Text Features - Introduction

1. AN
INTRODUCTION
TO NONFICTION
TEXT FEATURES

2. TEXT FEATURES ARE THE PARTS OF A
NONFICTION BOOK THAT HELP YOU FIND
INFORMATION EASILY OR TELL YOU MORE
ABOUT THE TOPIC.
SOME EXAMPLES ARE:
• Titles
• Table of Contents
• Headings/Subheadings
• Photographs
• Illustrations
• Diagrams
• Captions
• Bold words
• Glossary
• Index
• Electronic Menu
• Icons

3. TITLE: THE NAME OF THE BOOK
• Titles tell the reader the topic of the
text.
• Titles show the main idea of the text.
• Titles help the reader by letting them
know what they are about to read.
• Titles focus the reader on a topic so
they can make connections between
what they already know and the text.

4. TABLE OF CONTENTS:
GIVES THE HEADING AND BEGINNING PAGE
NUMBER FOR EACH SECTION OF THE BOOK
• The table of contents shows how
the book is organized so you can
find information more easily.
• The heading titles give the reader
an outline of what the book is
about.
Table of Contents
Flowers………………..…………..3
Vegetables………………..……....
9
Fruit………………………............1
2
Trees…………………………….15
Glossary………………………...20
Index……………………………24

5. HEADINGS/SUBHEADINGS:
DIVIDE THE TEXT INTO SECTIONS
• Headings tell the main idea of
each section of text.
• Subheadings chunk text into
smaller pieces under a heading.
• Headings and subheadings are
printed in large or bold type to
make them stand out.
• Headings and subheadings help
the reader to locate information
in the text by telling them
where to look.

6. PHOTOGRAPHS:
A PICTURE TAKEN WITH A CAMERA THAT
SHOW HOW SOMETHING LOOKS IN REAL LIFE
• Photographs show
how something
looks, which helps
the reader better
understand the
topic they are
reading about.

7. ILLUSTRATIONS: A HAND-DRAWN PICTURE
• Illustrations
help the
reader “see”
what is
being talked
about in the
text.

8. DIAGRAMS:
A DRAWING THAT SHOWS THE PART OF
SOMETHING
• Diagrams show the reader
the parts of something to
help them better
understand what is in the
text.
• Diagrams include labels for
each part.

9. CAPTIONS:
THE WORDS NEXT TO OR BELOW A PICTURE
THAT TELL WHAT IT IS OR WHAT IT IS ABOUT
• A caption explains
what is shown in a
photograph or
illustration.
• Captions help the
reader understand
information that may
or may not be in the
text.

10. BOLD WORDS:
IMPORTANT WORDS THAT ARE DARKER THAN
THE TEXT AROUND THEM
• Bold words tell the reader to pay attention – these words are
important!
• Bold words can be used for titles, headings, and key words like
important vocabulary words.
• Sometimes the important words will be a different color or in
italics.
• Sometimes the meaning of the important words can be found in the
glossary.

11. GLOSSARY:
TELLS WHAT IMPORTANT WORDS MEAN
• A glossary is like a small
dictionary of words. It tells or
shows what words mean.
• The words in the glossary are
in alphabetical order.
• The words in the glossary
were used in the book.
• A glossary is usually found at
the end of the book or near
the back.
Glossary
flower: the part of the plant that makes new seeds
fruit: the part of the plant that holds the seeds
seed: the part of the plant that can grow into a new
plant

12. INDEX:
A LIST OF THE TOPICS AND PEOPLE IN THE
TEXT
• An index is listed in alphabetical order.
• An index is found at or near the end of
a text.
• An index is a way to quickly find
information that is in the text. The
reader can use key words or people’s
names to help them locate information
in the text. The index gives the page
number where you can find the
information.
Index
butterfly
food………………………..10
life cycle…………………...... 7
types of....…………………..12
caterpillars…………………….6
Gibbons, Gail…..…………...…1

13. ELECTRONIC MENU: A LIST OF THINGS YOU CAN
CHOOSE FROM TO DO SOMETHING ON THE
COMPUTER
• An electronic menu gives you
options, just like a menu at your
favorite place to eat.
• An electronic menu lists all of
your options. It helps the user
know what is on the computer
program or website.
• An electronic menu helps you
navigate, or find your way,
around a program or website.
screen shot from www.starfall.com

14. ICON:
A PICTURE THAT REPRESENTS SOMETHING
ELSE
• Icons can be used to
find information in a
computer program or
website.
• The picture in the icon
represents the
information that you can
find or the task that you
can do.
screen shot from www.starfall.com

15. WHY ARE TEXT FEATURES IMPORTANT?
• Text features help the reader to quickly find important
information.
• Text features teach the reader about the topic.
• Text features can help the reader answer questions about a
topic and the text they are reading.