OVERVIEW OF NONFICTION SIGNPOSTS

OBJECTIVE: Increase our understanding of nonfiction writing through meaningful, interpretive, and evaluative
analysis, discussion, and presentation.

Annotation
Signpost Task [a Brief Overview of each Signpost]
Symbol
When youre reading and the author shows you a difference between what
you know and what is happening in the text, or a difference in the text, you

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should stop and ask yourself:
What is the difference and why does it matter?
Answering the question wil help you see details that show you:
Main Ideas
Compare and contrast
Authors Purpose
Inference / Generalizations
Cause and effect

When youre reading and you notice the author uses a word or phrase you
dont know, you should stop and ask yourself:
Do I know this word from somplace else?
Does this seem like technical talk for experts about this topic?
Can I find clues in the sentence to help me understand the word?
Answering the question wil help you decide if:
you need to look the word up
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you need to keep reading for more information / look for context clues

When youre reading and you notice specific numbers, number words, or
amounts, you should stop and ask yourself:

S/N
Why did the author use those numbers or amounts?
Answering the question wil help you:
come to a conclusion
make a comparison
see details
make inferences
find facts or recognize evidence

When youre reading and you notice the author quoted a Voice of Authority,
a Personal Perspective, or cited Others Words, you should stop and ask

yourself:
Why did the author say it like that?
Answering the question wil tell you:
authors point-of-view
authors purpose
the difference between facts and opinions
how to make a generalization

When youre reading and you notice the author uses language that leaves
no doubt, exaggerates, or pushes the limit, you should stop and ask
yourself:

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Why did the author quote or cite this person?
Answering the question wil help you:
think about the authors point-of-view and purpose
think about the authors bias or conclusion
gain a perspective
decipher between facts and opinions
make a generalization

Beers, Kylene, and Probst, Robert E. 2015. Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
CONTRASTS and CONTRADICTIONS
DEFINITION: THE AUTHOR SHOWS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU KNOW AND WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN THE TEXT.

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

SIGNAL WORDS: ALTHOUGH, AS OPPOSED TO, EVEN THOUGH, HOWEVER, INSTEAD,
ALTERNATIVELY, NEVERTHELESS, ON THE OTHER HAND, OTHERWISE, STILL, THEN
AGAIN, UNLIKE, YET, IN CONTRAST, IN SPITE OF THIS, NOTHING LIKE
TEXT FOCUS: AUTHORS PURPOSE, AUTHORS POINT-OF-VIEW, AUTHOR IS EXAGGERATING
TO GUIDE YOUR THINKING ABOUT AN ISSUE.

What did I notice?

Where in the text does the Where in the text does the
unexpected event or statement What are my final thoughts? unexpected event or statement
show up? show up?
I think the author uses this contrast or contradiction to
show the reader

What inferences can be made What inferences can be made

about why the author would about why the author would
include this difference? include this difference?

What did I notice?

Beers, Kylene, and Probst, Robert E. 2015. Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
WORD GAPS
DEFINITION: THE AUTHOR USES A WORD OR PHRASE YOU DONT KNOW.

QUESTION: DO I KNOW THIS WORD FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE?

IS THIS WORD TECHNICAL TALK FOR EXPERTS?
CAN I FIND CLUES IN THE SENTENCE TO HELP ME
UNDERSTAND THIS WORD?
TEXT FOCUS: LOOK UP THE WORD OR KEEP READING TO FIND MORE INFORMATION /
CONTEXT CLUES.

What did I notice?

What is the unknown word or What is the unknown word or

phrase? phrase?
What are my final thoughts?

I think the author uses this word or phrase to show the

reader

What does the word mean? What What does the word mean? What
context clues help me figure out context clues help me figure out
what the word means? what the word means?

What did I notice?

Beers, Kylene, and Probst, Robert E. 2015. Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
NUMBERS & STATS
DEFINITION: THE AUTHOR USES SPECIFIC NUMBERS, NUMBER WORDS, OR AMOUNTS.

QUESTION: WHY DID THE AUTHOR USE THOSE NUMBERS OR AMOUNTS?

TEXT FOCUS: COME TO A CONCLUSION, MAKE A COMPARISON, SEE DETAILS, MAKE

INFERENCES, FIND FACTS, RECOGNIZE EVIDENCE.

What did I notice?

What is the number or amount? What is the number or amount?

What are my final thoughts?

I think the author used this number or amount to show the

reader

What inferences can be made What inferences can be made

about why the author included this about why the author included this
number or amount? number or amount?

What did I notice?

Beers, Kylene, and Probst, Robert E. 2015. Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
QUOTED WORDS
DEFINITION: THE AUTHOR QUOTES A VOICE OF AUTHORITY, A PERSONAL
PERSPECTIVE, OR CITES OTHERS WORDS.

QUESTION: WHY DID THE AUTHOR QUOTE OR CITE THIS PERSON?

TEXT FOCUS: AUTHORS POINT-OF-VIEW, AUTHORS PURPOSE, AUTHORS BIAS, GAIN A
PERSPECTIVE, DISTINGUISH BETWEEN FACT AND OPINION.

What did I notice?

QUOTE: QUOTE:
What are my final thoughts?

I think the author included this quote or citation because

What inferences can be made What inferences can be made

about why the author quoted or about why the author included this
cited this? number or amount?

What did I notice?

Beers, Kylene, and Probst, Robert E. 2015. Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
EXTREME / ABSOLUTE LANGUAGE
DEFINITION: THE AUTHOR USES LANGUAGE THAT LEAVES NO DOUBT,
EXAGGERATES, OR PUSHES THE LIMIT.
QUESTION: WHY DID THE AUTHOR SAY IT LIKE THAT?
SIGNAL WORDS: EVERY, ALL, ALWAYS, INARGUABLY, NEVER, NONE,
UNCONDITIONALLY, UNQUESTIONABLY, ENTIRELY, COMPLETELY, EXCLUSIVELY
TEXT FOCUS: AUTHORS PURPOSE, AUTHORS POINT-OF-VIEW, AUTHOR IS EXAGGERATING
TO GUIDE YOUR THINKING ABOUT AN ISSUE.

What did I notice?

What is the word or phrase that What is the word or phrase that
uses extreme or absolute What are my final thoughts? uses extreme or absolute
language? language?

Why do you think the author said Why do you think the author said
it like this? it like this?

What did I notice?

Beers, Kylene, and Probst, Robert E. 2015. Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
TITLE: _________________________________ AUTHOR: _______________________
CONTRASTS & WORD GAPS
CONTRADICTIONS

EXTREME / ABSOLUTE LANGUAGE NUMBERS & STATS QUOTED WORDS

Signpost What I noticed Response / Note

Beers, Kylene, and Probst, Robert E. 2015. Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.
Beers, Kylene, and Probst, Robert E. 2015. Reading Nonfiction: Notice and Note Stances, Signposts, and Strategies. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.