Image Source: PowerPoint online image search
If you were going to put this puzzle together, where would you start? Which pieces would you sort through first?
It is the same with trying to understand more difficult texts – think of it like tackling a challenging puzzle. There are some existing structures you can use to get started (the picture on the box, the edges and corners, structures within the image, etc.). The same goes for understanding an article or any text.
We’ll spend the rest of our time today talking about these structures – how to find them and use them to unlock a deeper understanding of what you are reading.
Macro-Level Text Structures
What are the big chunks of MOST academic articles that you can EXPECT to find (this can change depending on the type of article/research you are reading – meta-analysis, literature review, case study, empirical studies, etc. and the discipline).
In general, you can look for the following text structures that can give you a LOT of information to get started:
* Title/Headings & Sub-headings
* Abstract
* Introduction
* Methods
* Findings/Outcomes
* Discussion
* Conclusion
Let’s go to the Practices (#2 & 3) to start working through some of this – then move onto the Micro structure section when finished.
