8.8.d 8.8.F*

Elements of Informational Texts

Text features are parts of a text that are not included with the main body. There are several different types of text features that can be used in an informational passage to help readers gain more information or improve their understanding of the topic being described.

GUIDE READERS THROUGH TEXT

Some examples of features with this purpose are tables of contents, glossaries, and indexes.

Tables of contents come at the beginning of a book and list the different chapters or sections and where they begin and end.

Glossaries typically come at the end of a passage or book and will define words that were used throughout the text.

Indexes can also be found after the main text and will have a list of topics and where they are mentioned in the text.

PROVIDE BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Some examples of features with this purpose are introductions, forewords, and prefaces.

All three of these features come before the main body of text in an informational passage.

Forewords and prefaces are usually used before longer works, such as books.

They provide background information on the main topic of a text or explain how and why a book was developed

PROVIDE INFO / HELP READERS FIND INFO

Some examples of features with this purpose are titles, headings, and bold or italicized text.

Titles start an informational text and are usually in a larger font compared to the rest of the text. They help identify the main topic.

Headings help divide the text into different sections. Headings can tell readers the main idea of each section, which makes finding specific information in a text easier.

Using bolded or italicized type can draw attention to certain words in a text. This often indicates that they are vocabulary words or have some important meaning in the text.

CLARIFY MEANING THROUGH REPRESENTATIONS

Some examples of features with this purpose are diagrams, pictures/illustrations, and charts/graphs.

Diagrams can show how a process works or different parts of a whole.

Pictures and illustrations can show what places, people, or objects look like more clearly than a written description.

Charts and tables help authors organize information more clearly.

CITE OR REFERENCE OTHER TEXTS

Some examples of features with this purpose are citations, endnotes, and footnotes.

Citations can come in the body of the text or on a separate page after the body text. They reference the sources used by the author to support his or her points.

Footnotes and endnotes have two uses depending on the formatting style used in the paper. In some styles, they can be used to reference sources, but in others, they are used to provide explanatory notes. In text, they are denoted by a superscript number, like so¹.

Go to the next page to see another element of informational texts.

Elements of Informational Texts

Organizational patterns in informational texts refer to the structure of the text or how the ideas in the text are arranged. The way a text is organized helps support the author's purpose in writing the passage. Multiple organizational patterns may be used in one passage to help develop its thesis or controlling idea.

In a classification, or topical, organizational pattern, a main topic is divided into smaller subtopics or categories, and then the traits of each one are described.

In the compare-contrast organizational pattern, the similarities and differences between two or more items are described. A text can focus on comparison, contrast, or both.

In the chronological organizational pattern, ideas are organized as a progression of events from earliest to latest. As it usually focuses on a frame of time, many different topics or categories can be discussed using this pattern.

In the definition organizational pattern, a topic is introduced and then explained to readers. Informational texts with uncommon or unfamiliar terms are likely to use this organizational pattern.

In the problem-solution organizational pattern, a specific problem is described, and then current or potential solutions to the issue are explained.

COMBINING ORGANIZATIONAL PATTERNS

Using multiple organizational patterns can often help authors explain their positions more clearly or cover a topic more thoroughly / with greater complexity. This is also a way to cover more subtopics and subcategories that relate to a main subject.

Read the short paragraph below for an example of how different pieces of information can be organized:

Hydrangeas are flowering shrubs that bloom in the spring and summer. They are popular plants because of their colorful blooms. Hydrangeas are typically three colors: white, blue, and pink. Blue and pink hydrangeas change colors based on the pH levels of their soil. Blue hydrangeas grow in more acidic soil compared to pink hydrangeas. To turn pink hydrangeas blue, coffee grounds and orange peels can be added to the soil. To turn blue hydrangeas pink, add ground limestone to the soil.

Informational Text

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS): 8.8.d

analyze characteristics and structural elements of informational text, including:

the controlling idea or thesis with supporting evidence;

features such as footnotes, endnotes, and citations; and
multiple organizational patterns within a text to develop the thesis;

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS): 8.8.F*

analyze characteristics of multimodal and digital texts.