How Clarifying Improves Comprehension

When readers clarify the text, their attention is called to the many reasons why text is difficult to understand due to new vocabulary, unclear references, and unfamiliar or difficult concepts. When a reader clarifies a point, he (or she) must allocate attention to the difficult points and engage in critical evaluation of the gist. In short, clarifying directs the reader to look for parts of the passage which are confusing and unclear. The reader must ask the question: “Is there anything in this segment that I don’t understand?” If there are unclear segments which block understanding, the reader is signaled to re-read, read ahead, or ask for help.