Attributes of Good Non-Fiction.

Authority & Respect: authors need to display a passionate interest in the

subject with careful research and expert advice making for a convincing
information book. When an author is a non-fiction writer rather than a subject
expert, they will need to have sought expert advice so that the presentation of
facts, opinions, theories etc. is correct. The book must display respect for the
reader, treating students as intelligent and curious and ensuring the absence of
stereotyping by sex, race, age or religion either in the text or in the illustrations.

Accuracy and Clarity: build trust, the authors verify facts and figures, clarify
concepts and develop complete pictures of up to date information. When writing
for younger students who are limited in experience, vocabulary and knowledge of
concepts, authors often find it necessary to omit material. When they do this,
their obligation is omit nothing that is of major importance. The text does not
have to be comprehensive but it must cover the major points or it will have the
same effect of being inaccurate.
Accuracy is one of the most important criteria for judging a non-fiction book and
today there has never been a greater need for accurate information than ever
before to help counter-act widely disseminated misinformation .
Consider also that the text indicates opinion and argument, use of clue/signal
words.

Literary style: has the author chosen a literary style that suits the subject or
theme and the intended audience? Has the writing style bought the subject to
life? The writing needs to be clear and interesting. Non-fiction can be dull!! Use of
tone, sometimes humour without being silly or condescending. Could this book be
read aloud? Information should be written in a straight forward fashion –notes
from handout sheet.
• Vocabulary – tone –appropriate for subject matter
• Writing style to suit theme, topic and audience
• Presentation of principles, theories, concepts, interpretations and
evaluations
• Clear delineation between fact, theory or opinion (look for clue words)
• Multilayered content

Timeliness and Copyright: timeliness is closely related to accuracy. Consider

the copyright date, this is especially important in many subject areas. E.g science.
However, in older books the copyright date may not be of so much importance
when a student needs breadth of coverage. Information books should represent
not only the heritage and knowledge of the past but the latest research and
contemporary experience as well.

Design and format: in non-fiction is an important aspect of getting information

across to readers. (Consider what has been discussed about boys) Should be in
sync with intended audience. Can be used to clarify the sequence of ideas and to
show how the parts are related. Look at typography – is the size appropriate for
the intended audience?

Supportive ancillary material: as well as good organisation a non-fiction book

needs ancillary material to support and add value to the facts, figures etc.
Consider the slide with all the parts of the book flying in – does this make sense to
a student? Can they name and interpret aspects of a book such as a timeline or a
graph, or a box/table of statistics? Are these tools placed where they add the
most value to the text?

Tools: again a part of good organisation in an informational/non-fiction book. See

handout sheet. Can a student make sense of these? Can they use these tools to
help them with their information problem-solving finding information?

Illustrations: are an essential part of the overall structure, should be accurate

and complimentary to the text. Some of the finest information books engage
readers by asking them to look for something specific in an accompanying
illustration. Use of colour photos for in particular, science books, also the newish
genre of children’s photo essay combing text and photos.
What do the illustrations add to the text? Are the illustrations (ancillary tools)
placed where they add the most value to the text? Do the labels and captions add
value and explanation to the tools and illustrations? Are the illustrations adding to
the tone of the text e.g. history in sepia tones, black and white for diaries, or
yellowed pages for old letters and diaries? The borders between picture books
and non-fiction for very early learners, blur somewhat with illustration and
photography…but can still be exciting and appropriate with creative editors and
designers.

Documentation of sources: generally means a bibliography of sources used in

the background of research. Can also refer to the use of footnotes and endnotes
that cite sources for direct quotes and specific pieces of information.
Source material can be divided into two categories: primary and secondary. EPIC
databases particularly good for detail on these. Use of primary resources indicates
author has done original research. Most writers of young people’s non-fiction rely
on secondary sources……a critical look at the sources may give a picture of the
depth of the writer’s expertise in the subject…….very important information
literacy skill in today’s world of much information and misinformation

Why use Non-fiction

Recreational reading absolutely super range of topics powerfully presented to
‘hook’ students into reading (reading mileage) Remember what the research said
about the enjoyment factor (Boys to be discussed next slide) The student who
wants to read all around a topic, the boys that gather at the 600’s, gang reading
phrase coined by James Moloney, Australian author and teacher librarian.

Satisfies and broadens curiosty

Kathleen Horning said 1997, From Cover to Cover page 22…’Non-Fiction is an
essential part of every child’s library, whether the child reads it for specific
information, recreation or both.
Many children prefer to read non-fiction exclusively, and they may voraciously
read through every book a library owns on the subject of horses, or ancient Egypt
or basketball.’

The book must grab and hold the student for whatever purpose the student is
using the book for. Natural curiosity is held by powerfully presented information.
Show respect for the student who is going to read the book.

