Page 147 - Keys to College Success

In this way you achieve a subgoal—a selection
of useful materials—on the way to your larger
goal of writing a well-crafted paper.

Break Information into Parts

The next step is to search for the two most rele-
vant parts of the information: the main idea(s)
(also called the argument or viewpoint) and the
evidence that supports them (also called reasons
or supporting details).
Separate the ideas. Identify each of the ideas
conveyed in what you are reading. You can use
lists or a mind map to visually separate ideas from
one another. For instance, if you are reading about
how teens aged 13 to 15 use the Internet, you
Many types of work, such as the construction project
these architects are discussing, involve analytical could identify the goal of each method of access
thinking. they use (websites, blogs, messaging through social
networking).

Identify the evidence. For each main idea, identify the evidence that supports it. For
example, if an article claims that young teens rely on app-based messaging three times
more than on emails, note the facts, studies, or other evidence cited to support the truth
of the claim.

Examine and Evaluate
ARGUMENT
A set of connected ideas, The third step lies at the heart of analytical thinking. Now you examine the information
supported by examples,
to see if it is useful for your purposes. Keep your mind open to all useful information,
made by a writer to prove setting aside personal prejudices. A student who thinks that the death penalty is wrong,
or disprove a point.
for example, may have a hard time analyzing arguments that defend it, or may focus his
research on materials that support his perspective. Set aside personal prejudices when
you analyze information. The extra time you risk with careful evaluation will reward
you with the most accurate and useful information available.
Here are four different questions that will help you examine and evaluate effectively.
1. Do examples support ideas? When you encounter an idea or claim, examine
how it is supported with examples or evidence—facts, expert opinion, research, per-
sonal experience, and so on (see Key 5.1). How useful an idea is may depend on
whether, or how well, it is supported with evidence or made concrete with examples.
For example, a blog written by a 12-year-old may make statements about what kids do
on the Internet. The word of one person, who may or may not be telling the truth, is
not adequate support. However, a study of youth technology use by the Department of
Commerce under the provisions of the Children’s Internet Proctection Act may be
more reliable.

2. Is the information factual and accurate, or is it opinion? A statement of fact
is information presented as objectively real and verifiable (e.g., “The Internet is a
research tool”). In contrast, a statement of opinion is a belief, conclusion, or judgment
that is inherently difficult, and sometimes impossible, to verify (e.g., “The Internet
is always the best and most reliable research tool”). When you critically evaluate
materials, one test of the evidence is whether it is fact or opinion. Key 5.2 defines
important characteristics of fact and opinion.

3. Do causes and effects link logically? Look at the reasons given for why some-
thing happened (causes) and the explanation of its consequences (effects, both positive

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