Study Island Video Study Island Video Sometimes a writer may include information that may not fit the main point of the passage. Therefore, it is.

Study Island Video

Sometimes a writer may include information that may not fit the main point of the passage. Therefore, it is important to know the difference between essential and nonessential information.

does not fit with the main point of the passage, or it just is not needed to understand the story or the instructions

makes you wonder why it is there includes exaggerations, stereotypes,

extra details, and sentences that are about the wrong topic

A stereotype is a simplified image or idea about a group of people, usually having to do with their race, gender, or religion. Stereotypes do not belong in informational texts because they are not facts and can be harmful. 

example: All people over the age of 40 are

forgetful.

An exaggeration states that something is better, worse, larger, more common, or more important than it actually is.Exaggerations do not belong in informational text because they are not based on fact.

example: My neighbor is the meanest lady in the

world.

makes sense of writing and fits with other sentences in the story or paragraph

must be relevant excludes exaggerations or stereotypes

Sample Question Don't Forget Your Murse!         A murse is a portmanteau (combination of two words) that means "a man's

purse." The purse has been around for a long time, and it was common for women and men to carry them. In fact, European, Russian, and Japanese men never really stopped using them. At the end of the 18th century, however, women were left holding the bags in the West. Dresses without pockets became popular. As a result, purses became even more necessary for women. But men rarely used purses anymore because a wallet or large travel bag suited their needs better. A purse was no longer an ideal size. However, like anything out of style, the man purse has made a serious comeback in the West. To meet and encourage demand, top designers (like Gucci and Kenneth Cole) are making murses for the male masses.        Businessmen like the murse because it's less formal and smaller than a briefcase. Backpacks are much more popular with men on college campuses, though. Paul Jenkins carries his murse to and from work every day: "I gotsta have my murse! I take public transportation into the city. The murse holds my wallet, keys, iPhone, and breath mints, which would otherwise weigh down my trouser pockets. There is also room for any paperwork that I need to bring home and my lunch."        Some women find the murse strange. However, the murse gives people the opportunity to rethink gender rules. "My kids tease me a lot, but the jokes make the murse that much more fun," Jenkins laughingly added. "In fact, I'm thinking of taking my murse with me the next time my wife and I go shopping. That way, I can ask her to hold it while I use the restroom or try something on. Maybe then, she'll realize how annoying that is."

Which sentence from the passage above is nonessential to the main idea? A. Businessmen like the murse because it's less formal and smaller than a

briefcase. B. Backpacks are much more popular with men on college campuses, though. C. However, the murse gives people the opportunity to rethink gender rules. D. At the end of the 18th century, however, women were left holding the bags in

the West. 

Explanation: Answer choice B is correct. This passage is about the murse. The sentence about backpacks does not belong because it has nothing at all to do with the topic.

Bias Video

A person is said to have a bias if the person has a strong feeling either for or against something. You might like German shepherds more than other kinds of dogs because your grandmother has one. In that case, you would have a bias in favor of German shepherds. Another person could have a bias against German shepherds because he was bitten by one.

Authors often have strong feelings about the subjects they write about. If they do, they might let their bias show, or they might try to sneak a little bias by you.

Dear Mayor Owen,

Last year our neighborhood was hit over and over again by robbers. Our neighbors' homes were broken into, and our own car was stolen! Police Chief Nee came herself to our neighborhood to reassure us that the police department was going to help us. Soon we had several police cars patrolling our neighborhood 24 hours a day. I would like to suggest that you issue a special recognition to our police department and Chief Nee.

Sincerely,Mr. Rex Harrison

Do you think the author of this letter is biased? Why has Mr. Harrison developed such a positive bias toward the

police department?

You should realize that Mr. Harrison has become a fan of the police department because it helped him and his neighbors when they were having a terrible problem with robberies in their neighborhood.

Stereotypes are widely held beliefs about certain groups of people. These beliefs are oversimplified, prejudiced, or false.

Anytime a whole group of people is said to have a certain quality or act a certain way, you can bet it is a stereotype.

"People in the South love fried chicken, cowboy hats, and country music.“

Jenna has blonde hair, so she must not be very smart

Men are strong and do all the work. Men are the “backbone.” Women aren't as smart as a man. Women can’t do as good of a job as a man. Girls are not good at sports. Guys are messy and unclean.

