External Text Structure Text Features

External text structure * The way the editor or publisher has arranged and printed the piece of writing. * Knowing about external text structure helps you to understand what you are reading.

Why do we use external text structure? 1. Clarify Material 2. Give Extra Information 3. Show Detail 4. Emphasize Important Information 5. Make Information Easier to Understand

Types of external text structure * Italics * Boldface * Type set in color * Underlining * Indentation * Sidebars * Illustrations, Graphics, and Photographs * Headings and Subheadings * Infographics * Footnotes and Annotations

Italics Italics are slanted font and used to make a word or phrase stand out This is not happening again, Justin thought to himself.

Boldface Bold words informs the reader of important key words/vocabulary Example: Some parents encouraged their children to assimilate, which means to be absorbed into.

Type set in color Type set in color is used to make a word stand out

Underlining Underlining A line drawn underneath (especially under written matter)

Indentation To move text horizontally away from the left or right margin, setting it apart from surrounding text

Sidebars Sidebars are boxes of information that give extra information about a topic.

Illustrations An illustration is a visualization such as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work to better explain the text.

Graphics A graph is a visual representation of data or numbers.

Photographs A photograph is a real-life picture representing information from the text.

Headings A title at the head of a page or section of a book.

Subheading * A subheading is a secondary heading. * It’s a heading given to a smaller subsection within a larger piece of writing

Infographics * Information graphics or infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present information quickly and clearly. They can improve cognition by utilizing graphics to enhance the human visual system's ability to see patterns and trends.

Footnotes * Are notes placed at the bottom of a page. They cite references or comment on a designated part of the text above it.

Annotations * An annotation is metadata (e.g. a comment, explanation, presentational markup) attached to text, image, or other data. Often annotations refer to a specific part of the original data.

Credits * Information Adapted from Loudoun County Public Schools’ Power Point