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TEAS EXAM STUDY GUIDE
The Main Idea of a Text - Describes the author's main topic and general perspective on that topic. It is expressed within and throughout the text. The reader can recognize the main idea in any text by - considering the main topic and how it is addressed throughout the passage. On this test, you will be asked - not only to identify the main idea of a text, but to differentiate it from topic and theme and to summarize it clearly and concisely. The main idea is closely connected to - topic sentences and how they are supported in a text. Questions about the main idea may - also deal with finding topic sentences, summarizing ideas in the text, or finding the supporting details of a text. In the sections that follow, - determine the distinctions between all these aspects of text and practice answering questions related to them. To determine the topic, - ask yourself what you're reading about. To determine the main idea, - ask yourself how the author feels about the topic. To identify the main idea, - first identify the topic The difference between the main idea and topic is simple, - The topic is the overall subject matter of the passage; the main idea is what the author wants to say about that topic. The main idea covers - the author's direct perspective about a topic, as distinct from the theme. Theme - Generally true idea that the reader might derive from a text. Most of the time, - a fiction text will have a theme, while a nonfiction text will have a main idea. In a nonfiction text, - the author speaks more directly about a topic to the audience-his or her perspective is more apparent.
Analyzing details the author includes - and looking for similarities among them guides the reader to the conclusion. By identifying the supporting details the author's main idea becomes clear. Summarizing the main idea requires - focusing on the connection between the different ideas and how that connection helps the reader draw a conclusion. A summary is a - very brief restatement of the most important parts of an argument or text. To build a summary, - start with the most important idea in a text. To continue building a longer summary, look for supporting details to add. Remember that when you summarize, - your text should be much shorter than the original. To build an outline of the text - as you read, jot down words or phrases that describe the main idea as you're reading and underline important details. Part of identifying the main idea is - understanding the structure of a piece of writing When looking at a short passage of one or two paragraphs, - identifying the topic sentences and summary sentences will quickly tell the reader what the paragraphs are about and what conclusions the author wants the reader to draw. Topic sentences and summary sentences function as - bookends to a paragraph or passage, telling readers what to think and then keeping the paragraph tightly together. The topic sentence is - generally the first sentence or very near the first sentence in the paragraph. It introduces the reader to the topic by making a general statement about that topic, clearly and specifically directing the reader to access any previous experiences with that topic. The summary sentence of a paragraph on the other hand, - frequently (but not always!) comes at the end of a paragraph or passage, because it wraps up all the ideas the passage presents. The summary sentence - gives the reader an understanding of what the author wants to say about the topic and what conclusions can be drawn about it. While the topic sentence acts - as an introduction to the topic, allowing the reader to activate his/her own ideas and experiences with the topic, the summary statement asks the reader to accept the author's ideas about that topic. Finding a summary sentence, - will help to quickly identify the main idea.
Besides using supporting details to - understand a main idea, the reader must evaluate them for relevance and consistency. An author selects - supporting details that help organize the passage and support the main idea. Sometimes, the author's bias may - cause him or her to omit details that don't directly support the main idea or that may even support a main idea. A reader must recognize not only what the author says, but also what the author leaves out.. To understand how a supporting detail relates to the main idea, - a reader must first understand the purpose of the passage. What is the author trying to communicate? How does the author want the reader to respond? Every passage has a specific goal, and each paragraph in a passage is meant to support that goal. For each supporting detail, - the position in the text, the signal words, and the specific content work together to alert the reader to the relationship between the supporting ideas and the main ideas. Close reading of a text requires - taking note of its striking features. For example, does a point in the text appeal to your sense of justice? Does a description seem rather exaggerated or overstates?Do certain words seem emotive, like agonizing? Are rhetorical questions being used to lead you to a certain conclusion? In general, an author includes - details that support the main idea; however, the reader must decide how those ideas relate to one another and uncover any weakness in their support of the author's argument. This is particularly important in a persuasive piece of writing, when an author may display bias in his or her choice of supporting details. Discovering the author's bias and - how the supporting details reveal that bias is key to understanding a text. Authors use both - facts and opinions as supporting details. While it is usually a simple task to identify between the two, sometimes an author might mix facts and opinions in such a way that the two become convoluted; in addition, an author might state an opinion as if it is a fact. The difference between a fact and an opinion - is simple; a fact is a piece of information that can be verified as true or false by any person, and it retains the quality of truthfulness (or not) no matter who verifies it. An opinion - expresses a belief held by the speaker and may or may not be something each audience member agrees with.
