Although much reading research centers on expository text structure in general, few studies have examined how specific patterns of informational text influence comprehension. One notable omission is a lack of research into the effects of two distinct types of comparison-contrast text patterns: divided and alternating.

The purpose of this article is (1) to outline differences between divided and alternating patterns, (2) to report the effect these patterns exert on the performance of college developmental readers, and (3) to present related instructional implications.