Introduction

Relevance of the Theme

Narrative Typology: News and Report are fundamental components of our daily lives. Through journalism, we are informed about ongoing events, social and political issues, and even profound insights about humanity. Mastering the understanding of the structures and elements of these two textual genres helps us become better communicators and more informed citizens.

Contextualization

In the universe of the Portuguese language, narrative typology is one of the most vital tools for human expression. It is the art of storytelling, of capturing the richness of human experience. News and report are subgenres that sit within this vast world. In the 7th year of Elementary School, as we deepen our appreciation and understanding of these subgenres, we are structuring a foundation for future studies in the Humanities field, as well as in the development of critical and analytical skills present in various disciplines. In this context, the importance of familiarizing oneself with the technical and structural aspects of news and report cannot be underestimated. Now, get ready to dive into the adventure of journalism!

Theoretical Development

Components

• Title: Identifies the focus of the news/report in a concise and attractive way. It should be catchy, but at the same time provide a clear view of the content. Remember, 'The art of the title is the art of attracting readers'.

• Lead: Here lies the essence, the core of the news/report. The lead (also known as lead or lead paragraph) answers the essential questions: what happened, where, when, how, and why. It serves as a 'hook' to engage the reader, creating interest and establishing context.

• Body: The core of the text, where facts are developed and perspectives are explored. Each paragraph should present additional information or support the previous statement, following a logical and coherent structure.

• Conclusion: Concludes the news/report, usually with a summary of key points or a statement that reinforces the text's focus. The conclusion should be timely and meet the expectations set by the lead.

• Additional Information: This is where additional or secondary details, which help contextualize the news, are included. It may contain statistical data, expert opinions, or historical information.

Key Terms

• Editorial: An article that expresses the official opinion of a newspaper on a specific subject. It differs from news and report as it does not need to be impartial.

• Source: The person, document, study, or any material that provides information for the construction of the news or report. Sources can be direct (an eyewitness account, for example) or indirect (a research report, for example).

• Inverted Pyramid: Method of organizing content where the most important aspects of the news (5Ws and 1H) are presented at the beginning of the text, and the less relevant ones at the end. Thus, if the end of the text needs to be cut, the crucial information will have already been conveyed.

Examples and Cases

• News: Can cover various subjects, from political events to movie releases. For example, a news article about a protest may have the title 'Protesters demand tax policy change' with a lead that starts with 'Hundreds of people gathered at Liberty Square today to protest against the current tax policy, calling for urgent reforms that benefit the working class...'.

• Reports: Are more in-depth, explore nuances of the topic, and may have a more subjective perspective. A report on the situation of refugees, for example, may have the title 'Refugees in Syria: the challenges to start over' and a lead that starts with 'The war in Syria has already produced over 6 million refugees. After crossing borders, these individuals face a new battle: adapting to a new reality...'.

• Editorials: For example, an editorial on the recent pension reform may have the title 'Pension Reform: a necessary step for sustainability'. The conclusion may express the newspaper's position with a statement like 'Despite the controversies, the pension reform represents a fundamental step to ensure the system's sustainability'.

• Sources and Inverted Pyramid: Imagine a report on the legalization of marijuana. Sources may include the Ministry of Health, doctors, patients who use the substance, and security experts. The structure of the report should follow the inverted pyramid, with the lead presenting the central issue and the following paragraphs developing the arguments of the sources.

Detailed Summary

Relevant Points

• Narrative Typology: This theme covers the art of storytelling, an essential human skill that transforms events and ideas into coherent and meaningful narratives.

• Journalistic Genres: News and report are subgenres that make up the vast and dynamic world of narrative typology. Their analysis provides a critical understanding of journalism, its functions, and its impact on society.

• Components of News and Report: Each part of these textual genres plays a crucial role in constructing meaning and effectively communicating with the reader. The title, lead, body, conclusion, and additional information create a logical and coherent structure, making the news/report understandable and engaging.

• Key Terms: Concepts like editorial, source, and inverted pyramid are essential to understand the processes of production and reading of these genres.

Conclusions

• The Art of Journalism: The effectiveness of a news or report depends on the journalist's ability to structure, organize, and communicate information. The discussed components and key terms are the tools that allow journalists to perform this work masterfully.

• The Importance of News and Report: These genres are the backbone of the media industry and play a crucial role in disseminating information, shaping opinions, and strengthening democracy.

• Development of Skills: Deepening the understanding of news and report helps in developing critical, analytical, and writing expression skills, valuable competencies in all areas of life and study.

Suggested Exercises

1. Analyze and Classify: Give students a set of headlines and short texts and ask them to identify the components of a news and a report in each. This will improve their ability to recognize and apply the concepts learned.

2. Write Your Own News and Report: Divide the class into groups and give each group a topic to research and write a news and a report. Then, ask the groups to exchange the texts and evaluate their accuracy and effectiveness. This allows students to directly apply the discussed principles.

3. Critical Reading: Provide students with a variety of texts (news, reports, and editorials) and ask them to read and make a critical analysis. This will improve their awareness of how these genres are used and manipulated in society.