Informational Text Notes Monday, January 17, 2011
Feb 23, 2016
Informational Text Notes
Monday, January 17, 2011
Why do authors write? What are their purposes?
• To inform/ to explain/ to describe: to convey nonbiased information to people
• To persuade: to convince someone of something; information typically biased and one-sided
• To entertain: to write in order for the writing to be enjoyed by people (poems, short stories, novels, comic books, etc.)
Public Documents
• Governmental documents issued for public knowledge
• Court records, land deeds, birth & death certificates, marriage licenses, professional & business licenses, criminal records, library cards, etc.
Workplace Documents
• Documents used at work
• Communication: those used for communication – e-mails, memos, reports (let employees know what’s going on)
• Instruction: those used to teach employees – employee manuals
Consumer Documents
• Documents used by consumers - Consumers buy two things: goods (stuff) & services (help)
Consumer Documents (cont.)
• Different types:– Product Information: tells what something does– Contract: tells what services are provided– Warranty: spells out what happens if something
doesn’t work– Instruction Manual: how to set up/ work
something– Technical Directions: precise info. about assembly
& other devices
Narrative vs. Informational
• Remember:– Narrative: tells a story – can be fiction – Informational: explains something that is true
Tips for Reading Info. Texts
• 1. Numbered Steps:– Pay attention to numbered steps! Don’t do step
#5 before step #2.
• 2. Headings & Subheadings: – Pay attention to these! They indicate that there is
a new topic.
• 3. Boldface/ Italics:– Pay attention! They indicate there is something
important!
BOLDFACE
ITALICS
• 4. Graphics & Captions:– Pay attention! These give you extra information!
• Comparison/ Contrast Words:– Pay attention! These help indicate if the author is
talking about similarities (comparison) or differences (contrast).
– Compare Words/ Phrases: similar, as, same, in the same way, both, most important, have in common, the same as, similarly, as well as
– Contrast Words/ Phrases: although, yet, whereas, however, but, while, differ, instead, unless, unlike, on the contrary, contrary to, even though, on the other hand, the reverse
• 6. Cause & Effect Key Words:– Pay attention! These help indicate if the author is
talking about cause/ effect situations.
– Key Words/ Phrases: because, so, so that, if…then, consequently, thus, since, for, for this reason, as a result of, therefore, due to, this is how, nevertheless, accordingly