DISCONTINUOUS text: main characteristics

discontinuous texts they have become one of the most used tools to be able to provide information quickly and effectively to readers. They can contain a large amount of information in a small space, making it easy for users to understand the content at a glance.

In this lesson from a PROFESSOR we want to explain to you the main characteristics of a discontinuous text, so that you can recognize it as soon as you see it and be able to create your own texts.

A dashed text It is a type of text that is used to support information. That is to say, they are not written following a logical sequence, but are discontinuous and their objective is to improve the understanding of an image. In order to understand them, you will not only have to use your reading comprehension, but you will have to understand the context in which they are written and be able to identify images what they propose

Discontinuous texts often serve as support in maps, in infographics, in invoices, in diagrams, etc.

Discontinuous texts never go free, but are always

supplementing the information which gives us an image. The information exposed by discontinuous topics can be developed in a more extensive way in continuous texts.

Sometimes, when discontinuous images and texts are accompanied by continuous text that increases understanding of the subject, they are called mixed texts. The word "discontinuous" refers to the fact that these texts are written in an interrupted way (with images in between) and in a non-linear way (they can jump from one topic to another without the need to links).

The characteristics of discontinuous texts They will help you quickly identify it when you find yourself in front of one of them.

reading is not continuous

We do not read a discontinuous text from top to bottom, but our eyes are jumping from one place to another, in order to find the information we need. However, the structure presented by the text must be easy to understand for the reader.

They are short texts

Each of the fragments of a discontinuous text is short. Unlike continuous texts that develop ideas and link them together, the texts we study today only show a specific idea of ​​a general concept.

It is necessary to understand the structure

In order to understand the texts proposed by a graph or a diagram, it is necessary to know How should these structures be read? We have to search for and identify the information that interests us and know how to interpret it. The first thing you should do when faced with discontinuous text is to recognize the format in which it is written: a table, an infographic, a map, a timeline, etc.

It is highly synthesized

They are used to give maximum information in the minimum space possible, that's why they are highly synthesized. Some of them even lack connectors and only contain keywords that will help you understand the image you are seeing.

They are not ordered

The information they give it does not have to be structured and ordered. That is, they only speak of the specific point to which they refer, without taking into account the rest of the text. The information is indeed organized with the purpose to be reached, but it does not have to be chronological or progressive.

The best way to know if you have understood a lesson correctly is to see some examples. We explain a dashed text example in detail, so you can check that it meets the characteristics mentioned in the previous section.

Diagram with possible solutions to curb global warming

The diagram will show the possible solutions that the planet needs to stop global warming. It can be structured in such a way that the solutions that are already being applied and those that are still a utopia for the planet.

The graphic part of this discontinuous text is the diagram and the textual part are the phrases that is inside each of the action sections. This text can be accompanied by a continuous text that explains the previous diagram, to turn it into a mixed text.

we leave you with some more examples on discontinuous texts:

• Graph indicating how many cities have green spaces.
• List of characteristics of living things.
• Map indicating which countries use electric cars.
• Table indicating the amount of time that people use electronic devices according to age.
• Infographics on how to prevent smoking.
• Diagram of Plato's cave myth.
• Conceptual map of the law of supply and demand.
• Roman Empire timeline.
• Graph showing the use of electric cars vs. cars that use fossil fuels in a region.
• List of the fundamental books of the history of literature.

We hope this article has helped you understand the Main characteristics of a discontinuous text. If you are interested in further delving into this topic, do not hesitate to consult our writing section.