Informational
Text Features
Print Features, Graphic
Aids, and Organization
Why do we need to know
about informational text
features?
They provide the reader with information in
various forms. We must know what to look for
so we don’t miss something important.
Text Feature: Types of Print
Bold print, colored print, italics
Purpose: Help the reader by signaling,
“Look at me! I’m important!”
Text feature: Titles and
Headings
• Purpose: They
announce the
topic that will
be covered.
Text Feature: Labels
Purpose: Help the reader identify a
picture or photograph and/or its
parts.
• Example:
Text Feature: Captions
• Purpose: Help the reader better
understand a picture
• Example:
Dema, a baby Sumatran tiger, licks Nia, a baby orangutan.
Text Feature: Bullets
• Purpose: Helps readers
identify items in a list.
Text Feature: Fact Boxes
• Purpose: Gives the reader additional
information about the topic and puts
it in a box so it catches your eye.
• Example:
FACT
Bullfrogs got their name because
someone thought the male's deep call
sounded like a bull mooing. These
frogs can be huge, sometimes
growing as big as eight inches (20
centimeters) and weighing up to 1.5
pounds (0.6 kilograms).
Text Feature: Diagrams
• Purpose: It is a drawing or plan
that helps the reader understand
how something works.
• Example:
Text Feature: Flow Diagram
• Purpose: Help the reader understand
the sequence (order) of steps.
• Example:
Text Feature: Size Comparisons
• Purpose: Help the reader understand the
size of one thing by comparing it to the
size of something familiar.
• Example:
Text Feature:
Magnification/Close ups
• Purpose: Help the reader see details
in something small.
• Example:
Text Feature: Photographs
and Illustrations
 Purpose: Help the reader understand
exactly what something looks like.
 Example:
Text Feature: Cross
Section/Cut Away
 Purpose: Help the reader understand
something by looking at it from the inside.
 Example:
Text Feature: Graphs
 Purpose: Use pictures and symbols to show
information and to make a point.
 Example:
Text Feature: Table
 Purpose: Helps the reader view facts by
placing them in parallel columns.
Example:
Text Feature: Timeline
Purpose: To represent key
historical events in order.
 Example:
Text Feature: Maps
Purpose: Help the reader
understand where things are in the
world.
Example:
Text Feature: Table of
Contents
 Purpose: Help the reader identify key topics in
the book in the order they are presented.
 Example:
Table of Contents
Chapter
Page
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
11
14
17
20
25
30
Becoming a Writer
Habits That Enhance Writing
Tips on Writing
The Narrative Essay Plan
Using the Writing Traits
Editing and Revising
Publishing Your Essay
Text Feature:
Introduction/Deck
 Purpose: It gives you a “Heads Up” about what
you will be reading about.
 Example:
Text Feature: Index
Purpose: An alphabetical list of
almost everything covered in the
text, with page numbers.
 Example:
Index
Amphibians
Bats
Diet
Insects
Mammals
Snakes
p.13
p. 18
p. 12, 14, 16
p. 7
p. 10
p. 8
Text Feature: Glossary
Purpose: Help the reader define
words contained in the text.
 Example:
Glossary
Adaptation- a change that a living thing goes through so that it fits
in better in its environment
Extinct- died out
Species- a group of related animals or plants
Survive- to stay alive through some dangerous event
Text Feature: Pronunciation
Guide
Purpose: Helps the reader
pronounce, or say a word.
correctly.
 Example:
Pronunciation [pruh-nuhn-see-ey-shuhn]