Analyzing an Informational Text
Analyzing an Informational Text
When you read an informational text, you have two options:
- You can just read the text, set it down, and walk away.
- You can read the text and analyze it, looking deeper into what it means.
Analyzing an informational text is similar to how scientists use a microscope to to look at an object. You zoom in to specific parts of the text to help you figure out what it all means.
You can analyze an informational text by asking the following questions:
- What is the title of the piece?
- Who is the author? How is the author connected to the topic?
- What was the main idea?
- Why did the author write the piece?
- Who is the audience?
- What is the structure of the piece?
- What types of text features are included in the text?
- Does the piece connect to anything else you have seen or read?
- Did this piece teach you anything new or challenge you to think differently?
- What are the three most important details?
What is the Title of the Piece?
Knowing the title of the piece can help you figure out what the text is about. It can also hint at the author's purpose or opinion on the topic.
Who is the Author?
Knowing the author of the piece and what connection the author has to the topic can change how you view it.
For example, if you're reading a book about raising children and discover that it was written by someone who does not have any children, you might question whether the book is any good. Similarly, if you're reading a book about Barack Obama written by Rush Limbaugh, a conservative talk show host, you might suspect that the book is biased.
What is the Main Idea?
Knowing the main idea is a key part of reading a book. The main idea is simply what the book is mostly about. If you can't figure out what the main idea is, you may need to read the book again.
Why Did the Author Write the Piece?
Knowing why an author wrote a piece can help you understand it better. An author can write to inform, persuade, or entertain.
For example, a piece about the destruction of the rainforest that is written to inform will focus on an unbiased presentation of the facts, while a piece about the destruction of the rainforest that is written to persuade will present facts to try and urge people to take a stand.
Who is the Audience?
The audience is the group of people the author had in mind when writing a text. Knowing the who the audience is can help you understand why the author used a particular tone or a certain type of language.
For example, a passage designed to appeal to Hispanic teens may include a lot of slang and mix in a few Spanish words.
What is the Structure of the Piece?
Knowing the structure of the piece can help you figure out what it is about. Does the piece focus on a problem and a solution? Does it show a cause/effect relationship? Does it compare and contrast two topics? Maybe it is told in chronological or sequential order.
What Text Features Does the Piece Include?
Text features include items such as headings, subheadings, a table of contents, an index, sidebars, pictures, captions, charts, diagrams, and other visual elements. These features can provide additional information about the topic and organize the content so it is easier to understand.
Does the Piece Connect to Anything Else you have Seen or Read?
Good readers make connections. Making connections helps you understand a text and it also helps you fit the content contained within the text into your broader view of the world.
For example, you may read a text about slavery in colonial America and connect it to how a particular group of people are treated in another country today.
Did this Piece Teach you Anything New or Challenge you to Think Differently?
The goal of reading informational texts is to gain new information. Chances are you didn't already know every single detail in a text. By thinking about what you learned and how you were challenged to think differently, you build your knowledge of the topic and improve your general understanding of the world.
What were the Three Most Important Details?
Whenever you read a text, you should always take something away from it. Summing up a text with the three most important details can help you remember what you read and file that information away for later.
While the practice questions and worksheets below may not ask you these questions directly, thinking about these questions can help you better understand and answer questions about almost any informational text.
Related Worksheets:
Related Lessons:
Additional Resources: