Chapter 1
Foundational Reading Comprehension Strategies
Course: Gre
Subject: Gre Verbal Reasoning
Chapter: Foundational Reading Comprehension Strategies
Introduction: Putting the Pieces Together
When you research a topic for a paper or study a subject in depth, you rarely rely on a single source. Instead, you gather multiple texts—articles, essays, reports—each offering its own perspective. Reading each text individually is important, but the real power comes from combining them.
This process of combining is called synthesis. It allows you to see a topic from multiple angles, identify patterns, and build a comprehensive understanding that no single text could provide on its own. This lesson will teach you how to first analyze individual texts and then synthesize them to create a richer, more complete picture.
Analyzing a Text
Before you can combine information from multiple texts, you must understand each one on its own. Analysis is the process of examining a text closely to uncover its key elements. Follow these eight steps to thoroughly analyze any text: