this problem is to do a summary of the text. This should be done by reducing
parts of the text to one or two sentences or even points in key words or
phrases that capture the central point. It may help to do this on cards that you
can move around or on a word processor where you can amend and
manipulate text.
With your argument stated in this short and easy form, it is simple to see
whether the information flows in a logical sequence. Read these sentences or
ideas in order then consider whether they flow to form a coherent sequence. If
they do not, you should be able to see easily where the disconnection or
misconnection is and be able to rearrange the text in a structured form. If there
are gaps it may be because points are not stated correctly, are unstated, are
misstated or are mistaken - and you can rectify them accordingly.
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To emphasise the value of this technique, it is useful because it is obviously far
easier to test for structure by looking at a handful of major propositions
extracted from the text than by looking at them within the text. By looking
specifically at basic propositions you obtain a sharper focus.
Table of Contents Approach
The table of contents approach is just a variation of the summary approach,
the point being that the table of contents is a summary of the text. In using this
approach it is possible to amplify the table of contents, just for this purpose,
by incorporating levels of headings additional to those already in the table.
Imaginary Lesson Approach
Another way to test the coherence of an argument is to prepare an imaginary
lesson on the subject. The areas where you have difficulty with the explanation
are the areas where your argument is not structured as well as it should be.
There is a pertinent saying that gives the rationale for this approach -
if you
cannot understand something you cannot teach it.
Lateral Thinking
The approach which we have described above is a linear and very necessary
appraisal of an argument. Yet the creative path is often to see the function and
significance of the obvious, the common, and the mundane. As Sherlock
Holmes said: “Depend upon it, there is nothing so unnatural as the
commonplace”.
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The hardest thing to see is often right under your nose. To
do ground-breaking work it is often necessary to look deeper into basic
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Because reading and writing are complementary tasks, this technique has
two uses. (i) It is a means of revising written work to test it for structure. (ii) It is a
very logical technique for reading a text.
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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle A Case of Identity
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