First, you will read a short article about an academic topic. It is important to
understand how the article is structured, because every article is structured in the same
way.
The article begins with a main idea. The main idea is clearly expressed in the first
paragraph of the reading. In our example question from the Quick Prep Collection the
main idea is:
American companies will not certify their wood products
The main idea is followed by three body paragraphs. Each paragraph explains
one point that supports the main idea. In the sample question, the points are:
1. American consumers see too many advertising claims already
2. Ecocertified wood is more expensive than regular wood because of inspection costs
3. Certification is only good for companies selling outside of the USA
The reading also includes supporting details in each paragraph, but we'll talk about
those later.
After you are done with the reading, you will listen to a short lecture on the same
topic. At the beginning of the lecture, you will hear the lecturer's main idea. It will
always be the direct opposite of the main idea in the reading. In our example
question, the main point of the lecture is:
American companies will eventually certify their wood
See? It is the complete opposite of the main idea from the reading!
After stating his main idea, the lecturer will describe three counter-points that support
his main idea. It is important to note that these counter-points directly challenge the
points made in the reading. Not only that, but they challenge them in the same
order. In our example question, the counter-points are:
1. Consumers recognize and care about claims from official agencies.
2. Customers only care when there is a major price difference
3. Wood companies need to worry about foreign competition
Taking Notes
Now that you know how the sources are structured, note-taking should be easy. Do it
just like this:
However, it is important to note that in addition to noting the points and counter-
points, you need to get some of the supporting details that are mentioned with them. In
the reading, these are mentioned in the same paragraph as each point, and in the lecture
they are mentioned at the same time as the counter-point.
Here are my final notes from the example question (supporting details are in red):
Reading Lecture
You will never take notes that are this perfect, but make it your ultimate
goal. Remember, also, that you will have access to the article while you write your
essay.
The Introduction
The reading and the lecture are both about ________, which is _________.
The author of the reading believes that ______________________. (Main idea)
The lecturer casts doubt on the claims made in the article.
He/She thinks that _______________. (Main idea)
For our sample essay, the introduction would look something like this:
The reading and the lecture are both about ecocertification of wood products, which is
a way to show that they are environmentally friendly. The author of the reading
believes that American companies will not adopt this practice. The lecturer casts
doubts on the claims made in the article. She thinks that American wood companies
will eventually certify their products.
You should be able to use this template every time you write an integrated essay.
First of all, the author points out that customers will likely ignore such a
label. It is mentioned that many products are now given special labels, so shoppers no
longer trust them. This point is challenged by the lecturer. She says customers actually
do pay attention to claims when they are made by official agencies. Furthermore, she
she argues that Americans will be enthusiastic about products that are endorsed by a
trustworthy organization.
Your second and third body paragraphs are done in the exact same way with the exact
same structure. Just remember to change your verbs (states, mentions, etc).
To make this easier, here are my recommended templates for the rest of the essay:
Secondly, the author contends that it costs a lot to have wood inspected, so certified
products will be more expensive. The article notes that American consumers are strongly
motivated by price, and will choose products that have not been certified. The lecturer rebuts this
argument. She suggests that customers do not care too much about small differences in price.
She elaborates on this by mentioning that certified products will only be about five percent more
Finally, the author states that certification only makes sense for companies that sell
products outside of the United States. The article establishes that American firms sell most of
their products domestically, and their customers are happy with their merchandise as it is. The
professor, on the other hand, posits that American businesses should be afraid of foreign
competitors. She puts forth the idea that foreign firms could flood into America and win
customers by selling ecocertified wood to people who care about the environment.
Your Conclusion
You do not need to write a concluding paragraph. Don't waste your time trying.
Instead use it to proofread your work!