
Text Models in the USA and The Netherlands
http://www.stc.org/confproceed/1996/PDFs/PG450453.PDF
Bulter, Willem J.
STC Proceedings
1996
Abstract:
Text models are handy tools for planning or recognizing the global structure of a text. In this
paper we compare a few modern communication
handbooks in the USA and The Netherlands as to
their treatment of text models. The Dutch “vaste
structure” may contribute to the tool kit of
American technical writers. After that we present a
short discussion of the characteristics of ideal text
models and their ideal users. The first text model in
history, the classical 'partes orationis,' and the
first text models for Environmental Impact
Statements from the 1970’s prove to possess a
series of deficiencies. We conclude our paper with
a proposed procedure for pretesting new text
models for new documents.