Reading Fiction and Nonfiction

Whether you realize it or not we read fiction differently than we read nonfiction.  Reading nonfiction takes many different skills, both similar and different from reading fiction.  Most of your text books are nonfiction as is reading pages on the world wide web. A good portion of your SOL English: Reading test is nonfiction.   Sometimes reading nonfiction can be more difficult than reading fiction. 

Reading Fiction

• Literature (fiction) is read quickly.
• Fiction is usually read one time through.
• Fiction is usually read for pleasure.
• It is easy to create mental pictures while reading fiction.
• They are many ways to interpret fiction; often there is more than one right answer to questions about fiction as long as the answers can be supported with text.
• Details are not as important as seeing the "big picture" or main idea.
• It is usually easy to remember what has been read.
• Sometimes there are pictures to go with the story.
• Each story usually follows the same structure.

• Nonfiction is read slowly and deliberately.
• Nonfiction is often read many times.
• Nonfiction is read for a particular purpose.
• Before you begin to read nonfiction, you should think about what you already know about the topic.
• It is often difficult to create mental pictures when reading nonfiction.
• Nonfiction is about facts.
• A question about nonfiction usually has one right answer.
• Details are very important when reading nonfiction; it is often difficult to see the "big picture."
• It is often difficult to remember what has been read. Notes are usually taken to aid the reader in remembering important facts.
• There are often charts, graphs, tables, or illustrations to assist the reader in understanding what has been read.
• The main idea of a paragraph is often the first sentence of that paragraph.
• Usually the last sentence in the paragraph pulls together the main idea.
• The size of headings, bold type, italics, charts, graphs, tables, or illustrations are often part of nonfiction. They assist the reader in understanding what has been read.

Click on to find a form to organize what you read each time you read a nonfiction selection.

What is matter?

This link will take us to a science web page that is all about matter.  Has everyone found the link?  What is the title of this web page?  What do you think the title means?  Before you read any further, think what you know about matter.  If you don't know anything at all, this is a cue to you to read even more slowly and carefully.

Now read the paragraphs about matter.  When you finish write the main idea of this selection on the lines provided on your sheet.  Who would like to read what they wrote?  For number two on your paper, write three supporting details about the main idea.  You may need to reread the information.  Hint:  Remember the first sentence in a paragraph often tells the main idea of that paragraph which is also a detail about the main idea of the whole page.  Remember to paraphrase.  That means use your own words.  Do not copy what the author wrote. 

In number 3 describe other information given that helps you understand what you read.  Were there any charts, illustrations, graphs, or tables?  Now, let's move on to number four.  How was the information organized?  Were there headings, italics, bold type? 

There is one last step I want you to take when you complete your work.  Turn your sheet over to the back.  If there is anything you read that you did not understand, write a question for me.  You may write more than one question.  Who would like to give an example?