To distinguish between fact and opinion - ,ask if a statement can be proven. Look for subjectivity by asking if an observation could vary according to the situation or person observing. The structure of a text determines - how the reader understands the argument and how various details interact to form the argument. There are many ways to arrange a text, - and varying types of arrangements have distinct characteristics. Specific text structures include - cause and effect, compare and contrast, problem and solution, descriptive, and chronological Cause and Effect - the author describes a situation and then its effects Compare and Contrast - the author explores the similarities and differences between two or more things Problem and Solution - the author presents a problem and offers a solution Descriptive - the author describes a topic Chronological - The author lists events in the order in which they happened To identify the organizing structure of a passage, - look at the order in which the author presents information and the transitions used to connect those pieces. Structures such as - problem-solution or cause-effect will use transitions that show casual relationships because, as a result, consequently, therefore. These structures (problem-solution or cause-effect) might also - use transitions that show contradiction (however, alternatively, although). The former may provide solutions, while the latter can explain alternative causes Authors often use - repetition to reinforce an idea. Pay attention to any repeated words, phrases or images. Then, ask why the author might have repeated them. When analyzing a text, a - reader should consider how text structure impacts the author's meaning. Most important, readers must be aware of how - an author presents information in order to emphasize an idea. For example, including a contrasting idea makes a central idea stand out, or including a series of concrete examples strongly supports an argument
When readers read persuasive texts, for instance, - they may connect the arguments in those texts to counterarguments and opposing evidence of which they are aware. They use these connections to infer meaning. Considering a character's motivations mean asking: - What does the character want to achieve? What will the character get by accomplishing this? What does the character seem to value the most? It is important to approach every passage with - the understanding that an author chooses words, structures, and content with specific purpose and intent. Without that assumption, it will be impossible to understand the author. With that assumption, a reader can discern why an author uses those words and structures and how they relate to the content. The author of a passage sets out to - communicate a specific idea to an audience with a specific goal in mind. The author's purpose is - expressed by determining why an author wants a reader to understand the main idea There are 4 basic purposes to which an author can write; - within each of these general purposes, the author may also direct the audience the audience to take a clear action or respond in a certain way. The purpose for which an author writes a passage is - also connected to the structure of the text. In a narrative, - the author will use the characteristics of storytelling, such as chronological order, characters, and a defined setting.. Identifying these characteristics in a text should indicate that the author wishes to communicate a theme or main idea stemming from the events or characters in the story. In an expository passage, on the other hand, - the author simply explains an idea or topic to the reader. The main idea will probably - be a factual statement or a direct assertion of a broadly held opinion. Expository writing can come in many forms, - but one essential feature is a fair and balanced representation of a topic: the author may explore one detailed aspect or a broad range of characteristics, but he or she intends mainly to present the details or ideas to the reader to make a decision.
Similarly, in technical writing, - the author's purpose is to explain specific processes, techniques, or equipment in order for the reader to use that process or equipment to obtain the desired result. In technical writing, - look for chronological or spatial organization, specialized vocabulary, and imperative or directive structures.l As you read persuasive text, - make sure you are aware of what the author believes about the topic The categories of writing discussed above mostly - communicate information to a reader so that he or she can take action or make a decision. In contrast, in persuasive writing, - the author actively sets out to convince the reader to accept an opinion or belief Much like expository writing, - persuasive writing can take many organizational forms; however specific techniques, or rhetorical strategies, assist the author in building an argument. Readers can identify these strategies in order to - clearly understand what an author wants them to believe, how the author's perspective and purpose may lead to bias, and whether the passage includes any logical fallacies. Common rhetorical strategies include the - appeals to logos, ethos, and pathos. An author uses these to build trust with the reader, explain the logical points of an argument, and convince the reader of the author's opinion. An ethos - or ethical appeal uses balanced, fair language and seeks to build a trusting relationship between the author and the reader. An author might explain - his or her credentials, include the reader in an argument, or offer concessions to an opposing argument. Logos - Logical appeal, builds on that trust by providing facts and support for the author's opinion, explaining the argument with clear connections and reasoning. At this point, the reader should beware of logical fallacies that falsely connect unrelated ideas and build arguments on incorrect premises. Finally, an author convinces the reader to - accept an opinion or belief by demonstrating that not only is it the most logical opinion, but it also appeals to his or her emotional reaction to a topic.
