Download - Non-Fiction
Non-FictionMuldoon
2016
What is it?!Real facts or informationMost prevalent form of writing
ExamplesAutobiographiesBiographiesMenu + RecipesNewspaperDirections User ManualsTextbooks
BlueprintsEditorialsMapsDocumentariesDiagramsMany EssaysLetter
AudienceThe people reading the textAuthors write differently depending on their
intended audience.Example: Texts about your weekend to your
mom or your best friend….Example: A children’s book about the Holocaust
vs. a textbook about it
Text FeaturesTitles and Headings: offers key words and
information; previews the main topic of the textSpecial fonts (bold, italic, underline): draws
readers’ attention; emphasis
Text FeaturesMaps: offers directions
or gives readers context
Pictures: allows readers to visualize and make connections
Captions: provide additional information to explain pictures
Text FeaturesCharts/Graphs/Diagrams: visual
representation of data
Sidebars: usually offers additional information or highlights main ideas
Glossary: list of important terms and definitions
Table of Contents: lists the contents and page numbers for easy access
PurposeAuthors write with a purpose:To INFORM Discovery Magazine article about dolphins To PERSUADE
Opinion article in the newspaper
To ENTERTAIN Memoir
BIASPrejudice in favor of or against one thing,
person, or group compared to another; usually in a way considered to be unfair
AKA: opinionBased on: age, political views, religion, ethnicity,
gender, sexual orientation, past experiences, family, etc.
Who Cares?Why is it important to understand BIAS in non-
fiction texts?
“Legal abortion helps parents limit their families to the number of children they want and can afford. This strengthens and stabilizes the family unit. Therefore, pro-choice is pro-child and pro-family. Anti-abortion laws can cause stress and hardship for families with insufficient resources to raise unwanted children.”