1. What are text features? Definitions:
Various ways of manipulating and placing text to draw attention to or emphasize certain points or ideas in narrative.
An important feature of literary and informational text that facilitates understanding for the reader (i.e., title, illustrations, diagrams, labels, bulleted lists, captions, etc.)
Parts, other than the body of a text, that designate special features (e.g., the title, author, copyright information, and dedication).
Important features of texts that provide structure and help readers locate information (e.g., page numbers, table of contents, captions, glossary, and index).
Organizers of written materials such as indexes, prefaces, appendices, definitional footnotes, sidebars, tables of content, illustrations or photographs.

2. Why should you look at text features?
Looking at text features will help you know what is most important in a lesson and help you locate information quickly.
Looking at the titles in the table of contents or on a page can quickly tell you what information you will learn about.
Reference pages such as the glossary can help you find out more about a certain topic or word.

3. Using the dictionary, locate the appropriate definition for the following text features.
Purpose
How does the text feature help me read and understand information?
Title
An identifying name given to a book, play, film, musical composition, or other work.
I can locate different categories in the text.
I can read the title and make a prediction or have insight into what the story might be about.
Subtitle
A secondary, usually explanatory title, as of a literary work. The subtitle will be located right after the main title.
I can find the information I am looking for in a section by looking at the subtitles. The subtitles help me to narrow the focus and let me know if I want to read that article or book.
Byline
A line at the head of a newspaper or magazine article carrying the writer's name
I can learn more about the article/subject if I know who wrote it. I can give credit to the author in my paper if I know who wrote it.
Heading
The title, subtitle, or topic that stands at the top or beginning, as of a paragraph, letter, or chapter.
I can read a brief phrase that tells me what information I will find in the information below the heading or hyperlinked to the heading.
Subheading
Another way to refer to a heading.
Numbering
(use definition #4 under Number)

4. Appropriate Definition
Text Feature
Appropriate Definition
Purpose
How does the text feature help me read and understand information? General – Not Specific
Footnote
A note placed at the bottom of a page of a book or manuscript that comments on or cites a reference for a designated part of the text.
I can learn more about the information provided if I consult the source listed under the footnote.
Citations
a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage
I can relocate the information provided and give credit to the original source of the information.
Chart
a table or diagram giving information
A picture, graph or chart that provides me more information or arranges the information in a visual format that I can understand better.
Graph
A diagram showing the relationship of quantities, especially such a diagram in which lines, bars, or proportional areas represent how one quantity depends on or changes with another.
Image/Illustration
picture: a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
I can visualize and understand better the subject being written about.
Caption
A title, short explanation, or description accompanying an illustration or a photograph.
By looking at the caption, I can understand a picture or photograph.

5. Appropriate Definition
Text Feature
Appropriate Definition
Purpose
How does the text feature help me read and understand information? General – Not Specific
Table of Contents
Lists the major parts of a book along with their page numbers.
I can use the table of contents to help locate information in the book and see how everything is organized.
Glossary
An alphabetical list of often difficult or specialized words with their definitions, often placed at the back of a book
I can use the glossary to look up key terms to find out their meaning. This helps the reader better learn and understand the subject.
Index
Is an alphabetical listing of the key names, terms, events, and topics with page numbers.
I can use the index to help find pages that contain information they are looking for.
Text (Bold, Color, Italics)
A style of font that enables the words to draw attention to them.
My attention is drawn to the words that are in bold, color, italics and this is a signal to me that those words are important information.
Textbox
A rectangular frame into which text or illustrations is placed.
I can locate information that the author thinks is important or learn more information about a topic.
Date (Ex: Saturday, February 19, 1944
A particular point or period of time at which something happened or existed, or is expected to happen.
Helps me to understand the sequence in time.