Informational Text

An additional organizational tool is an index. The index appears in the back of a book and lists keywords and the page numbers where that word can be found. An index is helpful for readers making a specific search because it lists words rather than topics. Indexes can be helpful for finding vocabulary words, names, and places within a text.

Written cues are those visual variations in a written text that draw the reader's attention to specific words or phrases. Informational text written cues include bold type and italics, two font changes that add emphasis. Many informational texts use bold type for vocabulary words or other key terms. Printing section headings in a larger font is another common written cue that allows readers to quickly locate a particular section of text.

Informational text uses images and graphics to enhance the depth and quality of information presented. An informational text image like a photograph adds visual details to something being described. Informational text graphics like charts and tables can make textual and numerical data easier to understand and use. Many images and graphics are accompanied by written captions that tie them into the rest of the text. Informational graphics might also be icons to highlight specific topics or points, such as a lightbulb printed next to a main point or a tiny calendar printed next to a date to remember. The purpose of informational text images is to increase reader understanding and make the written text more memorable.

These examples of informational text graphics styles could be labeled and used to illustrate specific parts of an informational text. The informational text graphics would also be given appropriate captions.