Main Ideas in Data-Rich Texts

Determine the central idea of texts that combine prose with charts, tables, and statistics.

Informational texts in science, economics, and history often present their central idea partly through data. Reading them well means integrating prose and visuals rather than treating charts as decoration. Start with the chart's title, axes, and units, then ask: what is the most important pattern? A rise, a drop, a gap between groups, or a change after a certain date? Next, check whether the prose interprets that pattern the same way.

Consider an original report saying, 'Bicycle commuting has transformed the city,' paired with a chart showing commuting rising from 2 percent to 4 percent over ten years. The data shows a doubling, which is meaningful, but 'transformed' may overstate a change affecting 4 percent of commuters. A careful main-idea statement might be: 'Bicycle commuting doubled over a decade but remains a small share of travel. ' When prose and data disagree, the data usually deserves more weight, and the mismatch itself is worth noting.

• 1Read chart titles, axes, and units first.
• 2Identify the most important pattern.
• 3Check whether the prose matches the data.