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READING

Objective: To transfer information from linear to non-linear text

TRANSFERRING INFORMATION FROM LINEAR TO NON-LINEAR TEXTS

As a student, you will definitely encounter a number of visual forms or non-linear texts in your
textbooks. Non-linear texts are used to present data in an orderly way and also to enable you to
see large quantities of information at a glance.

Non-linear texts are used to:

summarise figures
show trends
show comparisons
show relationships
clarify difficult concepts

Some non-linear texts you are likely to encounter are:

graphs
tables
charts
diagrams
maps
photographs

When extracting information from a written text to transfer to a non-linear text such as a table or
an organisational chart, here are some steps you could follow:

Step 1 : Read the passage to get a general idea of the subject matter.
Step 2 : Look at the visual to identify what information is needed to complete
the chart.
Step 3 : Locate the relevant information in the passage and transfer it to the
chart. Use only key words or phrases not whole sentences.
Step 4 : You may be required to classify information into categories under
Headings. You may have to come up with your headings.
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Example:

The oldest musical instrument in the world is the drum, which was originally made in one of
three ways. Frame drums were made by stretching skin over bowl-shaped frames. Rattle drums
were made by filling gourds or skins with dried grains, shells or rocks. Tubular drums were
made from hollowed logs or bones covered with skins. Both frame and tubular drums were
struck with the hand or with beaters to produce sounds.
In contrast, rattle drums were shaken or scraped to make rhythmic sounds. For thousands of
years, drums have been used to transmit messages to call soldiers to battle and to make music.

Theparagraphyouhavejustreadisaboutdifferentkindsofdrumsandhowtheyfunction.In
ordertofindoutthisinformation,wehavetoreadthewholetextandlookfortheinformation.
Thistakestime.However,bytransferringthemainpointsintoachart,therelevantinformation
canbeseenataglance.Thisisthemainadvantageofpresentinginformationinanonlinear
form.

DRUMS

FrameDrums TubularDrums RattleDrums

madebystretching madefromhollowed madebyfilling

skinsoverbowl logsorbonescovered gourdsorskins
shapedframes withskins withdriedgrains,
shellsorrock

struckwiththehandsor shakenorscraped
withbeaterstoproduce tomakerhythmic
sounds sounds
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EXERCISE A

Read the following paragraph. Transfer the information in the paragraph into the chart
that follows.

The word 'mountain refers to any region of land that is raised rather steeply above the
surrounding terrain. Geologists believe that most mountains are formed by movements in the
earth's crust. The earth's crust is made up of a number of vast plates that move at a rate of a few
centimetres a year. These movements lead to the collision and separation of continents and the
subsequent development of mountain belts. The Himalayas, for

example, were raised by the compression and collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. Besides
that, mountains are also formed by the forces of erosion. Rocks on the surface of the earth have
different compositions. These rocks are continuously exposed to erosive actions. The areas which
are relatively hard may stand high above the softer areas, which are more easily eroded rocks.
The best example is the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas and Missouri. Finally, mountains are also
formed by volcanic activity. A famous example in this category is Mount Fuji in Japan. This type
of mountain has a conical peak composed of lava and volcanic debris. Many of these mountains
have summit craters that still release steam and debris.

FORMATION OF MOUNTAINS

2
1.1 22. 3.

4.4 5 5. 6.

EXAMPLES
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EXERCISEB

Readthefollowingpassage.Transfertheinformationinthepassageintothechartthat
follows.

Asystemsanalystisapersonwhodesignsanddevelopsnewinformationsyatemsormodifies
exixting information systems. His primary objective is to produce effective and efficient
informationsystems.Inordertoachievethisobjective,thesyatemsanalystmustpossesscertain
skillsandqualities.
Firstandforemost,thesystemsanalystmusthavegoodcommunicaionskills.Thiswill
helphimtocommunicatewiththeusersofinformationsystems.Insodoing,hewillnotonly
understand the problems faced by the users but will also be provided with sufficient
specificationstodesignanddevelopeffectiveandefficientinformationsystemsthatsuitthe
users'needs.Thesystemsanalystalsoneedstocommunicatewith
vendorstoidentifytheappropriatetechnologyfortheinformationsystems.Uponcompleting
thesetasks,thesystemanalystwillcommunicatewithtopmanagementtodiscusstherequired
budget.
Developinganinformationsystemneedsproperplanning.Inthiscontext,thesystems
analystmustbeveryskilfulinmanagingalltheaspectsoftheinformationsystemproject.He
mustbeabletomanagethebudget,theinformationpersonnelwho

areinvolvedintheproject,andthetimeallocatedtocompletetheproject.Failuretodosowill
notonlyresultinanincompleteinformationsystembutwillalsoputhisreputationatstake.In
thelongrun,itwilljeopardisehiscareer.
Thesystemsanalystshouldalsopossesstherightattitudeandqualitiestosucceedinhis
career.Apartfrombeinginnovativeandcreativeinsolvinginformationsystemsproblems,he
mustbeproactiveindealingwithusers'needs.Heshouldbeveryanalyticalandcriticalintrying
tounderstandtheproblemsfacedbyusersofinformationsystems.
Theworkofthesystemsanalystisverydemandingbutitcouldalsobeinterestingand
rewardingforapersonwiththerightattitudeandskills.Almostallorganisationsneedasystems
analystinordertomanagetheirinformationsyatems.
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SYSTEMSANALYST

JOBDESCRIPTION

1_____________________________2____________________________

SKILLS

COMMUNICATIONMANAGEMENT

3___________________________6_____________________________
4___________________________7_____________________________
5___________________________8_____________________________

PERSONALQUALITIES

9 ____________________________________________
10_____________________________________
11_____________________________________
12_____________________________________
13_____________________________________