Text Features

1
Text Features

• 2A

2
Text features

• Are parts of books, magazines, etc. besides the
  main text.
• May include table of contents, introduction,
  charts, sidebars, foreword, timeline, afterword,
  etc.
• Are useful to the reader when he is trying to
  understand the main text a little better.
• Have a purpose!
• Your job is to determine that purpose! (to
  verify, support, or clarify meaning)

3
Table of Contents

• Is in the front of the book.
• Lists the chapters (or sections) in the order
  they appear.
• Usually indicates the main topic (if given a
  title).
• Your job will be to analyze what a chapter or
  section title might include.
• Example Page 155

4
Headings

• Are a short line of text that briefly describes
  the topic of material coming after it.
• Usually in bold
• Easy to spot
• Usually in informative writing
• Break up the text into smaller sections
• A reader can quickly skim headings and be able to
  determine information underneath them.
• Example Page 159

5
Introductory features

• Introduction a paragraph (or longer) that
  appears at the beginning of the main text.
• The general purpose of many introductions is to
  build the readers interest to read more.
• Forwards and prologues are two types of
  introductions.

6
Introductory features(cont.)

• Foreword a type of introduction to a book that
  is often written by someone other than the
  author.
• The purpose may be to give the author praise or
  to emphasize the authors qualifications as a
  writer.
• Prologue or Preface a type of introduction
  written by the author.
• The purpose may be to tell of an event that
  happened before the story begins, or it may give
  part of the story that occurs at or near the end
  of the story line.
• Example Page 162

7
Sidebar

• Is a short text written in addition to the main
  article.
• Relates to the main article in some way.
• Usually gives additional information about a
  specific detail mentioned in the article.
• Is often in a box placed beside a main article.
• Often verifies, supports, or clarifies something
  in the main article.
• Example Page 166

8
Reference features

• Are used when something needs further
  explanation.
• An asterisks() or dagger() sign may be used as
  a symbol to show a footnote or an endnote.
• Footnote a note or reference placed at the
  bottom of the page.
• Endnote a note or reference placed at the end
  of the document.

• Reasons for using footnotes or endnotes
• To give further information or instructions
• To comment on an idea in the text
• To define a word or term that may be unfamiliar
  to a reader
• To cite a source of information

9
Reference features(cont.)

• Bibliography a list of books, articles, etc.
  used as a reference for another document
• at the end of the article, essay, or research
  paper
• listed in alphabetical order
• The authors purpose is to give credit for the
  information he used and to verify from which
  sources the information was obtained.

10
Concluding features

• Afterword a commentary usually written by
  someone other than the author that comes after
  the authors text.
• Usually found in nonfiction writing
• Similar to a foreword
• Can comment either on the text or the author
• Purpose is to give a sense of closure.
• May answer common questions or may give
  additional resources for further research.
• When written by the author, he/she may explain
  underlying reasons for writing.

11
Concluding features(cont.)

• Epilogue a conclusion given at the end of a
  story that often tells what happens to the
  characters in the future.
• Usually found in after fictional stories / plays
• Often tells what happens to the characters
• Purpose is to give a sense of closure.
• May answer common questions.
• When written in a play, it may be a concluding
  speech given directly to the audience.

12
Graphic

• Is a photo, a design, or a display of data in the
  form of charts or graphs.
• Charts / Graphs
• Illustrations
• Diagrams
• Often used to support the text.

13
Graphic(cont.)
Graph Definition Looks Like
Line Graph A line graph uses points that are connected to show how the numbers change over TIME.
Bar Graph A bar graph uses bars to REPRESENT and COMPARE numbers.
Circle Graph A circle graph (pie chart/pie graph) uses parts of a circle to COMPARE PARTS OF A WHOLE or PERCENTAGES of different things.
Pictograph Similar to a bar graph but uses pictures instead of bars to represent a CERTAIN NUMBER of things (there will be an explanation regarding HOW MUCH a picture stands for) each pencil stands for 100 pencils I have loaned to students
14
Tips

• Pay more attention to the second part of each
  answer choice.

15
Possible test questions

• How would the sidebar support the information of
  the passage?
• How does the sidebar support the meaning of the
  passage?
• How will the inclusion of the sidebar support the
  meaning of the passage?
• How does the inclusion of the timeline support
  the meaning of the passage?
• Does the introduction support the meaning of the
  passage?
• Which conclusion is supported by information in
  the graph and the passage?

16
Possible test questions

• Under which suggestion in the passage does the
  above statement appropriately fit?
• Does the proposed afterword help to verify the
  information in the excerpt?
• Which statement below justifies the decision to
  include or not to include the information in the
  timeline?
• Which statement below justifies the authors
  decision to include or not to include the
  foreword?
• If presented as a sidebar to the passage, how
  would the chart support the message of the
  passage?

17
Words to know

• Demonstrates
• Proposes
• Compassionate
• Cautious
• Indicates
• Proposes
• Isolate
• Verify
• Compliance
• Clarifies

• Contradict
• Reveals
• Significant
• Elaborates
• Justifies
• Detracts
• Forthright
• Dominant
• Emphasize
• Illustrates

18
Mississippi SATP English II Revised Multiple
Choice Student Review Guide for
Vocabulary/Reading