Provides for depth and breadth of information and open ways for further
inquiry
Questions grow as answers lead to new questions! Read about all aspects of a
topic (including Fiction) Again curiosity.
Provides models for concise writing Excellent source of models to support
literacy programmes, all kinds of writing, look at different ways models can be
used and how lateral thinking about your choice of books can add value to what
you are teaching and trying to achieve, use National Library collection – see slide
further on and displays.
Stephen Krashen ‘Writing style does not come from actual writing
experience, but from reading.’

Challenges readers to read critically Students can use non-fiction for

recreational reading (see above) and for research and inquiry. When texts are
being used for study, reading critically becomes a very important skill/strategy.
This doesn’t happen by accident but rather by skilled teaching with good choice of
resources to support the teaching. Students need to be taught and to practice
questioning the text, how to unpack the information that is presented on each
page in a variety of ways e.g. charts, fact boxes etc Becoming skilled at at
using the strategies of questioning, summarising, and text structure
enables students to more fully comprehend what they read.
Text structure refers to the way an author has organised and developed ideas e.g.
descriptions, sequence, cause and effect, comparison/contrast, question/answer.
Text structure is indicated by the use of clue/signal words
e.g. a sequence will be indicated by the use of first, second, next, now, then,
finally
comparison uses as well as, either or, on the other hand, not only …but also
Think here also about Bloom’s Taxonomy the levels of thinking and writing, the
use of vocabulary to indicate levels of thinking and problem-solving.
Think also of key words that are often printed in bold, particularly in texts for
younger readers
Students need to be helped to move from simply reading a text to actively
engaging with it in a problem-solving manner. Reading critically. Students
who can read critically will be able to use text for their information
searches and problem solving making their own knowledge and
therefore not needing to plagarise.

Reading aloud
How about that for an idea??!! Reading aloud around a topic, reading aloud to
give emphasis on part of a topic, reading aloud to support learning e.g. with
younger readers and learners, reading aloud for enjoyment.
A science teacher reading aloud articles related to a topic.
A history teacher reading aloud from a primary source e.g. letters, journals,
diaries to give information, to collect/confirm information, to give
colour/atmosphere to a topic.
The teacher/librarian reading aloud can be the bridge between the text and the
students as above with younger students but also with groups of older students
who are not able readers or students who are learning to speak and read another
language.
Reading aloud also provides the teacher with opportunity to point out concepts,
facts and how the information is organised.
American study 1985 Becoming a nation of readers, among its primary findings
two points were very clearly exposed:
• The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for
eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children
• It is a practice that should continue throughout the grades.

Stephen Krashen notes short term studies show that children make significant
increases in vocabulary after just a few hearings of studies containing unfamiliar
words. Another reason for reading aloud.

Boys
There’s a lot said and speculated about boys and reading and the media always
seems to be having something to say about boys and their schooling!

James Moloney states It has long been observed that many boys are attracted to
non-fiction books or, as we often call them now, information books.
Boys are drawn to books with facts, figures and information. They like to appear
knowledgeable! Boys use non-fiction books in a random fashion prompted by no
more than a fascination for information and detail. Information is FUN!
Information in bite-sized pieces, easily understood and recalled.
Boys browse non-fiction, dipping in and out of the book. Publishers have come to
recognise this with the design and illustration in the books now being produced.
Boys browse together, earlier reference to gang reading, fascination a boy feels
for the snippets of information he is collecting demands sharing – they read aloud
to each other!! Non-fiction would seem to be designed for boys!

Interests sparked by non-fiction can lead on to lifelong passions and hobbies and
may well influence career choices.

Offers option to students who prefer fact to fiction

There are plenty of readers who do not want to read fantasy! I am one of them! I
would rather read a biography.
Some students are more entranced by fact than fable, by reality than by fantasy.
It maybe that they prefer and are more comfortable with briefly stated facts
rather than imaginative, figurative phrases and generally longer sentences. Think
boys here as well!!
The feeling of making the facts their own, of controlling information is a powerful
sensation and for some students this is the kind of reading experience they enjoy
the most.
All students need to experience excellent models of expository as well as
narrative writing and non-fiction makes this possible.

Expands vocabulary
A controlled vocabulary maybe helpful for the beginning reader but there should
be the challenge of new words and technical terms to match the subject area,
working from the familiar to the unfamiliar and more complex therefore
expanding vocabularies.
What kinds of words and sentences are used to get the ideas across to younger
readers? (If you are using a non-fiction resources with younger readers and you
should be!) No substituting terms with simplified terminology!! This is teaching
inaccurate terminology and does not respect the ability of the reader.
Absolutely no ‘dumbing down’ of language or terms, no anthropomorphism !! (will
be discussed later on in the attributes of quality non-fiction)

Demonstrates the need for the logical organisation of facts

Topic gives indication of how facts/information should be arranged.
e.g. historical material arranged in chronological order
scientific experiments/projects arranged in enumeration order, some
topics/concepts will need to work from the simple to the complex. This applies to
the order of chapters in non-fiction books as well.
Tools that assist logical organisation discussed further on but worth noting here…
do chapter headings actually say what the chapter is about or are they quirky and
misleading?
Use of non-fiction to add practise/expertise and development of writing.