Textual aids refer to non-textual elements that help readers understand the content of the text. They also refer to elements that stand-out from the main text such as titles and subtitles, bold, italicized and underlined texts. Non-textual elements include illustrations, maps, tables, graphs and charts.
TITLES & SUBTITLES
Provide initial idea on what the text is all about
Activate priorknowledge on the topic
“Represent the keyconcepts (title) and supportingideas (subtitles) in the paper” (Elite Editing, 2015)
Layering or positioning of these aids convey the ideas’ level of importance
Identify the parts
A) Kicker
B) Title
C) Subtitle
illustration
Visualrepresentation of a subject
Facilitates better retention of the information presented
TABLES
Information (facts and figures) that are organized and arranged in columns and rows
Used to show patterns and relationships that still appeals to the readers’ verbal system, meaning tables are supposed to be read like a text (Nussbaumer, 2011)
Column headings - found on top of columns; used to identify the contents of a specific column
Rowheadings - used to define or identify the contents of a specific row
Identify parts
A) Row headings
B) Column headings
C) Title of the table
GRAPHS - Used “when a simple table cannot adequately demonstrate important relationships” of and within data (Mind Tools Content Team, 2020)
4 TYPES OF GRAPHS:
bar graph - uses either vertical or horizontal bars to show the data it represents but SkillsYouNeed.com (2020) emphasized that these bars do not touch each other
line graph – used to show how numerical data have changed over time and it is best used to show trends
pie graphs - show “how a whole is divided into different parts” (SkillsYouNeed.com, 2020)
pictograph - “similar to bar chart but use pictures to symbolize a countable unit of items” (Google Sites, n.d.).
maps - Visual representations of selected characteristics of a place, usually drawn on a flatsurface
2 TYPES OF MAPS:
physical map - includes labels for features such as mountainranges and bodies of water
political map - usually includes labels for features such as cities and majortowns, units such as states or provinces, and bodies of water