How Do You Find the Big Picture and Supporting Details?

I am grading essay exams this weekend, and some of my students did a good job of finding the important details but missed the big picture – the main point of the article and how the information was organized to support that point.  Here are some ideas to “see the big picture.”

1. Preview what you are reading first to get the overview.

2. Read an article twice – first rather quickly to see the big picture and then again to fit in the details.

3. Read with two purposes – see overall topic and organization and the supporting details.

4. If it is a very dense textbook chapter without a lot of help (headings, learning objectives, etc.), skim first, and then read more closely.

5. Ask yourself: “What is the issue?  What is the topic?”

6. If it is a fiction book, read the back cover and any other information provided.  As you are reading keep an open mind regarding what the book is about.  Sometimes in fiction it takes a while for the author to reveal the main story.

This is an important reading and thinking skill.  For many experienced readers it happens automatically.  Be aware of your comprehension process and reading strategies and actively look for “the big picture.”

First Semester Success: Study Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Arden B. Hamer, is now available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.