Linear & Non Linear Text

By: Amos , Athirah, Samihah, Hamirah

Linear Text
Linear text is the material we are used to reading in books, magazines, newspapers. The content is displayed in a straight line of paragraphs and pages from beginning to end. Readers are expected to read the material in the order in which it appears on the page.

Disadvantages of Linear Text

can be monotonous reading and lack appeal to second language readers. The absence of audio-visual inputs only adds to the dreariness of reading linear texts like long articles, journals and textbooks. linear texts is that they can also be difficult to comprehend.

Non Linear Text

Not in a fixed sequence. Differ from reading to reading because of the shape, structure, or mechanisms of the text.

Graphic organizers

Disadvantages of Non Linear Text

The main problem of using non-linear texts is the issue of consistency in reading.

Finding consistency in reading non-linear texts is more difficult especially for second language readers.
Results in difficulties to assimilate old information and new knowledge. Readers who are ambiguity intolerant might be used to the traditional text that requires readers to read from front to back (Church, 2001) and therefore, when this linearity is taken away, they face difficulty to even start reading.

By using linear or non linear text, is it a good way for students to learn or would it be a challenge for them?

Advantages in using Linear & Non Linear Text

While the linearity of linear texts makes it rigid, linear texts provide beneficial structural cues that help students with comprehension As for non-linear texts, these structural cues are absent but by processing non-linear texts, students also develop skills to construct meaning through information transfer and scanning for specific information.