There are four types of discourse: argumentation, narration, description, and exposition. Writers and speakers often use multiple types, each with different goals and characteristics. Argumentation aims to convince with logic, while persuasion aims to get the audience to act. Narration tells a story and appeals to emotions, while description uses senses to create imagery. Exposition informs and can use various tools, such as definition and comparison. Effective communication requires choosing the right style for the information to be conveyed.
There are traditionally four different types of discourse, namely argumentation, narration, description and exposition. Speech is generally intended to encompass almost any type of communication whether written or oral, and there are some cases where entire documents or speeches depend on just one style; most of the time though, authors, writers and speakers use two or more methods at the same time. Different types are usually better suited to different circumstances, and there are usually some pretty distinguishable characteristics of each. The goals also tend to be different. Most of the time writers and speakers will use whatever methods they deem most effective to get their points across and reach their intended audience.
argument
Argumentative writing or speaking is when the composer is attempting to convince an audience that his opinion is correct, typically by using logic and by appealing to the audience’s sense of reason. Almost anything can use this form, from essays and lectures to political sermons and speeches. In an argument, the writer or speaker begins with a thesis, which is a clear and explicit statement of beliefs or opinions. The evidence must therefore be presented in a clear and orderly manner. If a listener accepts the evidence, he should agree with the thesis.
In most cases argumentation is not the same as persuasion, although the two are commonly confused. The difference usually has to do with tactics, and many linguists see persuasion more as a matter of style and voice than actual speech level. Argument-based writers or speakers present evidence to get the audience to logically agree with their point of view on a given topic. Persuasion, however, is designed to get an audience to accept a particular point of view and actually act on that belief. For example, a successful argument might get the public to agree with a particular political candidate’s position on an issue, but successful persuasion should get the public to vote for that candidate.
Storytelling
The primary goal of fiction writing or speaking is usually to tell a story, often to make the audience feel differently about a certain topic. Narratives can take the form of a play, novel, folk tale, memoir, or myth. Things usually develop from the point of view of a single person or character and tend to be very descriptive. This type of communication usually appeals to the humanity of the audience, often drawing on easily recognizable common experiences or emotions, or describing circumstances that spark the imagination.
Description
When people use description, they generally rely on one or more of the five human senses to describe something in a way that becomes instantly memorable and recognizable. It is usually used to help the audience visualize people and places, but it can also put the audience in a particular mood or create a certain type of atmosphere. The writer or speaker uses nouns and adjectives to give readers and listeners a sense of what something is materially like.
exposure
The tool known as an “exposure” is designed to inform the public about a particular topic. There are several expository tools that writers and speakers can use, including definition, analysis, comparison and contrast, problem and solution, and cause and effect. There are many strengths and weaknesses associated with each type of exposure, and each type has an entirely different purpose. For example, giving someone the definition of a word provides one type of information, while comparing and contrasting two different opinions often paints a very different picture.
overlapping situations
Writing students are often assigned comprehensive papers or essays that focus on particular styles, and the same is often true in speech or oral presentation courses. In “real life,” however, it is usually quite rare to encounter a communication that falls into exactly one category. Writers, speakers, and authors often make use of all four types within their work and can actually skip back and forth quite a bit. In many cases the key to effective speech is the ability to choose the right method and style for any piece of information to be conveyed.
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