In short, it was concluded that writing is a way to produce language that comes from our thought in the written form. By using writing, we can share our idea,
feeling or anything that exist in our mind to the others.
2.2 Concept of Recount Text
According to Derewianka 1990, the focus of recount text is on the sequence of the events, all of which relate to a particular occasion. Recount text is one of the
texts that recalls and reconstructs events, experiences and achievements from the past in a logical sequence. All recounts reconstruct the past, but the purpose,
audience and focus will vary according to the form used.
Recounts generally follow similar structure, but the students should be guided by the purpose for an audience of their text in their use of the following structure:
1. Orientation The orientation provides all necessary background information to enable
the audience to make sense of the text. To ensure that the orientation is detailed and thorough, the wh- questions who, what, when, where, and why
are used. The author needs to gives information about what happened, who or what was involved, when and where the events occurred and why. An
awareness of audience and purpose will assist the writer in selecting the amount of detailed information needed.
2. Series of events Series of events relate to the set of what actually happened written
chronologically based on the ideas given in the orientation. It begins from the first event, followed by the second event to the last event. The number
of events depends on the creativity of the writer. Events should be selected carefully to provide the reader understanding of the topic. Students should
be prepared to discard events and details that are unimportant or uninteresting. A recount, in most cases, is more than a ‘shopping list’ of
every possible detail. Students should be guided to select only those events that are relevant and that can be expanded through the inclusion of specific
details. 3. Re-orientation optional
The final section concludes the recount by summarizing outcomes or results, evaluating the topic’s importance of offering personal comment or
opinion. It can be also look to the future by speculating about what might happen next. Nevertheless, not all of recount text was closed by re-
orientation. It is optional.
According to Derewianka 1990 quoted by Miranti 2008: 16, there are five types of recount text as follows:
1. Personal Recount It tells about activities whereas the writer or speaker involves or do by her
or himself e.g., oral anecdote, diary entry. This kind of recount uses the first pronouns e.g. I, we. Personal responses to the events can be
included, particularly at the end. Details are often chosen to add interest or humor. The following is the example of personal recount:
A Terrible Railway Station This morning with my hands full of bags, I went to the railway station to
catch my train at 10:00. I went there with a cab. To my surprise, when I just stepped my feet outside the cab, I could see a terrible huge crowd
inside the railway station. As soon as I got myself into the crowd, I could smell millions of odor smells that were really horrible. I could not help
myself to get rid of that because my hands were full with luggage. I just squeezed myself between two Chinese people and managed to pull myself
out of the crowd onto the bridge to the railway station. I was luck as I have booked the ticked to Alor Seter. So I did not bother to queue up for a
ticket. Taken from
http:www.text-types.com201103example-of-recount-terrible-railway.html
2. Factual Recount It records the particulars of an incident e.g. report of science experiment,
police report, news report, historical account. A factual recount is concerned with recalling events accurately. It can range from everyday
tasks such as school accident report to a formal, structured research tasks such as a historical recount. The emphasis is on using language that is
precise, factual, and detailed, so that the reader gains a complete picture of the event, experience or achievement.
This type uses the third person pronouns i.e. he, she, it and they. Details are usually selected to help the reader reconstruct the activity or incident
accurately. Sometimes the ending describes the outcomes of the activity e.g. science experiment. Details of time, place and manner may need to
be precisely stated e.g. at 2.45 pm., between Kartini street and Sudirman street, the man drove at 95 kmh. The passive voice may be used e.g. the
book was returned by him, it may be appropriate to include explanations and justifications. Here is the example of factual recount :
Bali Bomb The bomb, in the resort of Kuta, destroyed the Sari Club and a crowded
nightspot. Many people have fallen victims to this blast. Many of them were foreign tourists, especially from Australia. They were burner beyond
recognition. Some tourist who were at the scene of the blast said there were two explosions around the nightclub. One bomb had exploded
outside Paddy’s Bar before a Bar bomb hit the Sari Club which was located some meters away.
Hundred were injured in the explosion and about 220 Australians remain unaccounted for. The U.K. Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, said that 33
Britons were among those killed in the Bali attack. The Australian Primer Minister, John Howard, called its borders, saying it had been a problem
for a long time. Lists of missing people have been posted in Bali and official said that it
could take days to identity all the victims, some of whom were trapped in the Sari Club by a wall of flames. A notice board at the hospital in Bali
includes a section called “Unknown Identity” and detailed list on victims such as : “Young girl in intensive care, 11-14 years old, face burned,
income, Causation,” or “Girl in intensive care, about 5 years old, 130 cm, fair skin, Caucasian with reddish brown hair. She has a purplish belly
button ring.” Many embassies, including the British and the American, are advising
their people to cancel spending their planned holidays in Indonesia, and all U.S. citizens in the country have been told to leave including diplomats
and non-essential government staff. Taken from
http:type-of-text.blogspot.com201010contoh-recount-text-bomb-in-bali.html
3. Imaginative Recount Imaginative or literary recounts entertain the reader by recreating the
events of an imaginary world as though they are real. Emotive language, specific detail and first person narration are used to give the writing impact
and appeal. The following is the example of an imaginative recount: A Day in My Life without Feminism
To imagine a day in my life without feminism is nearly impossible. I was born in 1991, and by the time I became an adult, decades had already
passed since women in the United States gained their rights. I’ve been fortunate enough that I have not had to experience the full extent of the
oppression of women. I’m a very opinionated, outspoken woman, and if I did not have feminism, there would be many limitations on my means of
self expression. No female in this country would have any of the rights they have today.
