In this activity, you’ll analyze the structural elements of an informational text. Choose one of these two texts to analyze closely: “Types of Shakespearean Dramas” or “Threats to Birds.”

Part A
Note which passage you chose. What organizational patterns did you find in the passage? What details from the text helped you recognize the organizational patterns?
Part B
Are there any text features? Are they helpful? If so, how?
Part C
Do the paragraphs or sections in the passage you chose seem logically separated? Why or why not?
Part D
What is the central idea, or thesis, of the text? How do the structural elements support the central idea?

Part A:I read “Types of Shakespearean Dramas.” The organizational patterns appear to be compare and contrast with some descriptive sections. Signal phrases like “differs from” and “for example” help me see these patterns.

Part B:Yes, “Types of Shakespearean Dramas” has subheadings that help me understand what each section is about.

Part C:The paragraphs in “Types of Shakespearean Dramas” are separated logically because the author moves from one point to the next in a way that makes sense. Some paragraphs are a little long and could have been developed as shorter paragraphs to make the text easier to read.

Part D:The central idea is that Shakespeare’s plays can be classified into three types: comedies, tragedies, and histories. The examples and evidence given in individual sections support the central idea. In addition, the compare and contrast organization makes the central idea clear.

Explanation:

Edmentum word for word