 In the locker hall, Jack yelled, "Hey, Andre!"     Andre looked back, walked over to Jack, and said, "What's up, man?!"     "Do you want to go to Randy's Donuts after school?" Jack asked. "I'm in the mood for a couple of apple fritters and glazed doughnuts."     "I can't say no to Randy's," said Andre. "I could go for a custard-filled doughnut and a cruller.Hopefully, Officer Dan and his police buddies saved us some."     Jack laughed and said, "No kidding. OK, meet me at my locker when school lets out."     "OK, dude," said Andre. "Later!"

Question: Which sentence from the story has an example of a stereotype?

I'm in the mood for a couple of apple fritters and glazed doughnuts.

Hopefully, Officer Dan and his police buddies saved us some.

OK, meet me at my locker when school lets out.

I could go for a custard-filled doughnut and a cruller.

An exaggeration states that something is better, worse, larger, more common, or more important than it actually is. Exaggerations do not belong in informational text because they are not based on fact.

example: My neighbor is the meanest lady in the

world. My four wheeler is so fast I could ride it in

the Indy 500

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Anytime a whole group of people is said to have a certain quality or act a certain way, you can bet it is a stereotype. Labeling people based on categories is human nature. However, the assumptions people make about individuals based on categories could be problematic. Take a look at the stereotypical assumptions below.

"People in the South love fried chicken, cowboy hats, and country music."

These stereotypes could be taken positively or negatively, so be careful about labeling individuals based on a common belief about a group. These stereotypes are certainly not true for each individual southerner. There are bound to be southerners who can't stand country music, cowboy hats, and/or fried chicken. To avoid stereotyping, use qualifying words like "some" or "many": "Many people in the South love fried chicken, cowboy hats, and country music."

"Jenna has blonde hair, so she must not be very smart."

This false belief labels all blondes as intellectually impaired. Hair color has nothing to do with brain function, and the stereotype does not take into account that Jenna is a straight-A student.

Example Passage Read the passage below and test your ability to identify

stereotypes.      In the locker hall, Jack yelled, "Hey, Andre!"

     Andre looked back, walked over to Jack, and said, "What's up, man?!"     "Do you want to go to Randy's Donuts after school?" Jack asked. "I'm in the mood for a couple of apple fritters and glazed doughnuts."     "I can't say no to Randy's," said Andre. "I could go for a custard-filled doughnut and a cruller.Hopefully, Officer Dan and his police buddies saved us some."     Jack laughed and said, "No kidding. OK, meet me at my locker when school lets out."     "OK, dude," said Andre. "Later!"

Question: Which sentence from the story has an example of a stereotype?

I'm in the mood for a couple of apple fritters and glazed doughnuts.

Hopefully, Officer Dan and his police buddies saved us some. OK, meet me at my locker when school lets out. I could go for a custard-filled doughnut and a cruller. Explanation: Answer choice B is correct. Many people believe

that all cops love doughnuts and frequent doughnut shops.Andre puts every police officer on the force into this category. However, there are bound to be some police officers who dislike doughnuts or choose to eat only healthy foods.

Comment on LessonCopyright © 2013 Study Island - All rights reserved.

Read carefully and remember that you need to be on the lookout for author's bias. Try thinking about these things as you read:

The Writer Find out what you can about the writer. Is there information that hints that the

writer might have a certain bias? For example, maybe the writer of an article criticizing the governor is planning to run against the governor in the next election.

The Reason Ask yourself the reason the piece was written. Is someone trying to influence you

to buy a product? To change your mind about something? To support a cause?

The Rest of the Story Before you make up your mind on any issue, make sure you've gathered all the

important information. Even if you disagree with someone, knowing the reasons for his or her position cannot hurt.

Example:

Dear Mayor Owen,

Last year our neighborhood was hit over and over again by robbers. Our neighbors' homes were broken into, and our own car was stolen! Police Chief Nee came herself to our neighborhood to reassure us that the police department was going to help us.Soon we had several police cars patrolling our neighborhood 24 hours a day. I would like to suggest that you issue a special recognition to our police department and Chief Nee.

Sincerely,Mr. Rex Harrison

Why has Mr. Harrison developed such a positive bias toward the police department?

You should realize that Mr. Harrison has become a fan of the police department because it helped him and his neighbors when they were having a terrible problem with robberies in their neighborhood.