Reading Comprehension – How to Read Non-Fiction Text

By Stuart Ackerman

      One noticeable difference between reading a fiction and non-fiction text is the fact that you can 'preview' the non-fiction text as opposed to the fiction.  Furthermore, non-fiction text has some unique features that illuminate key points.
 
     'Previewing' literally means to 'read before'.  Non-fiction text has certain features that allow you to gain understanding and improve your comprehension before and while you read.
 
     The following are some non-fiction text features that will give you some understanding before reading:
 

·         Chapter Title - The title of the chapter lets you know what to expect from the rest of the text.  The title suggests the topic that you are going to read about.

·         Chapter Subheadings - The subheadings break down the chapter into more detailed sections.  You can determine the content of the paragraphs or pages that fall under the subheadings.

·         Size of Chapter - Quite often, the size of the chapter, relative to the size of other chapters, will give you a good indication as to the importance of the chapter.  A longer chapter will usually have more information, which usually means that the author is trying to emphasize important ideas.

·         Font - You will find that some key ideas are in bold, italics, or underlined.  This is obviously the author's way of trying to indicate importance.

·         Tables and Charts - Tables, charts, illustrations and pictures are usually placed in non-fiction text in order to emphasize and clarify main ideas.  They are there for a reason!

·         Sidebars and Quotations - Much like tables and charts, sidebars and quotations are placed in non-fiction text to emphasize key ideas and facts.

·         Conclusions - Sometimes conclusions are the last paragraph in the chapter.  They can also be shown as a chapter summary.

     By being aware of non-fiction text features, you will have a better understanding of non-fiction text and improve your reading comprehension.

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