Understanding the Gist

Gist is:

•Topic

•Main idea

•Purpose

Identifying a Gist QuestionConversation

Why does the student go to see the advisor/professorWhat are the students discussing?

Why are the students discussing this material?

LectureWhat is the subject of a lecture?What is the topic of the lecture?

What is the main idea of the lecture?What is the purpose of the lecture

What is the main point of this lecture?

The answer lies in the beginning:

Ok, so why have you

In our last class, we discussed plate tectonics but today we are going to move on to volcano formation.

In this class we’re going to focus on the Treaty of Paris

Today I’d like to introduce the topic of _______________

There are two points of view concerning _____________

Okay, now let’s talk about _______________Today, we’ll be talking about ________________

Characteristics of incorrect answers

• Too general

• Too specific

• Opposite of correct answer

• Not mentioned in conversation/lecture

50/50Why does the student go to see the professor

a. To talk about an interesting topic

b. To see if he could skip the test next Monday

c. To see if he could make up the test next Monday

d. To talk to him about the material of the next class.