Elements of textbooks
table of contents Show topics & how they are organized List major chapters, parts of a book with page numbers Helps the reader find specific parts of the book quickly & easily
preview Helps the reader look ahead Gives the reader key terms to know Helps the reader see what will be in the chapter
review To look back on
summaries Brief concise writing that tells the main points in few words
headings Creates an order, from broadest topic to the narrowest topic Lists BIG ideas in the textbook Goes from title to unit and chapter headings to part headings
column Any of the long sections of print lying side by side on a page and separated by a line or blank space
photos Used to make important points Adds interest Used to help find out what is in the chapter
Illustration(s) Used to make important points Adds interest Used to help find out what is in the chapter Used a great deal with political cartoons
caption Words under a picture, photo, or illustration Benjamin Franklin was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
subheadings Lists specific sections within a chapter
footnotes A note at the bottom of a page that explains something on the page
graphic organizer Visual to show the key points or ideas
Characteristics of a dog dogs4 legshairbark Many colors
boldface terms Signals the reader to slow down, pay attention Shows us what is important Example: James Oglethorpe is known as the founder of Georgia.
italics Describing printing type in which the letters slant upward to the right It is used to call attention to words Example: Southern Living is one of America’s leading magazines.
charts Helps the reader understand general points Helps the reader remember main idea Gives information Makes comparisons Use charts as a resource
graphs Gives pictures and symbols to show information Gives information in a small space Shown to make a point
maps Gives information in visual form Shows where something is located Shows where something happened
index Acts as a search tool like a search engine but in a book Used to find things, such as specific topics, terms, people, and places with page numbers Helps the reader find what he or she needs
appendix Collection of supplementary material Example: Maps, lists of people, symbols
preface An introduction to a book written by the author of the book-tells the purpose of writing the book
forward Same as a preface
acknowledgements Recognition of those who contributed to the formation of a book (writing, research, photos, etc)
bibliography Another name is “Works Cited” Lists all of the print and non-print sources you used in a report.
timeline A graphic representation showing the passage of time
glossary Defines terms