SAT Reading and Writing: Mastering Information and Ideas (copy)

Central Idea

The text’s main point or what the author most wants you to understand after reading.

Details

Specific pieces of information provided in the text, such as examples, statistics, or observations.

Purpose

The reason why the author included something or what a specific part is doing in the text.

Inference

A conclusion that must be true or is most strongly supported based on what the text states.

Quantitative Evidence

Information expressed in numbers; data from tables, graphs, charts, or statistics described in the text.

Command of Textual Evidence

The ability to identify and utilize specific language from a passage to support an idea.

Explicitly

Clearly and directly stated in the text without any ambiguity.

Scope

The extent or range of what is covered or included in a statement or idea.

Causation

The relationship between cause and effect; demonstrating that one event leads to another.

Correlation

A relationship or connection between two variables, indicating that they may fluctuate together.

Supporting Evidence

Specific language or quotes from the passage that back up an idea or claim.

Consistent with the text

An idea or statement that is clearly backed up by the content of the passage.

Detail Questions

Questions that ask you to identify what the text states explicitly or to retrieve specific pieces of information.

Broad enough

An answer that includes most of the passage while still being specific to the author's point.

Evaluative words

Words in the passage that indicate the author's judgment or opinion about an idea.

Absolute Change

The difference in value between an initial and a final measurement, calculated as final minus initial.

Percent Change

The change in a quantity expressed as a percentage of the initial value.

Half-proof

Evidence that supports only part of a claim rather than the whole.

Topic-matching

Choosing an answer that mentions the same subject without actually supporting the claim.