Comparing different points of view: Why reading more than one source matters

One source just isn't enough!

Imagine you're trying to put together a puzzle, but you only have one piece. Can you see the whole picture? Of course not! The same goes for learning about a topic. If you only read one book or article, you're only getting one piece of the puzzle. You're missing out on different viewpoints, facts, and other important information that could help you understand the topic better.

When you read different books or articles—or even watch videos or listen to podcasts—on the same topic, it's like talking to different people with different ideas, backgrounds, and experiences. This provides you with a more complete understanding and helps you form your own opinion about a topic, rather than just accepting what one author or source has to say.

In this article, we’ll show you how to compare the information and points of view in different sources. Although sources can come in many forms, we’ll be especially focused on how you read across sources. This will help you read and think more deeply!

What makes reading different sources important?

It helps you develop expert knowledge: No expert ever got all their knowledge from one source. Different sources provide different information about a topic. And reading as much information as you can gives you greater knowledge about a topic.
It helps you to determine what is most likely true: Sometimes, a source provides information that’s wrong. Reading different texts on the same topic helps you determine what you think about a topic or what is most likely correct.
It helps you support arguments: Sources may have differing views about a topic, or they may talk about the same topic from different angles. As you read across sources, you will acquire new forms of evidence to support your arguments. In addition, the more you see the same evidence across sources, the more confident you can be that that evidence is widely accepted as true.

How to make connections between more than one source

Identify the focus of each source: Two texts may provide information about the same topic, but focus on different aspects. For example, both texts may discuss habits of king crabs. But, while one text highlights where they live, the other may focus on what they eat.
Compare the information: What information is the same in both sources? Identify the ideas or facts conveyed in both texts.
Contrast the information: Determine what makes the texts different from each other. Do the authors have different views on a topic or present different evidence in support of the same view?

You’re reading two texts about riding waves in the ocean. Text 1 tells us about bodyboarding, while Text 2 tells us about surfing.

Identify the focus of each Both texts provide information about how fun it is to ride waves. Text 1 highlights riding waves on a bodyboard as a fun and easy family-friendly activity. Text 2 discusses how riding waves on a surfboard is fun because it’s so challenging. So, both texts focus on riding the waves, but have as their topic different means of doing so.
Compare the information Text 1 discusses how bodyboarding can be enjoyed by both adults and children. Text 2 expresses that children can begin surfing at the age of five. So, both texts suggest that kids can enjoy riding the waves.
Contrast the information Text 1 tells us that bodyboarding in the ocean is fun because it’s easy. Text 2 discusses how rewarding it is to develop the difficult skill of surfing. So, a difference between the texts is their discussion of how difficult it is to ride the waves.

Try it!

Practice: Connecting texts

Text 1:

Being out on the ocean is a relaxing activity when you have a motorboat. This is because, as with a car, all you have to do is turn the engine. There’s no fiddling with ropes and cranks when you just want to go. With the wind in your hair, you can speed across the sea without much to think about except for the beautiful view.

Text 2:

The rewards of learning how to sail are too many to count. You work with the wind and move at a quiet, gentle pace. When the wind is your source of energy, you don’t have to wait at a fuel pump. You also save money. Plus, there is no roaring engine to take away from the relaxing experience of being on the ocean.

Both authors describe boating as relaxing, but the author of Text 2 believes that

The answer is B! We want to identify what the author of Text 2 says about boating being relaxing, that’s different from what the author of Text 1 says about it. The author of Text 2 tells us how there is no roaring engine when you sail a boat, which takes away from boating being a relaxing experience. That’s different from what the author of Text 1 says, which is that having an engine is relaxing because you don’t have to think much.

Remember!

Gaining a complex understanding of a topic requires learning from different sources. When you compare, contrast, and identify the focus of different sources, you sharpen your own knowledge. You also grow more skilled at supporting your own views and determining what is most likely true. Remember, the more pieces you have, the clearer the picture becomes. The world is full of interesting things to discover, and the more sources you learn from, the better you'll understand it.

Happy reading! 📖

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