1. The
explanation
book
revised
advanced
Sue Palmer

2. happens (or how something works). This is sequential and deals
Explanation text
tells how or why a process
happens (or how something works).
This is sequential and deals
with cause and effect.

3. “question & answer” articles and leaflets
These texts are often ‘explanation texts’…
“question & answer” articles and leaflets
write-up of science equipment
encyclopaedia
entry
explanation
science text book
parts of a non-fiction book
(e.g. geography, biology)
technical manual
(e.g. for car or washing machine)

4. Explanation text needs Purpose to explain a process
a title telling what’s to be explained
introduction, providing any necessary background
to explain a process
clear layout (e.g. sections, paragraphs) which helps show the stages in the process
to help the reader understand how or why something happens (or why something is as it is)
each paragraph starts with a topic sentence
A topic sentence sums up what the paragraph is about.
maybe labelled picture(s) or diagram(s)
to engage the reader’s attention.
organisational devices to aid clarity (e.g. bullet points, subheadings)
The genre of
text can also affect
the purpose.
closing sentence, to round off the report.

5. Where should the text sit along these continua?
Explanation writing
Audience
Use what you know about your audience to decide
think about the audience for the explanation
how much background detail is needed
how much do you know about them
(age, interests, prior knowledge)
appropriate level of formality.
Think about your audience when you plan the layout. How can you make it easy for them to read?
Where should the text sit along these continua?
informal
formal
personal
impersonal
The position on each continuum may be different. Impersonal texts are sometimes written informally, and personal texts may be formal.

6. Planning and organising explanations
Simple explanation:
More complex explanations
e.g.
a series of logical steps
Reversible effects
This happens
this
this
this
leading to
leading to
leading to
possibly other causes and effects at each stage.
More than one cause
Probably...
labelled
diagram(s)
Cycle

7. Organising explanation text
defines the process
Intro
Intro
End
When you have made your
flowchart skeleton, each
blob gives you one paragraph (or section) in your writing.
the process in logically sequenced steps
neat last line
Explanations can be complicated. You may have to draft your flow chart several times. But making the flow chart – and other diagrams – can help you understand the process better.
End

8. Explanation language features
present tense verbs
(unless historical explanations)
because
if... then...
time connectives to show sequence of events
the reason that...
causal language so
when
impersonal language
this results in...
technical vocabulary, with definitions if necessary.
this causes...
therefore

9. Impersonal writing The stick was placed in... This is known as...
third person
The stick was placed in...
passive voice
formal connectives, e.g. However, Therefore, Furthermore, Consequently
This is known as...
The motor is operated by...
usually formal vocabulary e.g.
placed rather than put
known as rather than called.
The sides are covered in...

10. Alternative ‘skeleton’ note-taking frameworks
effects c a u s e
* cause and effect grid
* ‘clockface’ cycle
* labelled diagram(s) (often with arrows)
* sequence of pictures
* cross section

11. Example of ‘skeletons’ in use
Taken from ‘How to teach Writing Across the Curriculum’ by Sue Palmer, with many thanks to David Fulton Publishers

12. Why do people die if they stop breathing?
In order to stay alive, human beings need a constant supply of oxygen (a gas found in the air) to all parts of the body. They also need to rid their bodies of a waste gas called carbon dioxide, which would otherwise poison them.
These two gases are carried round the body in the blood. Veins carry blood to the heart and arteries carry blood away from the heart. Both veins and arteries divide into millions of tiny capillary blood vessels. Gases can move between the blood in the capillaries and tiny cells which make up the human body.
When a human being breathes in, air goes into the lungs, which are like two spongy bags filled with millions of air sacs. Oxygen from the air passes through the sacs into the capillary blood vessels. The blood then carries the oxygen through a vein to the heart.
The heart pumps this oxygen-carrying blood around the whole body through arteries which divide into capillaries to reach the body cells. Oxygen passes from the blood to the cells, and carbon dioxide (the waste gas) passes from the cells into the blood. Veins take this waste-carrying blood back to the heart, which pumps it back to the lungs. There the carbon dioxide passes into the air sacs.
When the human being breathes out, the carbon dioxide is pushed back into the air. Breathing in and out is therefore essential because it ensures that life-giving oxygen is constantly replaced and poisonous carbon dioxide expelled.
Skeleton

13. AIR O Air ² Contains oxygen (O ) Breathe in air ² O ² HEART ² CO ² CO
capillaries
Breathe in air
capillaries
Artery O
Vein O
cells
Air sacs
HEART
BODY
AIR
LUNGS
Artery
cells
Air sacs
Vein CO CO
Breathe out CO
capillaries
capillaries
Text

14. The End