Text Structure EQ: How are different texts arranged? What signals should I watch for to differentiate between styles? REVISED: Allyson Cook THS 2014 October 2009 Pearl River County School District S. Baudoin

Texts have a structure… Texts (even the text in your science and social studies textbooks) have different organizational patterns. These organizational patterns are called text structures.

Signal Words Text structures can often be identified by certain signal words.

Description This structure resembles an outline. Each section opens with its main idea, then elaborates on it, sometimes dividing the elaboration into subsections. Questions to Consider: What are you describing? What are its qualities? Graphic Organizers Bubble Map

Description Signal Words above across along appears to be as in behind below beside between down in back of in front of looks like near on top of onto outside over such as to the right/left under

Example of Descriptive Text Structure "The crocodile is the master of deception in the water. It stalks its prey and then swiftly closes in for the kill.” A book may tell all about whales or describe what the geography is like in a particular region.

Sequential Order Texts that follow this structure tell the order in which steps in a process or series of events occur. Questions to Consider: What happened? What is the sequence of events? What are the substages? Graphic Organizers Flow Map Multi-flow Map Timeline

Sequential Order Signal Words after afterward as soon as before during finally first following immediately initally later meanwhile next not long after now on (date) preceding second soon then third today until when

Example of Sequential Order Text Structure "Archaeologists have helped us to understand that the evolution of the crocodile began with ...” A book about the American revolution might list the events leading to the war. In another book, steps involved in harvesting blue crabs might be told.

Compare and Contrast Texts that follow this structure tell about the differences and similarities of two or more objects, places, events or ideas by grouping their traits for comparison. Questions to Consider: What are the similar and different qualities of these things? What qualities of each thing correspond to one another? In what way? Graphic Organizers Double Bubble Map Venn Diagram

Compare and Contrast Signal Words although as well as as opposed to both but compared with different from either...or even though however instead of in common on the other hand otherwise similar to similarly still yet

Example of Compare/Contrast Text Structure "The power of the crocodile is like that of a monstrous machine. With one lunge it can destroy its prey and protect the kill from other predators.” A book about ancient Greece may explain how the Spartan women were different from the Athenian women.

Cause and Effect In texts that follow this structure, the reader is told the result of an event or occurrence and the reasons it happened. Questions to Consider: What are the causes and effects of this event? What might happen next? Graphic Organizers Multi-flow Map

Cause and Effect Signal Words accordingly as a result of because begins with consequently effects of finally first for this reason how to how if...then in order to is caused by leads/led to may be due to next so that steps involved therefore thus when...then

Example of Cause and Effect Text Structure "We observed the crocodile as it stalked a raccoon moving through the moonlight toward the edge of the water. As a result of a noise we made, the raccoon bolted...” Weather patterns could be given that explain why a big snowstorm occurred.

Problem-Solution The writer presents a problem then expounds upon possible solutions for that problem. Questions to Consider: What is the problem? What are the possible solutions? Which solution is best? How will you implement this solution? Graphic Organizers Circle Map Flow Map Multi-flow Map

Problem-Solution Signal Words the question is one answer is one reason for recommendations include because cause since therefore consequently as a result of this let to co so that nevertheless accordingly if . . . then thus

Example of Problem-Solution Text Structure "One problem to resolve in crocodile watching is transportation. How can an observer get close enough to watch without scaring it away or being attacked?” “One problem with the modern Olympics is that it has become very big and expensive to operate. ”

How to Find Text Structure As a class we will… Read examples of paragraphs that correspond to each text structure. Make an outline of the text to find how the text is structured. Examine topic sentences that clue the reader to a specific structure. Look for the signal words that are associated with each text structure. Highlight all the signal words in the text.