1.5 Key words and key themes

Think about the key words and key themes before reading. Your brain will then be primed to look for these words in the text. Determining the key words and key themes in a text can be a bit tricky, but here are some strategies to help you identify them:

• Titles and headings – these often highlight the main topics and themes.
• Introduction and conclusion – these sections usually summarise the key points.
• Repeated words and phrases – words or phrases that appear frequently are often important.
• Bold or italicised text – these are often used to emphasise key concepts.
• Topic sentences – the first sentence of each paragraph often introduces the main idea.
• Summaries and questions – end-of-chapter summaries or questions can point to key themes.

By focusing on these elements, you can more easily identify the key ideas in any text.