• Unit 2: Outlining the Craft and Structure of Texts

    This unit covers the second reading competency: recognizing and evaluating the craft and structure of texts. This unit asks you to consider how authors use words, phrases, and organization to create meaning in a text. By examining these elements, you'll be able to identify the author's purpose and major claims and how the context of their details affects the text's meaning.

    In this unit, you'll learn strategies for interpreting meaning and consider how language choices influence a text. You'll also look at the role tone plays in texts and the different ways a text may be organized.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 1 hour.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • explain how words and phrases are used in texts (such as figures of speech, connotations, and technical meanings);
      • examine how word choices shape meaning or tone;
      • examine how organization and text structure(s) convey meaning; and
      • compare and contrast the points of view on a particular topic by two or more authors based on their writings.

      • 2.1: How Words Affect Meaning

        Words have meaning. That seems like a simple statement – and kind of obvious, right? But, how do we as readers figure out what that meaning is?

        In this section, we'll review the different ways words and phrases can convey meaning. Knowing when a word is straightforward or implies something else will help you better understand the text's overall purpose. These lessons and exercises will build your reading comprehension skills and strengthen your ability to answer exam questions about specific word uses.

        • Figurative Language Page

          How do you know when an author is being direct in their wording or "saying something with saying it"? Recognizing the difference between literal and figurative language makes it possible to determine that distinction. When you are aware of these types of language, it becomes easier to fully comprehend a text's meaning and purpose.

          This lesson about figurative language explains how literal and figurative language differ and how to find clues for identifying each.

        • Connotation and Denotation Page

          In addition to specific figurative or literal words, entire phrases can offer implied or direct meanings. We refer to these differences in presenting meaning as connotation or denotation. Connotation is when meaning is implied, and denotation is when meaning is directly stated. Authors may use either or both of these within a text to make a point or provide supporting details.

          Review this article on connotation and demotion and pay attention to the examples.

        • Specialized and Technical Language Page

          Depending on the intended audience of a text, an author may choose to use words or phrases specific to that audience. This is referred to as "specialized language", which can change between general and specific audiences. For example, if you fall off a bike and injure yourself, you may say you "broke" your arm, but a physician would say you "fractured" your arm. While you may not always know the meaning of a specialized term, if you can recognize that such a term is being used, you can use context clues to find its meaning.

          Watch this video to learn how to identify specialized language.

        • Section 2.1 Knowledge Check Book

          In this exercise, you will practice identifying word and phrase devices in a text. Don't hesitate to review the previous resources if you are unsure of an answer. It may help you to either print or copy and paste the text into a separate document so that you can annotate the text to help you remember the language devices you see.

      • 2.2: The Meaning of Structure and Style

        In addition to which words an author uses, how they organize their ideas tells us a lot. In this section, we'll look at how authors can set up their ideas to make their purpose and conclusions clear to the reader. These resources will offer you strategies for identifying organization patterns, comprehending how ideas are linked, and finding the overall meaning of a text.

        • How Word Choice Influences Meaning and Tone Page

          Authors have a lot of style choices to make when creating a text. One of these choices is tone, which has a big impact on the presentation of meaning and purpose. Knowing how tone influences a text will help you find the author's purpose and understand the reading as a whole.

          Review this presentation on identifying word choices and their effect on a text.

        • Writing Patterns Page

          Specific writing patterns or organizational choices help an author keep a text focused and easy to read. Additionally, these organizational or structural patterns help the reader follow the author's thoughts and better understand the text. Watch this video on different writing patterns an author may choose. How do these patterns make a text and its purpose easier to understand?

        • Compare and Contrast Texts Page

          While some readings are organized linearly (from point a to point b, point c, and then the conclusion), many authors will specifically choose to present a compare and contrast structure. This allows an author to explain two sides of an issue and show how they considered all points before coming to a conclusion.

          Review this lesson for strategies in recognizing and understanding the compare and contrast structure.

        • Section 2.2 Knowledge Check Book

          This exercise will help you practice recognizing how details in a text create a clear structure. It asks you to read a science-based article and identify which details are used to compare two ideas and which elements are used to contrast them. Feel free to go back over the resources in this section if you want to review and better familiarize yourself with writing patterns and structures.

      • Unit 2 Assessment

        • Unit 2 Assessment Quiz
          Receive a grade

          Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.

          • This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
          • You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
          • You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.