The tone describes the - author's attitude toward the topic distinct from the mood. The mood, - the pervasive feeling or atmosphere in a passage that provokes specific emotions in the reader. The reader's emotional response - to a text can hint at it's tone The importance of the distinction between (the tone and the mood) these aspects of text
- lies once again in the audience: the mood influences a reader's emotional state in the piece, while the tone establishes the relationship between the audience and the author. Does the author intend to instruct the audience? - Is the author more experienced than the audience, or does she or he wish to establish a friendly or equal relationship? In each of these cases, the author can use a different tone to establish the appropriate level of communication. To determine mood and tone in a passage, - look primarily to the diction, or word choice of the author. Many readers make the mistake of - thinking about the ideas an author puts forth and using those alone to determine tone; a much better practice is to separate specific words from the text and look for patterns in connotation and emotion. By considering categories of words used by - the author, a reader can determine both the overall emotional atmosphere of a text and the attitude of an author toward the subject. To decide the connotation of a word, - begin by asking if the word conveys a positive or negative association in your mind. Remember that adjectives are often used to influence the feeling of the reader, like " an ambitious attempt to achieve." Every word has not only a literal meaning, - but also a connotative meaning that relies on the common emotions, associations, and experiences an audience might associate with that word. Consider the following words that are all synonyms: - dog, puppy, cur, mutt, canine, pet. Two of these words, dog and canine, are neutral words, without strong associations or emotions. Two others, pet and puppy, have positive associations, and the last two, cur and mutt, have negative associations. A passage that uses one pair of these words versus another pair activates the positive or negative reactions of the audience. The TEAS will ask you to - determine the definition of words in context, meaning as they appear within the text. This can be a slightly more difficult task than simply knowing the
basic definition of a word, as you may be required to analyze how the author is using the word in this specific text. There are many different parts of a passage that can be helpful in - determining meaning from context: the sentence the word appears in, specific words around the unfamiliar word, other words in the passage that reference the unfamiliar word, and the overall understanding of the passage, including main idea, mood, and tone. To grasp the meaning of unfamiliar words, - readers may use context clues or hints in the text. Using context clues is - especially helpful for determining the appropriate meaning of a word with multiple definitions. One type of context clue is a - definition or description clue. Readers should be attentive to - signal words like because, since, in contrast, instead of, therefocre, however, and as a result. These signal words indicate how an unfamiliar word is related to the overall meaning of the sentence or paragraph. Sometimes authors may use a difficult word; then say - "that is" or "which is" to signal the reader that they are providing a synonym or restate the idea in familiar words: Teachers often prefer teaching students with intrinsic motivation; these students have an internal desire to learn. The meaning of intrinsic is restated as internal Similarly, authors may include - example clues by providing an example of the unfamiliar word close to the word: Teachers may view extrinsic rewards as efficacious; however, an individual student may not be interested in what the teacher offers. For example, a student who is diabetic may not feel any incentive to work when offered a sweet treat. Efficacious is explained with an example demonstrating the effectiveness (and lack thereof) of extrinsic rewards. Another commonly used context clue is the - contrast/ antonym clue. In this case, authors indicate that the unfamiliar word is the opposite of the familiar word: In contrast to intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation is contingent on teachers offering rewards that are appealing. The phrase in contrast tells the reader that extrinsic is the opposite of intrinsic. Figures of speech are - expressions that are understood to have a non-literal meaning. Instead of meaning what is actually said, figurative language suggests - meaning by speaking of a subject as if it is something else.
The TEAS Reading test will - include questions that ask you to categorize types of sources and evaluate which sources are appropriate for a specific task. It is best to begin evaluating sources by - evaluating the credibility of the author. Consideration should be given to the motivation of the author: the author's purpose or reason for writing the text may indicate whether the text is biased. Next, researchers must identify the author's background and expertise. Although educational credential are significant, - firsthand experience offers equally reliable information. Question to consider include: - 1. Is the source current?
- If it is a secondary source, is it based on both primary as well as other secondary sources?
- Is the author an expert in the area of study? Does he or she cite relevant information from other authorities on the topic?
- Is the author's purpose clear? That is, is there any apparent bias?
- What does the author assume is true?
- Does the author present multiple viewpoints?
