Organizational Structure & Non-literary Text Comprehension
Comprehension of non-literary texts relies on an awareness of structure and organization, which often enhances the understanding of cause and effect in the text.
When we think of literature, we often find ourselves responding to different readings the way we would to the foods we like and dislike. For some, fruits and vegetables are difficult to eat on a daily basis. There are others who pride themselves on their healthy diets. Literature also comes in different forms and can be classified as literary or non-literary. This is not to say that one form of literature is junk and the other healthy, even though some scholars would like to say that is true. Literary and non-literary forms of literature differ in the components used to create structure and organization. We use different features of a text to comprehend different forms of literature.
Literary works are defined by their use of metaphor, symbolism, and the psychological nature of the work itself. Works rely on these literary devices to form a complex and detailed text that promotes themes with a deeper emotional and intellectual meaning within the work. Common literary texts include poetry, memoir, and novels that focus on character development. Non-literary works, however, rely more on a strict chronology where the focus of the work is to provide information. Non-literary works focus on cause and effect. The devices used are more simplistic and harness the action and events more than the development of emotional and intellectual meaning. Because of this, knowing the organization and structure that a non-literary work follows will greatly improve comprehension in the reading.
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Structure in non-literary texts is most often chronological, meaning that the sequence of events within the text unfold as they occur. This chronology typically leads to a method of cause and effect writing, where it's easy to see how one event transitions to another and how those actions create outcomes. Imagine a flat tire on your vehicle. There are specific steps you have to take to remove the tire and put on a spare. If one or any of these steps doesn't happen in the right order, the end result isn't going to be very effective. Anyone who has ever tried to change a tire without jacking up the car might have some bigger issues other than the inconvenience of a flat tire. Non-literary texts come in a range of forms, from speeches and letters, to commercial detective or spy novels.
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In non-literary texts, comprehension, or your understanding of what you've read, is linked to your ability to follow a timeline. Comprehension of non-literary texts is primarily informational; it comprises your ability to recall specific facts. Since most non-literary texts are chronological, you should be able to identify what event preceded an action and vice versa. For those people who have tried to change a tire without jacking up the car, their understanding of the importance of sequence becomes more illuminated when they can't remove the flat tire. Understanding what action created a certain result is key for comprehension of non-literary texts. Like with many texts that require an understanding of the material after you've moved away from it, sometimes it's crucial to take notes. After reading something non-literary, you should be able to write a bulleted or numerical list of the sequence of events in the order that they happened. Asking chronological questions will also help improve comprehension. Take the following passage and questions for example:
One morning Susie woke up late and rushed out of the house to get to work on time. In her hurry to get out the door, she forgot her wallet, which was embarrassing for her when she realized she had no way of paying for her latte at the café. Discouraged, but eager to have her morning latte, Susie ran out to her car and scrounged up all the loose change she could find. Fortunately, it was just enough to cover the cost of her latte. As she backed out of her parking space to rush off to work, she realized it was Saturday and she didn't have to work.
Why did Susie forget her wallet?
How did Susie pay for the coffee?
When did Susie realize it was Saturday?
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The major difference between literary and non-literary texts are the devices used. Literary texts tend to rely on metaphors and symbols to create a more emotional and intellectual response, while non-literary texts rely more on cause and effect to inform or entertain the reader. Non-literary texts typically follow a chronological structure, and an understanding of cause and effect will improve comprehension of this type of literature.
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Organizational Structure & Non-literary Text Comprehension
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