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Text format
72. An important classification of texts, and one at the heart of the organisation of the PISA 2000
framework and assessment, is the distinction between continuous and non-continuous texts.
Continuous texts are typically composed of sentences that are, in turn, organised into paragraphs.
These may fit into even larger structures such as sections, chapters and books. Non-continuous
texts are most frequently organised in matrix format, based on combinations of lists.
73. Texts in continuous and non-continuous formats appear in both fixed and dynamic texts. Mixed
and multiple format texts are also prevalent in both, particularly so in dynamic texts. Each of these
four formats is elaborated below.
74. Other non-text-formatted objects are also commonly used in conjunction with fixed texts and
particularly with dynamic texts. Pictures and graphic images occur frequently in fixed texts and can
legitimately be regarded as integral to such texts. Static images as well as videos, animations and
audio files regularly accompany dynamic texts and can, also, be regarded as integral to those
texts. As a reading literacy assessment, PISA does not focus on non-text formatted objects
independently, but any such objects may, in principle, appear in PISA as part of a (verbal) text.
However, in practice the use of video and animation is very limited in the current assessment.
Audio is not used at all because of practical limitations such as the need for headphones and audio
translation.
75. Continuous texts. Continuous texts are formed by sentences organised into paragraphs.
Examples of text objects in continuous text format include newspaper reports, essays, novels,
short stories, reviews and letters, including on e-book readers.
76. Graphically or visually, organisation occurs by the separation of parts of the text into sentences
and paragraphs with spacing (e.g. indentation) and punctuation conventions. Texts also follow a
hierarchical structure signalled by headings and content that help readers to recognise the
organisation of the text. These markers also provide clues to text boundaries (showing section
completion, for example). The location of information is often facilitated by the use of different font
sizes, font types such as italic and boldface or borders and patterns. The use of typographical and
format clues is an essential subskill of effective reading.
77. Discourse markers also provide organisational information. Sequence markers (first, second,
third, etc.), for example, signal the relation of each of the units introduced to each other and
indicate how the units relate to the larger surrounding text. Causal connectors (therefore, for this
reason, since, etc.) signify cause-effect relationships between parts of a text.
78. Non-continuous texts. Non-continuous texts are organised differently to continuous texts, and
therefore require a different kind of reading approach. Most non-continuous texts are composed of
a number of lists (Kirsch & Mosenthal, 1990). Some are single, simple lists, but most consist of
several simple lists combined.
79. Examples of non-continuous text objects are lists, tables, graphs, diagrams, advertisements,
schedules, catalogues, indexes and forms. These text objects occur in both fixed and dynamic
texts.
80. Mixed texts. Many fixed and dynamic texts are single, coherent objects consisting of a set of
elements in both a continuous and non-continuous format. In well-constructed mixed texts the
components (for example, a prose explanation including a graph or table) are mutually supportive
through coherence and cohesion links at the local and global level.
81. Mixed text is a common format in magazines, reference books and reports, where authors
employ a variety of presentations to communicate information. In dynamic texts, authored web
pages are typically mixed texts, with combinations of lists, paragraphs of prose and often graphics.
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Message-based texts, such as online forms, e-mail messages and forums, also combine texts that
are continuous and non-continuous in format.
82. The “multiple” format defined in the previous versions of the framework is now represented as
one modality of the new “source” dimension defined above.
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