- Does the content align with other reliable sources on the topic? It can also be helpful to look at the - place the text was published. Sources like academic journals and established newspapers are more likely to have - rigorous standards for publication, which means their articles are fairly reliable. On the other hand, open- source platforms like - blogs and websites are more likely to contain biased material. To evaluate a website, determine who the - intended audience is and if there's an agenda in terms of selling something or promoting a belief system. For example, a - health website created by a company selling nutritional supplements will not be as authoritative as a site maintained by a government health organization, since it might omit relevant information that would hinder its sales. Similarly, a website for a particular - candidate for public office might not be as good a source of unbiased policy information as a website maintained by a neutral nonprofit organization if elements or consequences of those policies don't align with the candidate's platform. The sources researches use - depend on their purpose. If the researcher's purpose is to analyze, interpret, or critique a historical event, a creative work, or a natural phenomenon, the researcher will use primary or original sources.
Primary sources were - produced by people with firsthand experience of an event. Examples of primary sources include: - letters and emails, autobiographies, diaries and memoirs, firsthand or eyewitness accounts or descriptions of events, interviews, questionnaires, and surveys, speeches and lectures, photographs, drawings, and paintings, news stories written at the time of the event. The written analysis or interpretation of a primary source is - considered a secondary source. Secondary sources are - written by people who did not have firsthand experience of the topic being described. Instead, authors of secondary sources examine - primary sources in order to draw conclusions or make generalizations about people, events, and ideas. Examples of secondary sources include: - literary criticism and interpretation, biographies, historical criticism, political analyses, essays on ethics and social policies. A map is - a visual representation of space. It shows the relative location of a number of features, including roads, buildings, cities, and natural features like bodies of water and mountains. Many of these features will likely be represented by symbols. For example, a forested area might be marked with a - drawing of a single tree, and railroad tracks might be indicated using a dotted line. The meanings of these symbols will be - shown in the legend. Specific features that do appear in the legend will be labeled on the map itself. The spatial relationship between the features on a map is - indicated both by their position on the page and by the scale, which shows the relationship between distance on the map and distance in real life. The scale will be a - short line marked with a specific measurement like 100 kilometers or 10 miles.This measurement provides a conversion factor to find the real-life distance between features on the map. For example, if the scale line is - 1 inch long and corresponds to 50 miles in real life, then 2 inches on the map equals 100 miles in real life, and so on. Maps will also include a - compass, which shows the four cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west. Traditionally, maps are - oriented with the top of the page being north and the right side of the page being east, although this is not an absolute.
A flyer for a local bake sale, for example, may be - designed to appeal to the viewer's emotions by including pictures of local school children. Similarly, a computer advertisement meant to - appeal to corporate buyers would probably use more formal language than one aimed at teenagers. Like a text passage, - an information figure may use text features like bold, italicized, or underlined text. Directions provide - step-by-step instructions for completing a particular task; these appear in all aspects of life, from instructions on microwave dinners to best practices for sterile technique. On the TEAS, directions may appear as - simple lists, although they are often accompanied by shapes or figures to be manipulated as part of the directions. For example, a question may present a series of shapes, each of which may be rotated, moved, or deleted as designated by the directions. Following directions requires the - ability to identify the initial conditions, understand sequences, and analyze relationships among steps. First, identify the initial conditions laid out by the problem. This might be a spatial relationship between figures or a certain number of items. Next, look for markers that indicate a - sequence. That may be as simple as identifying numbered steps, or the problem might require a closer reading. Certain words provide clues to the sequence of steps. Transition words like first, next, then, and finally indicate the order of tasks to be carried out. Once the order of steps have been identified, they can be carried out in that order. When working through directions, - pay special attention to the relationships between the steps. The action carried out in step 1 will likely affect the action in step 2, so make sure that each step is completed correctly before moving on. These questions are a test of the reader's attention to detail. When working through a set of directions, always - write down the result of each step. This will help you avoid making simple mistakes and will also help you check your work if you find an error. Number are placed in categories based on - their properties. A natural number is - greater than 0 and has no decimal or fraction attached. These are also sometimes called counting numbers. (1,2,3,4) Whole numbers are - natural numbers and the number 0. (0,1,2,3,4)
Integers include - positive and negative natural numbers and zero. (..., -4, -3, -2, -1,0, 1, 2, 3, 4,...) A rational number can be - represented as a fraction. Any decimal part must terminate, or resolve into a repeating pattern. Examples include -12, -4/5. 0.36. 7.7 repeating, 26 and a half, etc. An irrational number - cannot be represented as a fraction. An irrational decimal number never ends and never resolves into a repeating pattern. Examples include - square root of 7, pi, and 0.34567989135.... A real number is a - number that can be represented by a point on a number line. Real numbers include all the rational and irrational numbers. Every whole number (except 1) is - either a prime number or a composite number. A prime number is a - natural number greater than 1 which can only be divided evenly by 1 and itself. For example 7 is a prime number because it can only be divided by the numbers 1 and 7. If a real number is a - natural number, then it is also an integer, a whole number, and a rational number. On the other hand, a composite number is a - natural number greater than 1 which can be evenly divided by at least one other number beside 1 and itself. For example it can be divided by 1,2, 3, and 6. Composite numbers can be - broken down into prime numbers using factors trees. For example, the number 54 is 2 x 27, is 3 x 9, and 9 is 3 x 3. Factors are numbers that are - multiplied by each other. Once the number has been down into its simplest fore, the composite number can be - expressed using exponents. An exponent shows how - many times a number should be multiplied by itself. In the factor tree, the number 54 can be written as 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 or 2 x 3^3. Scientific notation is a - method of representing very large and small numbers in the form a x 10^n where a is a value between 1 and 10, and n is a nonzero integer. For example, the number 927,000,000 is written in scientific notation as - 9.27 x 10^8. Multiplying 9.27 by 10 eight times gives 927,000,000.
