Contextualization

The Portuguese discipline is rich and complex. During our classes, we study many aspects of language, from grammar and spelling to interpretation and text production. In this sense, textual organizers, the theme of our project, are extremely valuable tools for anyone who wishes to write clear, concise texts with excellent logical structure.

Textual organizers, also known as markers or signs of textual cohesion, are elements that guide the reader during reading, indicating the relationship between the ideas presented. They can be words, expressions, punctuation marks, among others, and have the function of ensuring the flow of ideas and the coherence of the text. They are like traffic signs on a road, indicating when we should stop, when we can proceed, or when a change of direction should occur.

To better understand, imagine yourself navigating a river in a boat. If the river is the text, textual organizers are like buoys that indicate the route, the obstacles to avoid, and the stopping points. Without these buoys, you can get lost, hit a rock, or go in the opposite direction of what you desire.

The ability to correctly use textual organizers is an essential skill not only for the production of academic texts and school essays, but also for written communication in professional and social contexts. They assist in clarity of thought, persuasion, and communication effectiveness.

In the world of work, for example, clarity and precision in written communication are fundamental to avoid misunderstandings and ensure the efficiency of operations. In journalistic texts, the correct use of textual organizers allows the reader to understand the main message and essential details of a news story. In literature, they help to build the plot and develop the narrative in a way that engages the reader.

Here are some resources to help you better understand this topic:

1. Textual Organizers: what they are and how to use them
2. Cohesion and Coherence
3. Video: Textual Cohesion - Markers and Connectors
4. Book: Introduction to Text Analysis, by Jean-Michel Adam

Practical Activity - "Textual Organizers in Practice"

Project Objective

The proposal is to work on the practice of textual organizers through the creation of a short story, a book review, or a scientific article. You, in groups of 3 to 5 students, should produce a text that uses textual organizers, demonstrating your ability to generate a coherent and cohesive discourse.

Detailed Project Description

Each group must choose between the three text options to write: short story, book review, or scientific article. The chosen text must contain at least 500 words and use textual organizers, highlighting the connection between ideas and the logical structure of the text.

Additionally, you will write a report on the use of textual organizers in the text you produced. In this report, you should highlight the organizers used, explain the function of each of them in the text, and reflect on how they contributed to the coherence of the work.

Necessary Materials

• Computer or paper and pen for writing the text.
• Books and/or articles that can serve as references for writing the text and the report.

Detailed Step-by-Step

1. Formation of groups and choice of the type of text to be written.
2. Study and analysis of textual organizers through the provided resources.
3. Text outline: Create a scheme with the main ideas of the text and how they will be connected by textual organizers.
4. Write the text following the outline.
5. Text revision: Check if all textual organizers are adequately placed and if the text is coherent and cohesive.
6. Write the report pointing out the textual organizers used and their function in the text.
7. Final revision of the text and the report.

Project Deliverables

• Written text: Must contain a minimum of 500 words and use textual organizers. The type of text to be written (short story, book review, or scientific article) must be informed at the beginning of the text.
• Report: Must follow the suggested structure, containing introduction, development, conclusions, and bibliography. In this report, students should indicate the textual organizers used in the produced text, explain the function of each of these elements in the text, and reflect on how these elements contributed to the coherence of the work.

Furthermore, students should contextualize in the introduction the relevance of textual organizers in the real world and the project's objective. In the development, they should explain the theory behind textual organizers, the activity in detail, the methodology used, and present and discuss the results obtained. In the conclusion, they should summarize the main points, explain the learnings obtained, and the conclusions drawn from the project. And finally, indicate in the bibliography the sources they relied on during the project execution.