Learning to identify Key Ideas

Reading strategies for the analysis of discourse: Speeches & Articles

(journals/commentaries/excerpts)

What’s the Big Idea?

• Look at the headline or title - This often broadly summarizes the main topic of a news, magazine or journal article.

• Locate the Thesis Statement - Every argument, paragraph, and important pieces of information are always related to this main unifying idea.

• Locate the Topic Sentence at Paragraph Level – Note the writer’s intention and how this paragraph links to the Thesis Statement. This is done by identifying claims, counter claims, elaboration and lexical choices.

It is important to pay extra attention to the introductory and concluding paragraphs. This will scaffold your general grasp of the entire passage by providing an overview of the author’s intentions and possible ideological biases.

@Paragraph Level•A paragraph is a group of sentences that

develops one main idea

•Paragraphs tend to go from a main idea to specific details or evidence.

•The main idea within the paragraph (usually embodied by the Topic Sentence) is very often located at the beginning of a paragraph.

@Paragraph LevelGuiding Questions:•What is the Author’s Intention?•How does this Paragraph Support the Thesis?•Does this Paragraph relate to the Previous

Paragraph?

If this is done for Every Paragraph – you will have an idea of :

1.HOW each paragraph supports the writers’ thesis

2.HOW the writer connects information across paragraphs.

@Paragraph LevelIdentifying Key Meaning Relations:

•Claims – General Statements (Problem/Solution, Reason/Result, Cause/Effect, Comparison/Contrast).

•Counter Claims – (But, On the other hand, However).

•Elaboration – Evidence (Factual), Supporting Ideas, Examples, Explanation.

•Conclusion – Comment, Resolution, Evaluation, Re-statement, Problem/Question.

Arrangement of Key IdeasThe key ideas could be arranged in the following set pairs:•Topic/Time•Compare/ Contrast•Cause- Effect•Problems/ Solutions•Reasons- whys, ways, hows etc.The ability to deconstruct these elements will

help you to zero in on the key arguments embedded in an article or speech.

Understanding Speeches

• Read the transcript of the speech.

• Carefully annotate the transcript - marking, looking up, and determining the precise meaning of words and phrases about which you are uncertain.

• Carefully annotate transcripts of speeches, marking and looking up references and allusions (e.g., cultural, historical, geographical, literary) about which you are uncertain.

Understanding Speeches

• Research and take precise notes on the broader context in which the speech was written.

• See how a rich understanding of context helps them to better understand the speeches.

• View and/or listen to a recording of a speech. Pay attention to the speaker’s delivery (e.g. tone, pacing of words and phrases, facial expression, hand movements, clothing choice, background setting), audience reception is also likely to provide interpretive clues.• Take substantive notes as they work through analyses of a

speech.

Tackling the Application Question• Pay close attention to the requirements.

How many parts does the question have?What does the question require you to do?

• Read the article/watch the video carefully.• Formulate a stance based on the key ideas in

the article/speech. This is usually embodied by the Thesis Statement and

Topic Sentences as well as the accompanying (often selective) use of facts and lexical choices.

• Utilise concrete examples and synthesise established ideological arguments to support your stand