Which feature helps readers scan an informational article?

Which feature helps readers scan an informational article?

• A. Bold headings
• B. Long paragraphs
• C. Dense footnotes
• D. Small font

Answer: (A)

Bold headings act like road signs in a nonfiction article. When you’re scanning, you skim for quick clues about where information is headed rather than reading every word. The bolded headings visually break the text into clear sections and announce the topic of each part, so your eyes can jump from one section to another to find what you need. This makes it faster to determine where a particular idea or detail is discussed, like the section you’d go to for causes, effects, or examples. Other features, such as long paragraphs, dense footnotes, or small font, slow you down and hide information, which is why they don’t support quick scanning as well.

Bold headings act like road signs in a nonfiction article. When you’re scanning, you skim for quick clues about where information is headed rather than reading every word. The bolded headings visually break the text into clear sections and announce the topic of each part, so your eyes can jump from one section to another to find what you need. This makes it faster to determine where a particular idea or detail is discussed, like the section you’d go to for causes, effects, or examples. Other features, such as long paragraphs, dense footnotes, or small font, slow you down and hide information, which is why they don’t support quick scanning as well.