A information text is a piece of non-fiction literature that is written with the intention of informing the reader about a topic. They can be found in magazines, in the field of science, in history books, in autobiographies, and in instruction manuals.
They are written using specific characteristics that allow the reader to easily identify important information that can understand the main topic.
In many instances the author may draw attention to some parts of the text by placing headings on certain sections, highlighting important words in bold letters, and using visual representations with captions.
These visual representations can be photos or infographics, which include tables, diagrams or graphs that help the reader to have a better idea of the subject in question. In some cases, the author will even provide the reader with a table of contents or a glossary that can assist and facilitate the search for information.
The information texts must give sufficient information and explanations necessary to understand the information. These texts should inform what is and what is not important on a topic, so that the reader can inform properly.
Main Features
These texts are a subcategory of the non-fiction section. Its main purpose is to inform the reader about the natural or social world.
Unlike fiction and other forms of non-fiction, informative text does not use characters. It has specialized language features, such as the use of general nouns.
The authors of these pieces of information can employ a variety of structures to assist the reader in finding information quickly and efficiently. This may include a table of contents, an index, bold or italicized text, glossaries for specific vocabulary, attachment definitions, illustrations, legends, graphics and tables.
Unlike narratives that tell a story in a linear fashion, this type of text is often non-linear. It is popular since readers can locate an information piece related to almost any topic of interest.
These texts usually avoid repetition, contain facts and give information in a clear way.
Quality of informative text
The quality of a text can be judged in many ways. For example, you can examine indicators such as the following:
- Accuracy of content
Is the content correct and straightforward? Is it possible that this text increases the reader's knowledge?
- Author's skills
What are the author's training in this topic and what collaborators or sources were consulted?
- Impersonality of content
Explanations must have an impersonal meaning.
- Purpose of the text
The text should serve the purpose of explaining the topic. This means that the reader must understand it completely after reading the piece, or at least have more information than was originally had.
An informative text is not a biography or a procedural text (such as a cookbook or a craft manual), nor is it a text with characters. It is simply a material that explains some topic and gives information to the reader.
Purposes of informational text
- Acquire information.
- Satisfying curiosity.
- Understand the context better.
- Understand new concepts and expand vocabulary.
Where can they be found?
Since these literary pieces want to inform, indicate or advise on something in particular, it is common to find them in newspaper articles, informative web pages, school brochures, among others.
Examples
1- Fire emergency plan
Before the fire:
- Check the wiring in your house.
- Do not connect machines or devices that have been wet and avoid wetting plugs and cables.
- Do not cover lamps, lights or devices with fabrics.
- If there is a gas leak, do not turn on the light, ventilate the rooms and quickly open all doors and windows.
- Keep candles, matches, lighters and other flammable materials out of the reach of children.
During the fire:
- Stay calm and try to calm others.
- If the fire is small, try to extinguish it with an extinguisher.
- Call the fire department and follow their instructions.
- Do not open the doors and windows, as the fire can spread with the air.
- Do not waste time looking for personal items.
- To exit, avoid the elevator and use the stairs.
After the fire:
- Do not pass through the accident area until the authorities permit.
- Call a technician to check the electrical and gas inputs before reconnecting the electricity and using the stove and heating.
- Throw away food, drink and medicines exposed to heat, fire or smoke.
2- Press article
Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption in Iceland
The eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano took place on April 14, 2010. This eruption produced a cloud of ashes that covered several miles in the atmosphere, reason why several airports had to be closed.
As a result 40 children and 4 Icelandic adults who visited London on a school trip were trapped in the city for lack of flights. To return to Iceland, they took a boat from the coast of London to the north of Spain. Then they boarded a bus to Malaga, and finally made another boat trip from Malaga to Melilla.
These people were on the boat to Spain about 24 hours, and the bus ride took about 12 hours. Additionally, on the day they were in London, a man stole one of the children's cell phones.
3- Press article
Donation of articles in Bogotá
The authorities received more than 600 kilos of donations collected during the day of last month. The managers made it known that they had delivered casual clothes, sport, underwear, shoes and toys to the less favored communities of the city.
For those interested, there will be a new day of donation on March 3 from 6 am in the Church of the Holy Trinity.
References
- Informative texts. Retrieved from easywriting.wikispaces.com
- What is informational text? Definition, characteristics and examples. Recovered from study.com
- What is informational text? Retrieved from umaine.edu
- Informational text (2008). Recovered from slideshare.com
- Definition, characteristics and example of narrative, descriptive and expository text (2013). Retrieved from hanifarahmawati.wordpress.com