1. Understanding Textbooks
T.C. Norris
Summer 2016

2. Introduction
Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill in the learning process. If one is not able to understand the content and point of what is written, he/she will not be able to apply it. This is significant regarding class assignments that involve reading a text, interpreting its meaning, and using the information to complete those assignments. Students with poor comprehension skills will not do well in any class from any discipline because they will not understand the instructions for their assignments. Development of reading comprehension depends on a systematic approach to reading a passage. The focus of this workshop is learning the systematic approach that will improve comprehension skills.

3. Key Elements in Comprehension
Comprehension and application are based on understanding five elements: □ Subject Matter □ Main Idea □ Supporting Details □ Examples □ Inferences Once these elements are clear, one will understand the information and be able to apply it.

4. Scope of Comprehension
The elements of comprehension apply to all levels of writing: □ Book □ Chapter □ Article □ Essay □ Paragraph Understanding the content of any of these levels requires the same process. We will use the simplest level to illustrate the process.

5. Paragraph Content and Structure
Paragraph Structure
These are “idealized” paragraphs intended to illustrate the basic principle of how paragraphs function. A “real” paragraph will have as many sentences as necessary to clarify the point.

6. The Comprehension Process

7. Finding the Subject Matter
What is the writer talking about? The topic sentence is a general statement that indicates what the paragraph will discuss. That sentence may come anywhere in the paragraph, but it is usually first On the other hand, the subject of the paragraph may be implied; the reader must infer the subject from the information within the paragraph.
Your memory operates through three stages to take in, sort, and store information for later use. Encoding is the first stage, during which ideas are processed through your five senses. During the storage stage, information is either discarded or sorted and then retained briefly in short-term memory or transferred into long-term memory, where it may become permanent. Retrieval, the third stage of memory, allows you to recall stored ideas and images.
Topic sentence
Subject Matter: memory

8. Finding the Main Idea
What point will the writer make about the subject matter? The topic sentence also usually contains the point, or main idea, of the paragraph. It is the writer’s focus as he discusses the subject matter. Like the subject, the main idea of the paragraph may be implied and must be determined from the information within the paragraph.
Your memory operates through three stages to take in, sort, and store information for later use. Encoding is the first stage, during which ideas are processed through your five senses. During the storage stage, information is either discarded or sorted and then retained briefly in short-term memory or transferred into long-term memory, where it may become permanent. Retrieval, the third stage of memory, allows you to recall stored ideas and images.
Topic sentence
Main Idea: how memory operates

9. Finding the Supporting Details
What aspects of the subject matter illustrate the writer’s point? The writer chooses general parts of the subject matter that illustrate what he wants to say about it.
Your memory operates through three stages to take in, sort, and store information for later use. Encoding is the first stage, during which ideas are processed through your five senses. During the storage stage, information is either discarded or sorted and then retained briefly in short-term memory or transferred into long-term memory, where it may become permanent. Retrieval, the third stage of memory, allows you to recall stored ideas and images.
Major Support: the three stages of memory

10. Finding the Examples
What specific descriptions does the writer give to clarify his point? The writer chooses specific details about the general aspects of the subject matter to help the reader understand his point.
Your memory operates through three stages to take in, sort, and store information for later use. Encoding is the first stage, during which ideas are processed through your five senses. During the storage stage, information is either discarded or sorted and then retained briefly in short-term memory or transferred into long-term memory, where it may become permanent. Retrieval, the third stage of memory, allows you to recall stored ideas and images.
Examples: the descriptions of the three stages of memory

11. Finding Inferences
What conclusions can the reader draw from what the writer has said? The writer’s comments may make the reader think of possible consequences or outcomes that the writer did not discuss in the paragraph.
Your memory operates through three stages to take in, sort, and store information for later use. Encoding is the first stage, during which ideas are processed through your five senses. During the storage stage, information is either discarded or sorted and then retained briefly in short-term memory or transferred into long-term memory, where it may become permanent. Retrieval, the third stage of memory, allows you to recall stored ideas and images.
Possible Inferences:
1. The brain works systematically in remembering things.
2. Since the brain works automatically in remembering things, we can probably trust our memories.
3. Knowing how memory works may help one develop a more efficient approach to remembering things.

12. Getting the Point
A paragraph should end with a sentence that summarizes how the information in the paragraph supports the topic sentence. This sentence may emphasize the point the writer wants the reader to get from the paragraph. Sometimes, this sentence can be an inference.
Your memory operates through three stages to take in, sort, and store information for later use. Encoding is the first stage, during which ideas are processed through your five senses. During the storage stage, information is either discarded or sorted and then retained briefly in short-term memory or transferred into long-term memory, where it may become permanent. Retrieval, the third stage of memory, allows you to recall stored ideas and images. The brain uses a well organized system for turning information into memories.
Summary: Based on the information in the supporting details, the closing sentence focuses on the nature of how the brain operates (“a well organized system”) as it processes information into memory.

13. Application
In what ways can the reader use the information he/she has learned from the reading?
Start with the writer’s suggestions
clear statements
summaries
inferences
Compare the information with one’s own circumstances to see how it might apply
Connect it with the assignment in the book

14. Expanding the Focus
To apply these principles to a larger writing context, look for the elements in the same area of the writing.
Writing
Paragraph
Essay
Article
Chapter
Book
Topic Sentence, implication
General and specific statements within
the paragraph
Title, first paragraph/thesis statement, section headers
Thesis statement (sometimes), topic sentences, statements within the paragraphs
Title, first paragraph, section headers
Topic sentences, statements within the
paragraphs, tables and charts
Title, chapter outline or first paragraph, section headers
Topic sentences, statements within the
paragraphs, tables and charts
Preface/introduction
Section headers, topic sentences,
statements within the paragraphs, tables
and charts

15. Practice

16. Exercise
Read the following text, looking for the elements of comprehension.
Subject Matter
Main Idea
Supporting Details
Examples
Inferences
How could one apply this information?

17. Analysis
Identify the elements of comprehension, and indicate where in the selection you found the information:
Elements
Identification
Location
Subject Matter
Main Idea
Supporting Details
Examples
Inferences

18. Thesis
Topic Sent.
Major Support =
Function
Minor Support =
Ex. of function
Minor Support =
Ex. of influence
on emotions
Major Support =
Further questions –
Implications
Minor Support =
Answer to questions
Exploring Psychology. edited by Catherine Woods, Ninth Edition, New York, Worth Publishers, 2014, p. 40.

19. Discussion

20. Application

21. Steps in Learning to Understand Textbooks and Textbook Assignments
Where would you start?

22. Steps in Learning to Understand Textbooks and Textbook Assignments
Determine
1. The class/text.
2. The assignment (what kind of information the student needs to find).
3. Your understanding of the assignment.
4. How much of the material you already understand.
5. How much more you need to understand in order to be able to do the assignment.
6. The best way to approach understanding the material/assignment (learning styles, etc.).

23. Analysis Summary

24. Analysis Summary