Dividing real numbers - Positive/ Positive = Positive Example : 8/4= Negative/ Negative= Positive Example: -8/ (-4)= Positive/ Negative OR Negative/ Positive= Negative Example: 8/(-4)=- -8/4=- When solving a multi-step equation, the - order of operations must be used to get the correct answer. Generally speaking, the problem should be worked in the following order: 1. Parenthesis and brackets; 2. Exponents and square roots; 3. Multiplication and division; 4. Addition and subtraction. The acronym PEMDAS can be used - to remember the order of operations Always work from left to - right within a step when simplifying expressions. A decimal is a - number that contains a decimal point. The place value for a decimal includes tenths (one place after the decimal), hundredths (two places after the decimal), and thousandths (three places after the decimal) Decimals can be - added, subtracted, or divided. To add or subtract decimals, - line up the decimal point and perform the operation, keeping the decimal point in the same place in the answer. To multiply decimals, first - multiply the numbers without the decimal points. Then, add the number of decimal places to the right of the decimal point in the original numbers and place the decimal point in the answer so that there are that many places to the right of the decimal. If your unsure which way to move the decimal after multiplying, - remember that changing the decimal should always make the final answer smaller. When dividing decimals move the - decimal point to the right in order to make the divisor a whole number and move the decimal the same number places in the dividend. Divide the numbers without regard to the decimal. Then, place the decimal point of the question directly above the decimal point of the dividend. A fraction is a - number that can be written in the form a/b where b is not equal to 0. The a part of the fraction is the numerator (top number) and b part of the fraction is the denomination (bottom number)
If the denominator of a fraction is - greater than the numerator, the value of the fraction is less than 1 and it is called a proper fraction. In a improper fraction, - the denominator is less than the numerator and the value of the fraction is greater than one. An improper fraction can be written as a mixed number. A mixed number has a - whole number part and a proper fraction part. Improper fractions can be - converted to mixed numbers by dividing the numerator by the denominator, which gives the whole number part, and the remainder becomes the numerator of the proper fraction part ( for example: improper fraction 25/9 is equal to mixed number 2 7/9 because 9 divides into 25 two times, with a remainder of 7. Mixed numbers can be converted to - improper fractions. To do so, determine the numerator of the improper fraction by multiplying the denominator by the whole number, then adding the numerator. The final number is written as the (now larger) numerator over the original denominator. Fractions with the same denominator can be - added or subtracted by simply adding or subtracting the numerators; the denominator will remain unchanged. If the fractions to be added or subtracted don't have a common denominator, - the least common multiple of the denominators must be found. The quickest way to find a common denominator of a set of values is - simply to multiply all the values together. The result might not be the least common denominator, but it will get the job done. Any common denominator can be - used to add or subtract fractions, but using the least common denominator means the problem will not have to be simplified later. SMURF is an acronym for - dividing fractions. It stands for Same, Multiply, Upside Down, Rename, Fraction. When multiplying fractions, simply - multiply each numerator together and each denominator together. To divide two fractions, - invert the second fraction (swap the numerator and denominator) then multiply normally. If there are any mixed numbers when multiplying or dividing, they should first be changed to improper fractions. Note that multiplying fractions create a - value smaller than either original value. A fraction is converted to a decimal by - using long division until there is no remainder or a pattern of repeating number occurs.
