Reading: Informational - Introductory

Get the facts about informational texts by reviewing this list. Learn about text structure, text features, reference works, author's purpose, tone and point of view, and much more. Your vocabulary will be off the charts once you master these words!
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. advertisement
    a public promotion of some product or service
  2. alphabetize
    arrange in order from A to Z
  3. atlas
    a collection of maps in book form
  4. author
    a person who writes professionally
  5. autobiography
    a book or account of your own life
  6. background knowledge
    information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem
  7. biography
    an account of the series of events making up a person's life
  8. boldface
    a typeface with thick heavy lines
  9. caption
    brief description accompanying an illustration
  10. cause
    any entity that produces an effect
  11. chapter
    a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled
  12. chart
    a visual display of data or information
  13. chronological
    relating to or arranged according to the order of time
  14. chronology
    an arrangement of events in time
  15. compare
    examine and note the similarities or differences of
  16. comparison
    relation based on similarities and differences
  17. conclusion
    a position or opinion reached after consideration
  18. context
    discourse that surrounds and helps explain a word or passage
  19. contrast
    the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
  20. cover
    be responsible for reporting the details of, as in journalism
  21. define
    explain the meaning of a word
  22. definition
    a brief explanation of the meaning of a word or phrase
  23. description
    a statement that represents something in words
  24. detail
    a single fact considered separately from the whole
  25. diagram
    a drawing intended to explain how something works
  26. dictionary
    a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words
  27. document
    writing that provides information
  28. effect
    a phenomenon that is caused by some previous phenomenon
  29. encyclopedia
    a reference work containing articles on various topics
  30. entertain
    provide amusement for
  31. entry word
    the form of a word that heads a lexical entry and is alphabetized in a dictionary
  32. evidence
    knowledge on which to base belief
  33. example
    an item of information that is typical of a class or group
  34. explanation
    a statement that makes something comprehensible
  35. explicit
    precisely and clearly expressed or readily observable
  36. expository
    serving to expound or set forth
  37. fact
    a statement of information about something that is the case
  38. factual
    relating to or characterized by verified information
  39. flyer
    an advertisement intended for wide distribution
  40. format
    the general appearance of a publication
  41. glossary
    an alphabetical list of technical terms in a field
  42. graph
    a visual representation of the relations between quantities
  43. graphics
    photographs or other visual representations in a printed publication
  44. guide word
    a word printed at the top of the page of a dictionary or other reference book to indicate the first or last item on that page
  45. heading
    a line of text indicating what the passage below it is about
  46. historical
    of or relating to the study of recorded time
  47. hyperlink
    a bit of text on a web site that takes you to another site
  48. icon
    a symbol in a graphical user interface
  49. illustration
    artwork that helps make something clear or attractive
  50. illustrator
    an artist who makes illustrations
  51. image
    a visual representation produced on a surface
  52. implicit
    suggested though not directly expressed
  53. imply
    express or state indirectly
  54. indentation
    the space left between the margin and a line set in
  55. index
    alphabetical listing of names and topics with page numbers
  56. infer
    reason by deduction; establish by deduction
  57. inference
    a conclusion you can draw based on known evidence
  58. inform
    impart knowledge of some fact, state or affairs, or event to
  59. information
    a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn
  60. informational
    relating to or conveying facts and knowledge
  61. internet
    a worldwide network of computer networks
  62. interpretation
    an explanation that results from making sense of something
  63. italic
    a typeface with letters slanting upward to the right
  64. key word
    an important word used in indexing or cataloging
  65. layout
    a plan or design of something that is laid out
  66. legend
    brief description accompanying an illustration
  67. magazine
    a periodic publication containing articles and pictures
  68. manual
    a small handbook
  69. map
    a diagrammatic representation of the earth's surface
  70. medium
    a technology that publicly transmits to a large audience
  71. menu
    a list of options available to a computer user
  72. newspaper
    a daily or weekly publication with articles and advertisements
  73. nonfiction
    prose writing that is not formed by the imagination
  74. online
    connected to a computer network or accessible by computer
  75. opinion
    a personal belief or judgment
  76. organization
    a planned structure for arranging or classifying
  77. outline
    a sketchy summary of the main points of an argument
  78. page number
    the system of numbering pages
  79. pamphlet
    a small book usually having a paper cover
  80. paragraph
    one of several distinct subdivisions of a text
  81. persuade
    cause somebody to adopt a certain position or belief
  82. persuasive
    intended or having the power to induce action or belief
  83. photograph
    a picture taken with a camera or phone that shows people or scenes
  84. pictograph
    an image or drawing used to represent a word or phrase
  85. pictorial
    pertaining to or consisting of pictures
  86. point of view
    a mental position from which things are perceived
  87. prediction
    a statement made about the future
  88. premise
    a statement that is held to be true
  89. print
    the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication
  90. problem
    a question raised for consideration or solution
  91. procedural
    of or relating to processes
  92. procedure
    a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
  93. process
    a particular course of action intended to achieve a result
  94. publication
    the act of issuing printed materials
  95. punctuation
    the use of marks to clarify meaning of written material
  96. purpose
    an anticipated outcome that guides your planned actions
  97. quantitative
    expressible as an amount that can be measured
  98. quote
    repeat a passage from
  99. recipe
    directions for making something
  100. record
    anything providing permanent evidence about past events
  101. reference
    a book from which you can seek authoritative facts
  102. resource
    aid or support that may be drawn upon when needed
  103. scientific
    consistent with systematic study of the physical world
  104. section
    a self-contained part of a larger composition
  105. sentence structure
    the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences
  106. sequence
    a following of one thing after another in time
  107. sidebar
    a short, boxed section of text accompanying the main text
  108. skim
    read superficially
  109. solution
    the successful action of solving a problem
  110. structure
    the building of something and the arrangement of its parts
  111. style
    a mode of expression typical of a person, group, or period
  112. subheading
    a title below the main title a text
  113. summarize
    briefly present the main points of something
  114. summary
    a brief statement that presents the main points
  115. symbol
    something visible that represents something invisible
  116. table
    a set of data arranged in rows and columns
  117. table of contents
    a list of what is included and where it can be found
  118. technical
    relating to or requiring special knowledge to be understood
  119. textbook
    a book prepared for use in schools or colleges
  120. textual
    relating to or based on writing
  121. theme
    a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary work
  122. timeline
    a sequence of events arranged in chronological order
  123. title page
    a page of a book displaying the title and author and publisher
  124. tone
    a quality that reveals the attitudes of the author
  125. topic
    the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
  126. transition
    a passage or word that connects a topic to one that follows
  127. typeface
    a specific size and style of type within a type family
  128. underline
    draw a line or lines underneath to call attention to
  129. vocabulary
    a language user's knowledge of words
  130. web site
    a computer connected to the internet that maintains a series of web pages on the World Wide Web
Created on Fri Jan 20 15:10:29 EST 2017 (updated Wed Mar 29 15:37:01 EDT 2017)

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