As strong-willed as I am, I value my right to vote dearly. Not only am I pleased that I can vote, but also that I’m able to engage in serious political
conversations or run for a political office, if I’d like. If the Women’s Rights Movement had not occurred, I would not be eligible to vote or run
for office. Moreover, any opinions I may offer regarding politics would be instantly dismissed. I imagine that I would feel as if my government thinks
I am not important, which would likely cause me to rebel, after which I would be imprisoned, as so many women were.
Taken from
http:community.feministing.com20110913a-day-in-my-life-without-feminism
4. Procedural Recount A procedural recount records the steps taken in completing a task or
procedure. The use of technical terms, an accurate time sequence and first person narration I and we, give credibility to the information provided.
Examples include a flow chart of the actions required for making bread, a
story board of videotaped script or advertisement, the steps taken to solve mathematical problem. Here is the example of procedural recount:
Planting Beans We wanted to grow beans, so we went to the shop and bought a packet of
bean seeds. Then we brought them home and planted them in the garden. We watered them every few days and when they grew wee picked them.
Then we sent them to the fruit market. Someone bought them and took them home and ate them.
Taken from
http:www.linglit.tu-darmstadt.defileadminlinglitteichhs-reg-session3.pdf
5. Biographical Recount A biographical recount tells the story of person’s life by using third person
pronouns he, she and they. In the case of an autobiography, first person pronouns I, we are sometimes used. It is factually accurate and it records
specific names, times, places, and events. A purely factual, informative biography, however, would lack the appeal provided by personal responses
and memorable anecdotes. There is often an evaluation of the subject’s achievements in the final section. Here is the example of biographical
recount:
Biography of Marion Barber Marion Barber was born on June 9, 1983, and growing up in Minnesota.
He attended Wayzata High School in Minnesota, and excelled in football, baseball, and track. Then, he attended the University of Minnesota, where
he majored in Business Marketing. In his college football career, Marion Barber would earn myriad honors
and broke numerous records to boot. Marion Barber’s 3,276 yards and 14 100-yard rushing games ranked third in Minnesota Golden Gophers
history. Marion Barber hit the big time when the Dallas Cowboys selected him as
the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Fans with Dallas Cowboys tickets
watched Marion Barber emerge as a starter, rushing for 95 yards against the Seattle Seahawks and 127 yards against the Arizona Cardinals, which
was the first 100-yard rushing game of the season for the Dallas Cowboys. He and the Dallas Cowboys agreed to a six-year contract extension worth
45 million. His stats will continue to improve and impress his teammates, coaches, and fans with Dallas Cowboys tickets.
Taken from
http:understandingtext.blogspot.com201107example-of-recount-text-biohraphy-of.html
From five types of recount text above, the focus of the research is on personal recount since it was considerably suitable for Junior High School level and fit to
the recent Curriculum. In relation to this, the language features that are used in recount text can be described as follows:
1. Simple past tense is used in most recounts, but present tense may be used to create immediacy. For example in diary and journal. Future tense is
sometimes used in the conclusion of an imaginative or biographical recount to predict what might happen in the future, for example, “This
great football team will no doubt win many more tournaments”. 2. Subject-specific terms i.e., topography, economic, larva, etc. are used to
record facts and events accurately. They also add authenticity and credibility to the tone of writing.
3. Specific descriptive words i.e., the use of adjectives and adverbs help the audience visualize or imagine events. For instance, “The luxurious red car
moved very slowly”. In a factual recount or accident report, adjectives provide necessary detail for an accurate recount.
4. A range of conjunctions e.g., because, although, and, or is used to link clauses within sentences.
5. Time connectives or transition signals firstly, secondly, then, next, after, finally are used to link separate events or paragraphs into cohesive whole
text. 6. Passive voice is used, particularly in factual recounts, to give objectivity to
the text. For example, “The girl was hit by car”. 7. Adverbs yesterday, outside, slowly, quickly, etc. and adverbial phrases.
For instance, “In 1990, on top of the mountain”. Adverbs are used to indicate specific times and places.
8. Specific participants nouns and pronouns; i.e., Laguna Beach, Mr. John, Susi, etc..
Here is another example of personal recount text: Hi, every body. Let me tell you something. Last night I went to my neighbour’s
wedding party with my family. You know, it was the wedding party of my dad’s boss’ son.
Well, in the party I had rawon and sate madura. It’s really nice to have them in a traditional wedding like this one. Then I had, you know what, some dawet ayu.
After that, I sang for the happy couple. At about 09.15 we went home. We arrived home rather late. I felt really very
happy. Taken from from Bahasa Inggris Book for Junior high School
The general structure of the recount text above is as follows:
Orientation:
Hi, every body. Let me tell you something. Last night I went to my neighbour’s wedding party with my family. You know, it was the wedding
party of my dad’s boss’ son.
Series of events:
Event 1: Well, in the party I had rawon and sate madura. It’s really nice to have
them in a traditional wedding like this one. Event 2:
Then I had, you know what, some dawet ayu. Event 3:
After that, I sang for the happy couple. Event 4:
At about 09.15 we went home. We arrived home rather late .
Re-orientation:
I felt really very happy.
Apparently, recount text has some aspects of an essay such as introduction as seen in the orientation, supporting details reflected in the series of events, and then
conclusion as seen in re-orientation.
2.3 Concept of Effective Writing in Recount Text
