Informational Text

source

a book, article, person, or other resource consulted for information

primary source

a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study

secondary source

a document or written work created after an event

informational text

a nonfiction text, written to share factual information

citation

a notation, inserted into the text of an essay that refers to a source for the evidence used

opinion

a personal belief or view about something

thesis statement

a short statement, usually one sentence in the introduction, that summarizes the main point or claim of an essay and is developed, supported, and explained in the text by means of examples and evidence

fact

a statement that can be proved

description text structure

a topic, idea, person, place, or thing explained by its features, characteristics, or examples

credible

believable; reliable; trustworthy

sequence text structure

describes events in chronological order or tells the steps to follow to do or make something

compare and contrast text structure

explains how two or more things are alike and/or how they are different

text features

features such as headings, subheadings, pictures, captions, bold words, graphs, charts, diagrams, tables of contents, index that help a reader find important information

cause-effect text structure

first presents an action, and then describes the effects that result (or may result) from that action

supporting details

in the essay, these are facts or details that help develop and support the central idea or topic

problem solution text structure

presents a problem or question, and then responds with a solution or answer

expert opinion

recommendations of individuals who have expertise in a particular area

text structure

the author's method of organizing text

evidence

the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid

central idea

the main idea of a text

plagiarism

the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own

author's purpose

the reason the author has for writing: inform, persuade, and entertain

paraphrase

to restate in other words

signal words

transition words in an essay that alert the reader to a change in tone, direction, section, or category.

nonfiction text

writing that is factual