Non-Fiction: Nonfiction & Text Structures English 10

Common Forms of Nonfiction Letters and Journals/Diaries Contains personal thoughts and reflections Biographies The life story of someone written by another person Autobiographies The writer’s account of his/her own life Memoirs The writer’s record of experiences of his/her own life Informational/Website Recently recognized as Nonfiction, these websites provide facts about a variety of topics, usually in an unbiased way Speeches Usually given by reputable experts of famous people

Definition of Nonfiction Nonfiction is… Text that is not fictional, designed primarily to explain, argue, instruct or describe, rather than entertain. For the most part, its emphasis is factual Usually based on real facts and information about people, places, ideas, and experiences

Five Main Purposes of Nonfiction are… To entertain To inform or explain To reflect To describe To persuade

Non-Fiction Text Structures 1. Description or Listing 2. Sequence (Time Order or Chronological) 3. Compare and Contrast 4. Cause and Effect 5. Problem and Solution/Question and Answer

Description or Listing Provides information, such as facts and characteristics about a subject, event, person, or concept; most common pattern found in textbooks Transitions: First, second, etc Above, at, below For example, for instance In addition, moreover Furthermore In other words Finally, during, after Detail Detail Main Idea/Topic Detail Detail

Sequence or Time Order (Chronological) Transitions First, second, etc Next, again Primarily, finally Additionally First and foremost The former, the latter Shows a series of events that take place in time order; traces the sequence or the steps in the process

Compare and Contrast Delineates the similarities and/or differences between two or more subjects HOW TO DO IT: First compare; then contrast (or vice versa – depending on what point you want to make) First write about one idea, then another, and compare and contrast within those ideas Write only about the comparable and contrastable elements of each idea Only compare or only contrast Signal Words: On the other hand, although, but, likewise, both

Cause and Effect Shows why something exists or is in place, to tell what happens as the result of an action or actions, to show how one or more causes led to one or more effects Signal Words: Because Thus For this reason In order to If…then CAUSE EFFECT

Problem and Solution/ Question and Answer Shows a problem or question and offers a solution or answer to an issue A problem can be between individuals or groups, or it might be with something that is going on in the world. A problem might even occur with just one person Signal Words: The problem Resolved The solution Problem Solution