CHAPTER I

(INTRODUCTION)

A.      BACKGROUND
          One type of text which is introduced in Senior High School is Discussion Text. One
type of the text which is well-known for undergraduate student, teachers, lecturer even
generals. Basically, Discussion Text is part of argumentative which have several difficulties
in conveying to students. To overcome those problems, the authors took the initiative to seek
as much information about Discussion Text and try to share the information generally for
students and specifically for English teachers.
          Discussion Text is identifiably by some of characteristics such as General Statement,
arguments and recommendation. The goal of Discussion Text is to discuss the problem in the
different overviews. As English learners, we have to know and understand about the genres.
By knowing this, we will able to analyze the text well.

B.       WRITTEN PURPOSE
This paper is purpose to: 

Inform the readers about Discussion Text.

Give further information about Discussion Text.
Give comprehension about Discussion Text functionally.
Inform the readers how to identify the characteristics of Discussion Text.
 CHAPTER II
(CONTENT)
DISCUSSION TEXT
A.  DEFINITION
            Discussion text is the text which served the information such as the opinion or public
view about the natural or social phenomena which is happened in the surrounding and
divided into the two different points of view, those are:
a.       The public view whose the arguments for
b.      The public view whose the arguments against
            Usually discussion text will be closed by the elaboration of writer’s own opinion
whose recommendation. Discussion is commonly found in philosophical, historic, and social
text.

B.  SOSIAL FUNCTION
            As one of the texts’ genre, Discussion Text has several purposes which are showed
the characteristic of discussion text itself. They are:
1.      To explore various perspectives before coming to an informed decision. So the
perspectives or opinion or views of publics will be discussed further in the text before those
perspectives become an informed decision.
2.      To present information and opinions about more than one side of an issue. Means that
the information or opinions be discuss in the different sides.

C.  GENERIC STRUCTURE
            Generic structure is one of item which is very important in the genre of the text.
Because generic structure is the identity of the text, so that we can analyze what kind of the
text we are reading of. The generic structures of discussion text are:
1.      Statement about an Issue
It is meant to orient the readers to be field or topic of hot issue to be discussed.
2.      Arguments or evidence for different points of view.
a.      Argument for
It is meant to expose some opinions that support the positive points of Information or opinion
or point of views.
b.      Argument against
It is meant to expose some opinions that are against or refuse some information, opinion, or
point of views for some reasons.
3.      Conclusion and recommendation
It contains very brief summary related to the issue and what is exposed in the arguments,
what to do about the issue.

D.  LANGUAGE FEATURES
1.      The use of Present Tense
2.      The use of Gerund as the subject
3.      The use of general nouns.
Example: alcohol, abortion, smoking, cloning, etc.
4.      The use of relating verbs.
Example: is, are, etc.
5.      The use of thinking verb
Example: think, feel, hope, believe, etc.
6.      The use of additive connectives.
Example: in addition, furthermore, besides, etc
7.      The use of contrastive connectives.
Example: although, even if, nevertheless, etc
8.      The use of causal connectives.
Example: because, because of, etc.
9.      The use of modalities.
Example: perhaps, must, should, etc.
10.  The use of adverb of manners.
Example: hopefully, deliberately, etc.
E.     EXAMPLES AND ANALYZING OF DISCUSSION TEXT
TEXT 1:
TV for Children
          Is TV good for children? It is not very wise to judge ‘good’ or ‘bad’, instead, some TV
programs have proved to be both positive and negative to children.
          All programs on TV are basically designed to entertain and give information to people.
And, it is taken for granted that watching TV has been one of daily activities for adults and
children. They help them relax and get to know about different news or information. They
also make them laugh because they are amusing.
          Many different programs have been to serve children good lessons through cartoon
films, games, music, sport, and local film series for children. For the purpose of giving
information and entertainment, TV stations serve different programs such as music, talk
show, report, news, films, etc., to adult people.
          Some programs, however, are sometimes about the exhibition of violence, sarcasm,
crimes, murder, etc. Although they are expected to give a lesson or information to people for
not doing so, they may also teach them, including children, to do so.
          Whatever the programs, two consequences will be the results: positive and negative
influence. Therefore, parents have to accompany their children in watching some programs
on TV, and never let then watch TV too much.
ANALYZING OF THE TEXT:
Ø  Statement about an issue is meant to orient the readers to be field or topic of hot issue to
be discussed. The topic of the text above is TV for children. This issue is taken to be
discussed as some TV programs have negatively influenced many children’s behaviors.
In the text: Is TV good for children?

Ø  Argument ‘for’ is meant to expose some opinions that support the programs on TV and to
expose what are the positive points of programs. They are to give information and
entertainment to people, which can help them relax in their leisure.
In the text: All programs on TV are basically designed to entertain and give information to
people.

Ø  Argument against is meant to expose some opinions that are against or refuse some of the
TV programs for some reasons. Some programs are considered to have influenced negatively
to people, especially children, especially those that are full of sarcasm, violence, etc.
In the text: Although they are expected to give a lesson or information to people for not doing
so, they may also teach them, including children, to do so.

Ø  Conclusion and recommendation contains very brief summary related to the issue and
what is exposed in the arguments, what to do about the issue. As TV programs can possibly
produce negative and positive influence to children, it is recommended that adults accompany
their children in watching some programs.
Ø  In the text: Therefore, parents have to accompany their children in watching some
programs on TV, and never let then watch TV too much.
QUESTIONS:
1.      What is the text tells about?
2.      How about the main idea of the second paragraph?
3.      They help them relax and get to know about different news or information. They also
make them laugh because they are amusing. (Paragraph 2)
The Bold typing is refer to?
4.      What kinds of good TV programs for children? (Paragraph 3)
5.      What is the purpose of TV stations serve different programs such as music, talk show,
report, news, films, to adult people? (Paragraph 3)
 CHAPTER III
(CLOSING)
A.    CONCLUSION
            From the detail explanation about the “Discussion Text” above, it able to conclude
that discussion text is the one of genre which included in argumentative. It purposed to
explore various perspectives before coming to an informed decision and present information
and opinions about more than one side of an issue. The generic structures are contains of
general statement of issue, arguments and conclusion of recommendation. Discussion text is
commonly found in philosophical, historic, and social text.

B.     SUGGESTION
            After we understand about Discussion Text, every student is hoped be able to
understand the point of the text and analyze it. Where are we finding the point of, what the
characteristics of, and etc. Obviously, this paper is far from a good paper because there were
still many shortages of this paper. Just because of that, we need your suggestion to make this
paper better and better again.