Introduction

Relevance of the Topic

The study of Textual Resources: Message Composition is vital for the understanding and improvement of reading and text interpretation skills, fundamental competencies not only for the Portuguese discipline, but also for various other subjects and for life. This topic allows us to understand how ideas are organized and communicated through texts, offering the ability to discern between different argumentative, stylistic, and persuasive structures.

Contextualization

Within the Portuguese curriculum, the topic is located in the section of advanced studies of reading and text interpretation, after the study of basic language aspects and before the more in-depth analysis of literary genres and text types. Understanding message composition is an essential step for the development of more complex skills, such as rhetorical analysis and the production of coherent and cohesive argumentative texts.

Theoretical Development

Components

• Textual Resources: These are the tools that the author uses to structure and organize their message. They can include the use of titles, subtitles, paragraphs, clauses, connectors, graphics, images, etc. All these elements collaborate in the construction of meanings.

• Message Composition: Refers to the way in which textual resources are organized and structured throughout the text to achieve a certain communicative goal. Message composition can be linear, following a logical sequence, or non-linear, with a more complex organization of ideas. These assembly strategies may vary according to the textual genre and context.

• Coherence and cohesion: Are essential characteristics of a well-composed message. Coherence refers to the internal logic of the text, the relationships of meaning between ideas. Cohesion, on the other hand, refers to how the text 'sticks together', how its parts connect.

• Elements of a Text: Each text is composed of different elements that contribute to the effectiveness of message composition. These elements may include introduction, development, and conclusion (in argumentative texts), characters, settings, and plot (in literary texts), among others.

Key Terms

• Textual Structure: It is the way a text is organized into parts, sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses, words, and how these components interact with each other.

• Paragraph: It is the organizational unit of the text that gathers a set of ideas related to the same topic.

• Cohesion: It is the principle that ensures the unity and fluency of the text, ensuring that its parts are logically connected to each other.

• Coherence: It is the quality of the text that makes all its parts conform to each other, ensuring its understanding as a unified whole.

Examples and Cases

• Linear organization in argumentative texts: In these texts, the introduction-development-conclusion model is usually used, where the author presents the topic and their point of view (introduction), presents arguments that support their position (development), and finally, recapitulates the main idea and arguments (conclusion).

• Non-linearity in novels: In a novel, message composition can be more complex and non-linear, with the intercalation of different narratives, flashbacks, etc. This allows the author to create suspense, surprise the reader, and explore different perspectives on the plot.

• Use of graphics in scientific texts: In scientific articles, the inclusion of graphs, tables, and figures can be an important resource for message composition, as it helps in the visualization and understanding of the presented data. Graphics can be used to compare, contrast, or illustrate ideas.

Detailed Summary

Relevant Points

• Importance of Textual Resources: The importance of textual resources for the understanding and interpretation of a text was highlighted. These resources, which include titles, subtitles, paragraphs, clauses, connectors, graphics, images, among others, are auxiliary elements that have the role of organizing and structuring the ideas presented in the text.

• Message Composition: The importance of understanding how message composition is done in the text was emphasized, that is, how textual resources are organized to convey an idea or argument. This organization can be linear, following a logical sequence, or non-linear, with a more complex organization of ideas that requires more attention from the reader.

• Coherence and Cohesion: These two fundamental concepts were addressed prominently. Coherence refers to the internal logic of the text, the connection and interdependence of the ideas presented. Cohesion, on the other hand, refers to how the parts of the text relate, ensuring textual unity.

• Relevant Key Terms: The key terms of this topic were presented and explained, such as textual structure, paragraph, cohesion, and coherence, which are key concepts for understanding how message composition is done in texts.

• Examples and Cases: Several examples and practical cases were presented to illustrate the application of theoretical concepts. Examples of linear organization in argumentative texts, non-linearity in novels, and the use of graphics in scientific texts were highlighted.

Conclusions

• Understanding Textual Resources is essential: Without understanding textual resources and how they are used, it is impossible to make a deep and interpretative analysis of a text.

• Message Composition is a complex process: Message composition is not just the sequence of ideas in a text, but the strategic organization of these ideas to convey a specific message.

• Cohesion and Coherence are inseparable: Cohesion and coherence are two sides of the same coin regarding message composition. Both are essential for the text to be clear, logical, and easily understandable.

Suggested Exercises

1. Identification of Textual Resources: Ask students to select a text of their choice (e.g. newspaper article, short story, poem, instructional text) and identify the textual resources used in message composition.

2. Coherence and Cohesion Analysis: Provide students with a poorly constructed text, without cohesion and coherence, and ask them to perform an in-depth analysis, identifying where cohesion and coherence are lacking and proposing changes to correct the text.

3. Non-linear Message Composition: Ask students to write a short story or narrative with a non-linear message composition, using resources such as flashbacks, narration in first and third person, among others. Then, request an analysis between the message composition of the produced story and the message composition of a linear story, identifying their characteristics and effects on the reader.