Informational Text Practice

Facebook—Friend or Foe?

by Suzanne B. Williams

Before 2009, there was no Pinterest, and prior to 2006, no Twitter. YouTube made its appearance in 2005. Facebook didn’t hit the scene until 2004. Today’s students probably have never heard of SixDegrees.com, the first of its kind in 1997.

What do these names have in common? They are all social network websites—a category that didn’t even have a name in the early 1990s as the Internet took off. For better or worse, these sites are now a major part of American culture.

Notice that this introduction is not one paragraph, but two, and yet the introduction is clearly separated from the body. Often the text features, like headings and subheadings, can clue you in to where an introduction ends. Writers catch reader attention by starting with a general statement, fact, story, analogy, or other element to set up the topic. The author then presents her thesis, telling you her idea about the topic that she will support with facts. What is the author’s thesis?

• Today’s students probably have never heard of SixDegrees.com, the first of its kind in 1997.

• They are all social network websites—a category that didn’t even have a name in the early 1990s as the Internet took off.

• For better or worse, these sites are now a major part of American culture.

What They Are

Social network sites stand out from the simple chat room, IM, or discussion board because they have multiple functions controlled by users. The specific features differ between sites.

They give users the option to create elaborate, creative profiles and collect friends. People can post public updates or send private messages. They can share music, photos, videos, and link to other sites. Some offer mobile access with special features.

Social network sites are today’s armchair theme parks. They attracted nearly half of all American adults in 2011, whereas only 1 out of 4 adults used them in 2008. Today, 70 percent of Americans aged 12–29 use a social media site, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Facebook is currently the world’s leader.

Notice again how subheadings divide the article into sections. The body of this article has multiple sections, each one with several paragraphs. Online articles are often chunked this way for emphasis and easier reading. This first section of the body discusses features of social networking sites. Which choice best describes the purpose of this section?

• This paragraph offers a brand-new thesis to go along with the thesis that was presented in the introduction.

• This paragraph presents an important fact that supports the thesis and supporting details to help prove the important fact.

• This paragraph proves to be the first truly important one. Unlike the introduction, it explains the author’s main point.

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High-quality informational text uses data to support the thesis. These supportive details can include statistics, quotes, and anecdotes. The text often includes visuals like charts. What is the purpose of the map in this article?

• It illustrates a supportive detail in this section of the body, which supports the thesis.

• It provides direct support to the thesis and would be better located in the introduction.

• It emphasizes the main fact in this section of the body, which supports the thesis.

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“Networking”

A key feature of these sites is the ability to link to the profiles of “friends.” Friends can share updates and files. They can see each other’s lists of friends and potentially make new connections. The sites enable people to expand their network, or circle of friends, beyond what they could face to face. It allows people to keep in touch with those who are far away.

Despite this potential, most people report using social network sites to connect with existing friends and family. It helps them keep up with the lives of those important to them.

People with social anxiety or physical disabilities enjoy the potential of online communication, helping decrease feelings of isolation. However, some experts are concerned about the loss of face-to-face interaction. They say it can cause mental disorders and increase loneliness due to a lack of development and practice of in-person social interaction. Himanshu Tyagi, a renowned London psychiatrist, wrote in 2008 that social networking can lead young people to be more impulsive or even at greater risk of suicide.

This section of the article contains five paragraphs. We will focus on just the first three. Which of the following best states the main point of these paragraphs?

• It supports the thesis by defining what it means to network.

• It introduces a new thesis that social networking can be harmful to the healthy mental development of young people.

• It supports the thesis by identifying both positive and negative aspects of making online connections with other people.

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In high-quality text, each sentence as well as each paragraph serves a purpose. Authors strive to remove material that is unnecessary, repetitive, or irrelevant. Examine the following sentence again.

“However, some experts are concerned about the loss of face-to-face interaction.”

What is the purpose of the sentence?

• It introduces a contrasting idea that is still related to the thesis.

• It signals an idea that is in opposition to the thesis.

• It supports the main point of the previous paragraph..

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Examine the following sentence again.

“Himanshu Tyagi, a renowned London psychiatrist, wrote in 2008 that social networking can lead young people to be more impulsive or even at greater risk of suicide.”

What is the purpose of the sentence?

• It supports the main point of the paragraph that the negative effects are more significant than the positive.

• It gives credibility to the previous sentence by quoting a verifiable expert on the topic.

• It presents a contrasting idea to the previous sentence.

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“Networking”

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Sometimes the connections are or become bad. According to Procon.org, more than 1 of every 10 people report they have experienced problems that began online—arguments started, even loss of a friend. Some people have no intention of being friendly at all. Gang leaders, for example, have used the sites to recruit new members.

The word “cyber bullying” entered our culture as in-person harassment extended into the online world. Bullying has long been an issue, particularly in schools. Yet now victims have no relief as it can follow them at all times wherever they go. Some people have a tendency to forget that there are real people behind those profiles, reading updates on their computer screens. It’s easy to insult someone you cannot see face-to-face, but not easy for that person to recover from such a public attack.

Each body paragraph in informational text can vary in how many supportive details it contains to back up the main point. Which of the following is true about these two paragraphs?

• The first paragraph contains two main points while the second contains only one.

• The second paragraph contains fewer supportive details than the first.

• Each paragraph contains one main point but the second paragraph has more supportive details.

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Education

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However, some say the greater and instant access to credible, rich resources of information outweighs the concerns. Critics note that the greater and instant access also applies to non-credible information. Teachers are challenged to instruct students in more sophisticated research skills than in years past.

Whether you love or despise social networking, it appears to be sticking around. The impact on people seems to depend largely on how individuals use the sites. Recognizing the dangers and behaving accordingly can protect users’ health and enjoyment of social media. Therefore, think about the real people behind the screen before you tweet with the hashtag, “test 2 easy Shana helped me study #uglynerdsrock.”

A conclusion offers the final pieces of information on the chosen topic. It usually includes a restating of the importance of the topic and the main points expressed in the article. Notice that in this article, the conclusion, like the introduction, is not clearly labeled with a subheading. However, the signal word whether sets up a transition away from talking about education. To determine whether a conclusion is successful, what should you remember when reading the last paragraph of informational text?

• An effective informational conclusion revisits the thesis and offers a personal opinion from the author.

• An effective informational conclusion restates the thesis word for word.

• An effective informational conclusion revisits the thesis and provides a final fact, answer, or call to action.

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