1. Making Inferences - Reading between the lines
Base your inferences on information provided by the author
Use your own prior knowledge and experience
Consider alternative interpretations

2. How to Form Conclusions and Predict Outcomes – Read beyond the lines
Find the author’s main idea (issue) and conclusion
Identify facts, opinions, and supporting details (reasons, evidence, etc.)
Check unknown vocab – use context clues
Use inferencing skills – rely on schema and evidence from the selection
Predict likely outcomes and form your own conclusion
Build your predictions / conclusions on evidence and information from reading
Be aware of the writer’s and your own bias, opinions, likes, dislikes

3. How to Generalize – Read and apply
Understand the main idea and key details
Determine the author’s conclusion(s) based on information you have read
Apply the writer’s ideas to different situations – draw your own conclusions
Avoid over generalizing – making statements too broad in scope
Use inductive reasoning – draw general conclusions from specific information
Avoid words like always, never, must, certainly, absolutely, and definitely