Informational Texts

FICTION Writing or story

created from the imagination, not presented as fact, though it may be based on a true story or situation.

Informational texts are NOT FICTION!

NONFICTION literature that

is not fictional (It is not made-

up)Examples:

biographies, autobiographies, etc.

What is an “informational text”?

Informational texts are nonfiction texts that explain or convey information. Some examples are: Textbooks Encyclopedias Newspapers Magazines Web sites pamphlets

Expository means…

a piece of writing that explains

To summarize:

Without looking at your paper, tell your partner two facts about informational texts.

Can you name this movie?

Raise your hand if you can name the title of this movie……

ATLAS

A collection of maps in book form

Examples of Informational Texts:

THESAURUS

A book of synonyms, sometimes including contrasting words

Examples of Informational Texts:

ALMANAC

A publication, usually an annual, containing useful facts and statistical information

Examples of Informational Texts:

You often use expository or informational texts for research.

A primary source is a document or object which was written or created during the time under study.

A secondary source is a secondhand account about people, even, topics or places. (examples: encyclopedia, textbook, biography)

Whenever you use information from a source, you must cite it.

A CITATION

is a reference to a work, such as a book or a journal article - it provides the necessary information needed to locate the work. A book citation provides the author, title, publisher, publication place, and year of a work.

Citations often appear at the end of the work in the form of a bibliography.

Features of Informational Texts

Can you name this famous voice?

Raise your hand if you can identify this voice!

The way you read informational texts is different from the way you read stories, poetry, etc.

You read fiction from beginning to end, focusing on the story, characters, setting, and meaning.

You read informational texts by focusing on the organizational structure to find specific information. Often, you do NOT read the text from beginning to end.

Features of Informational Texts

TEXTUAL FEATURES Headings Sub-headings Index Table of Contents Glossary Captions Topic/Main Idea Supporting Details

GRAPHIC FEATURES Diagrams Photos Illustrations Maps Charts/Tables

Headings and Sub-headings

Titles of sections using bold print, different font sizes and colors

These headings and sub-headings help to organize the text into sections

Features of Informational Texts

Summarizer:

What is an atlas used for? What is a thesaurus used for?

INDEX  an alphabetical list of

items (as topics or names) given at the end of a printed work that gives for each item the page number where it may be found

Features of Informational Texts

Use this to look up specific information!

Can you name this song?

Raise your hand if you can name this song!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A table of contents, usually headed simply "Contents," is a list of the parts of a book or document organized in the order in which the parts appear.

Use this when you are looking for broad topics

Features of Informational Texts

GLOSSARY a collection of

specialized terms with their meaning

Features of Informational Texts

The glossary is usually located in the back of the book. Use this to look updefinitions for words.

GRAPHIC FEATURES

 a graphic representation (as a picture, map, or graph) used especially for illustration

The Mona Lisa, by Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most recognizable artistic paintings in the Western world.

graphic feature

Features of Informational Texts

CAPTIONS

the heading especially of an article or document;  the explanatory comment or designation accompanying a pictorial illustration

Features of Informational Texts

The Mona Lisa, by Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most recognizable artistic paintings in the Western world.

caption

How informational texts are organized

Chronological/Sequential order

Enumeration/Description Comparison/contrast Cause/Effect

Chronological/Sequential Order

A main idea is supported by details that must be in a particular sequence

Signal words First Next Then Before After Finally Following

Enumeration/ Description

A major idea is supported by a list of details or examples

Signal Words For instance For example Such as To illustrate

Comparison/Contrast

The supporting details of two or more main ideas indicate how those concepts are similar or different.

Signal words Different from Same as Similar to As opposed to Instead of However Compared with

Cause & Effect The supporting

details give the causes of a main idea or the supporting details are the results produced by the main idea.

Signal Words Because of As a result of Due to Therefore Consequently For this reason thus

Think!

Which organizing structure would you use to tell about what you did this summer?

Can You Name this Movie?