Study guide: Headings, Graphics and Explanatory Organization
Apply choose an explanatory structure, read a graphic’s purpose, recognize a heading level, keep an explanatory tone using supplied texts and original responses.
Ideas to explain in your own words
- An explanatory writer can follow development over time, pair a difficulty with a response, describe component parts or arrange answers to questions. The structure should serve the topic.
- A labeled diagram shows parts, a time-series graph shows change, a proportional chart shows shares and a flow diagram shows steps. A graphic is useful when its format fits the question.
- Titles identify the whole document, major headings identify sections, subheadings divide those sections and captions accompany visuals. A hierarchy helps a reader navigate.
- Explanatory writing can describe a process without praising or mocking it. A neutral reporting word such as measured states an action, while evaluative adjectives add a judgment.
Useful vocabulary
- Choose an explanatory structure
- An explanatory writer can follow development over time, pair a difficulty with a response, describe component parts or arrange answers to questions. The structure should serve the topic.
- Read a graphic’s purpose
- A labeled diagram shows parts, a time-series graph shows change, a proportional chart shows shares and a flow diagram shows steps. A graphic is useful when its format fits the question.
- Recognize a heading level
- Titles identify the whole document, major headings identify sections, subheadings divide those sections and captions accompany visuals. A hierarchy helps a reader navigate.
- Keep an explanatory tone
- Explanatory writing can describe a process without praising or mocking it. A neutral reporting word such as measured states an action, while evaluative adjectives add a judgment.
Watch your reasoning
- A heading alone does not establish the whole structure.
- A decorative picture is not a labeled measurement.
- A caption is not a new major section.
- An enthusiastic adjective is not measurement evidence.
A worked review example
Plan: dates of an invention’s development. Graphic: labeled parts drawing. Heading job: entire report title. Test action: measured the wheel. Choose an explanatory structure: The relevant input states: Plan: dates of an invention’s development. This fits chronological development. An explanatory writer can follow development over time, pair a difficulty with a response, describe component parts or arrange answers to questions. The structure should serve the topic. A heading alone does not establish the whole structure. Read a graphic’s purpose: The relevant input states: Graphic: labeled parts drawing. This fits parts and locations. A labeled diagram shows parts, a time-series graph shows change, a proportional chart shows shares and a flow diagram shows steps. A graphic is useful when its format fits the question. A decorative picture is not a labeled measurement. Recognize a heading level: The relevant input states: Heading job: entire report title. This fits whole document title. Titles identify the whole document, major headings identify sections, subheadings divide those sections and captions accompany visuals. A hierarchy helps a reader navigate. A caption is not a new major section. Keep an explanatory tone: Measured reports an action. The other choices add evaluations that the record has not established.
Make a practice plan
- Practice choose an explanatory structure: Read the stated plan and name how its ideas are connected. Sketch that arrangement before drafting a paragraph.
- Practice read a graphic’s purpose: Identify the stated graphic format and the question it answers. Read labels and any units before interpreting details.
- Practice recognize a heading level: Use the supplied nesting description, not font size imagined from an unavailable page. Place the heading at the described level.
- Practice keep an explanatory tone: Distinguish the supplied factual reporting word from value judgments. Write an explanation that reports what was done.
- Try the new review before opening its answer. Return to the related lesson if you want more help.