Understanding Structural Features of Informational and Technical Materials

Understand and analyze the differences in structure and purpose between various categories of informational materials (such as textbooks, newspapers, and instructional or technical manuals).

Created by Mrs. J. Miller

Understanding Author’s Purpose is as easy as PIE!

Understanding Author’s Purpose

Click here to read a short example of persuasive writing.

Understanding Author’s Purpose

Click here to read some informational text about the Olympics.

Understanding Author’s Purpose

Click here to read an entertaining story.

Advertisements

• Purpose: Persuade you to do, buy, or believe something

• Read advertisements carefully!

• Talk to others who have used the product to determine if it is something you really want/need

Let’s discuss some of the different types of informational text…

These materials can be found in the reference section of a library.

EncyclopediasContains summaries of information about various topics

Large span of information covered

Information comes from several DIFFERENT YEARS

Used to be published in large volumes, but has now moved to the internet.

Click here to view the Britannica Encyclopedia for Kids

Almanac

• Contains information from only the CURRENT YEAR

• Published annually

• Covers facts about art, weather, museums, sports, nations, U.S. history, etc.

• Doesn’t cover as much information as the encyclopedia

• Still in print, but also online

Click here to view sample pages of The World Almanac for KidsScroll halfway down the page and find “Sample Pages”.

Biography

A true story about someone’s life

Written by someone other than the subject of the book

Click here to read a biography of LeBron James

Click here to read a biography of Nelson Mandela

Periodicals

• Informational material published at regular intervals

• Examples: Newspaper and magazines,

Click here to read the Post- Tribune online.

Click here to read the online version of Sports Illustrated for Kids

Editorials • Writing that is often published in the newspaper

• The writer shares his or her opinion about a particular topic

• Listed under the Opinion section of the newspaper

• Sometimes, editorials are in the form of cartoons

Click here to read some editorials from the Morning Sentinel.

Click here to view some editorial cartoons.

Reading technical material

• Multi-step instructions

• Must read carefully.

• Read the instructions multiple times.

• Read all the way through, and then “read a little, do a little, read a little, do a little.”

Click here to view instructions for building legos.

Click here to view a recipe for Snicker Carmel Apple Pie.

Understanding a Bibliography

What is a bibliography?

Sometimes called the “Works Cited” page

Page(s) that show where information was gotten when research is done for a book or report

Lists encyclopedias, journals, websites, magazines, books, etc. that were used when gathering information.

Without a bibliography, your work is considered plagiarized.

Plagiarism means that you are stealing someone else’s work or ideas without giving him or her credit.

The bibliography page gives credit to whoever wrote the original information

The bibliography also allows others to view the original resources that were used to write a report or book

What’s included in the bibliography?

Name of the author (last name, first name)

Title of the book or article

Title of the magazine or journal, encyclopedia, etc.

Company that published the book or the URL

The year the work was was published

The date the article was viewed (if it’s from the internet)

Click here to view a general guide to formatting a bibliography.