Older theories saw texts as fixed. Texts had meaning. Readers applied themselves to the text. They negotiate meaning of the text based on their previous experiences as well as what the fixed text says.
Schemata allow people to explain and thus comprehend sensory input.
Schema theory portrays readers as actively building mental representations by combining new information from a text with previously acquired information. Use genres as contextualizing formats and organizational strategies that readers recognize. Provide the appropriate amount of detail for readers who are familiar with the writer's field and for readers who are not. Structure documents hierarchically so that readers can process them top down. Physical and Semantic Features of Words Word length High frequency words, short words, and structurally simple words are much easier for readers to recognize and comprehend than low-frequency, longer words.