Central Ideas in Texts with Data and Graphics

Use charts, graphs, and tables along with text to determine and support central ideas.

Informational texts often include graphs, charts, maps, or tables. These graphics are not decorations; they carry evidence that supports, or sometimes adds to, the central idea. Read the title, labels, units, and key before drawing conclusions. Then ask: What trend or comparison does this graphic show, and how does it connect to the text? Example: an original article claims that a town's new bus route reduced traffic downtown.

A line graph labeled 'Cars entering downtown per day, 2022–2025' slopes downward after the route opened in 2023, while a bar chart shows bus riders tripling. Together, the graphics support the central idea with numbers. But be careful: a graph shows what changed, not always why. Maybe gas prices rose too. A careful reader notes whether the text gives other evidence for the cause. When summarizing a text with graphics, include the key trend the graphic shows if it strengthens the central idea.

• 1Graphics carry evidence for the central idea
• 2Read titles, labels, units, and keys first
• 3A graph shows change, not always its cause