Sequence of Events in Scientific and Technical Texts
Basics on the topic Sequence of Events in Scientific and Technical Texts
Sequence of Events – Introduction
Scientific and technical texts are common types of informational texts that explain how something works or how to do or make something step-by-step. For instance, a text on volcanic eruptions or electrical circuits are examples of texts that explain how something works. Procedural texts like experiments, recipes, or instruction manuals are examples of how-to texts.
All these texts use chronological order or sequencing, which means they put the events in the order in which they happen. We read them to learn more about a subject, or to understand how to complete a task. This also means that while reading a text, we also learn more about the sequence of events, because the text is written in chronological order.
Cause and Effect – Definition
When reading scientific and technical texts, we also need to look at the relationship between different events. These events show us cause-and-effect relationships of how one thing leads to another. Cause is the reason something happens. Effect is an event that happens as a result of the cause.
For example, the movement of tectonic plates is the cause and magma rising to the surface of the Earth is an effect. In turn, rising magma is the cause for a volcanic eruption, which is the effect.
Determining the cause and the effect of something also creates a chronological order and a sequence of events. The cause is mostly the starting point that the sequence of events follow.
Sequence of Events – Examples
Let’s read the scientific text and identify the sequence of events.
Gravity is a force that pulls objects towards each other. The Earth’s gravity is what keeps us on the ground and prevents us from flying away into space. The Moon’s gravity affects water bodies of the Earth. When the Moon is in a certain position, it generates a tidal pull. It means that the Moon’s gravity pulls the water towards itself and creates a high tide. As the Earth rotates and the Moon’s position changes, low tides occur.
Let’s identify the sequence of events described in the text. First, the Moon moves into a specific position. This event causes the tidal pull. There are two things that can happen as a result of a tidal pull: a high tide and a low tide.
We can record the sequence of events using the graphic organiser:
Now let’s have a look at the example of a procedural text. A procedural text describes the series of actions conducted in a specific order. This text is an experiment, and it is separated into two parts. The first part describes materials that we need to have before we begin the experiment. The second part lists steps we need to follow.
It is important to follow the steps described in the directions part precisely, to make sure the experiment produces the exact results.
Sequence of Events – Summary
Scientific and technical texts are informational texts that explain how something works or how to do or make something step-by-step. Technical and scientific texts have a special structure. They use chronological order to explain how things work or are done.
By listing things in the chronological order that they happen, you create a sequence of events.
When reading these texts, we need to look at cause-and-effect relationships of events or how one thing leads to another. Cause is the reason something happens. Effect is an event that happens as a result of the cause.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| The reason something happens | An event that happens as a result of the cause |
| Example: Force applied to an object | Example: Object’s movement |
| Example: Lack of sleep | Example: Tiredness |
Now you know everything about cause and effect and sequence of events in a scientific or a technical text. For more practice, check out our video and activities!
Frequently Asked Questions about the Sequence of Events
Transcript Sequence of Events in Scientific and Technical Texts
Sequence of Events in Scientific and Technical Texts "I'm having a hard time coming up with an experiment to do for my assignment!" "Eureka!" "I've got it!" "I am going to research using a scientific text about what makes an object float and then conduct an experiment." Scientific and technical texts are informational texts that explain how something works using chronological order or sequencing. They can also tell, in steps, how to do or make something. An example of a ‘how something works’ text would be an article on volcanic eruptions... or the flow of electrical circuits. ‘How to texts’ include procedural texts like experiments, recipes, and instruction manuals. We read these types of texts to learn more about a particular subject, or to understand how to complete a task. When reading scientific and technical texts, we look at the relationship between the events. These events show us cause-and-effect relationships of how one thing leads to another. Let's read this scientific text to understand the cause-and-effect relationship behind what makes some things float in Pearl's tub and others not. Buoyancy is an object’s ability to float. You will notice that when you put an object into water, the water around the object gets moved or displaced. The amount of displaced water depends on the object’s density. Density is how heavy something is compared to its size. If the object is denser or heavier than the amount of water it displaces, it will sink because the water’s force cannot hold it up. Objects that are less dense or lighter than the displaced water will float because the water underneath them is more dense. In this graphic organizer, we'll record the sequence of events for testing buoyancy. First, an object is put into water. This event causes water to be displaced because of the object's density. We will record that HERE. There are two things that can happen as a result of an object's density... an object that is more dense than the water will sink... and an object that is less dense than the water will float. This organizer helps us understand buoyancy by illustrating the relationship between the density of objects and their effects in water. Now that Pearl understands buoyancy, she will perform an experiment testing different objects using the directions in this technical text. An experiment is a type of procedural text. A procedure is the series of actions conducted in a specific order. In this type of text, you can see that it is separated into two different sections. The first part tells us what materials we need to perform the experiment, and the second part, are the steps to follow. The materials section of the text lets us know what we need to have BEFORE we begin the experiment, so we are prepared to follow the steps properly. The steps of the experiment are listed like a set of directions and need to be followed in the exact order to produce the correct results. While Pearl awaits her grade on the assignment, let's review. Remember,... Scientific and technical texts are informational texts that explain how something works using chronological order or sequencing. They can also tell, in steps, how to do or make something. When reading these types of texts we look at the relationship between the events. These events show us cause-and-effect relationships of how one thing leads to another. We read scientific and technical texts to learn more about a particular subject, or to understand how to complete a task. "Look! I got an "A" on my project! "Okay, Otis, we can stop doing that now!"
