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Linear and Nonlinear Texts
Linear and Nonlinear Texts
key difference between linear and nonlinear text is their reading path. In a linear text,
a reader can make sense of the text by reading sequentially, from beginning to the
end. However, in a nonlinear text, the reading path is nonlinear and non-sequential;
thus, the reader can choose his own reading path.
A reading path is the path or the way the reader’s take through a text. There are two paths
as linear and nonlinear texts depending on this reading path. This article explains these two
reading paths, providing examples to give a clear understanding of the difference between
linear and nonlinear text.
There are many definitions of the term nonlinear text. Most people consider texts with
visuals or graphs along with it as examples for nonlinear texts. Some examples
include flowcharts, charts, and graphs (ex: pie chart, bar graphs), graphical organizers such
as knowledge maps and story maps. In fact, any text that is not read from beginning to the
end falls into the category of nonlinear text. For example, consider an encyclopedia or a
telephone directory. We do not read them from beginning to the end; we skim through them
to obtain the specific information we need.
Figure 02: Nonlinear Text
It is also important to note that digital texts or electronic texts are also nonlinear texts.
These texts offer an array of constituents such as mobile and immobile pictures, hyperlinks,
and, sound effects. Here also, the reader can choose his own path of reading. Let’s
consider this article itself as an example; if you only want to know the difference between
linear and nonlinear text, you can skip reading all this text and click “Side by Side
Comparison – Linear Text vs Nonlinear Text in Tabular Form” in the content to directly
access the differences. Here, you are creating your own path of reading. This method of
reading helps the readers to access specific information they are searching more efficiently.
To understand the difference between linear and nonlinear text clearly, look at some of the
examples of both reading paths. Some examples of linear texts include novels, poems,
letters, textbooks, etc. In contrast, flow charts, knowledge maps, digital texts with
hyperlinks, and encyclopedias are some examples of nonlinear text. Furthermore, non-
linear allows readers to you to find specific information more quickly and efficiently.
Summary – Linear vs Nonlinear Text
The difference between linear and nonlinear texts mainly depends on their reading paths.
Since linear texts have a sequential order, they have only one reading path. However,
nonlinear texts have multiple reading paths since they are non-sequential.
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