this topic, it is actually difficult to determine the reason for the article is written. As we go deeper on discussing together in the class about the topic, it was getting clearer. Besides that, it can also be concluded that in factual writing and rules and regulations, it’s a bit difficult to understand because the explanation are using higher educational words. But in the end, with help of the lecturer, we finally understand about the topic.