Y05W19WR Turning Facts into an Informative Article

Part 1

How to Write

Informative – Informative article

An informative article engages a curious reader and builds their knowledge of a topic. It is written for a general or subject-area audience who wants to learn something interesting and genuinely understand it. The tone is engaging and authoritative — more accessible than a report, but still well-grounded and clear.

  • Ideas & content: Select information that is interesting and informative — facts that make the reader think as well as understand. Organise your material so it builds naturally from one idea to the next.
  • Structure & cohesion: Open with something that draws the reader in. Develop your main ideas in a logical order and close with a strong final point. Use linking language to hold the article together.
  • Voice & audience: Write with confidence and a sense of enthusiasm for the subject. Keep the tone clear and accessible — not overly academic, but not casual either.
  • Language choices: Use subject-specific vocabulary and explain any technical terms. Vary sentence length to keep the reader engaged. Write mainly in the present tense for facts.
  • Conventions: Spell all proper nouns and technical terms accurately. Use punctuation to pace the article and guide the reader.

Common pitfalls: Listing facts without shaping them into a clear narrative — decide what is most interesting and structure the article around that. Writing in a flat, list-like style throughout, which loses the reader’s interest.

Part 2

Your Task Plan for Today

The brief

Question: Write the informative article. You have space for one introduction paragraph and three body paragraphs. Choose the facts you think are most useful and relevant for your audience, organise them into a logical sequence and write them clearly in your own words. You do not need to use all eight facts.

Stimulus: Your school health coordinator wants a short informative article for the school newsletter explaining to students your age why sleep matters and what they can do about it.

Task Analysis: Choose four or five facts that best explain why sleep matters. Organise them logically. Write simply so other students understand. Help readers see why sleep is important and what they can do.

Quick Plan

Before you write, plan:

  • Why sleep matters — what does it do for your brain and body?
  • How much sleep you need — 9-11 hours
  • What helps sleep — no screens, no caffeine
  • What hurts sleep — bright lights, excitement, worry

Define the key concept

Open by saying why sleep is important: ‘Sleep is when your body and brain rest and repair themselves. Without enough sleep, you feel tired and find it hard to learn.’

Paragraph focus

Give each paragraph one idea. One paragraph about how much sleep. One about why sleep helps. One about how to sleep better. Keep them separate and clear.

Tone & voice

Write for students your age. Do not sound like a doctor. Sound like a friend who cares: ‘You might not think sleep matters, but it really does.’