Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments) Praxis Core: Reading (5713) Syllabus

Praxis Core: Reading (5713) syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Praxis Core: Reading (5713) in Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Key Ideas and Details

   4 topics

   • Main Idea and Central Purpose
     • Identifying explicitly stated main ideas
     • Determining the primary purpose of a passage
     • Distinguishing main idea from supporting detail
   • Supporting Details and Evidence
     • Locating specific facts and examples
     • Citing textual evidence for a claim
   • Drawing Inferences and Conclusions
     • Logical inferences from stated information
     • Predicting likely outcomes
   • Summarizing Text Content
2. 2

   Craft, Structure, and Language Use

   4 topics

   • Author's Purpose, Tone, and Attitude
   • Vocabulary in Context
     • Determining meaning from surrounding text
     • Connotation versus denotation
     • Figurative language interpretation
   • Text Organization and Rhetorical Structure
     • Cause-effect, compare-contrast, sequence
     • Function of a sentence or paragraph
   • Distinguishing Fact from Opinion
3. 3

   Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

   4 topics

   • Interpreting Quantitative and Visual Information
     • Reading tables, graphs, and charts
     • Connecting visual data to written text
   • Comparing Two Related Passages
     • Identifying points of agreement and disagreement
     • Comparing authors' perspectives
   • Evaluating Arguments and Reasoning
     • Assessing the strength of evidence
     • Identifying assumptions and logical flaws
   • Synthesizing Information Across Sources
4. 4

   Reading Strategy and Test Approach

   4 topics

   • Passage Types: Brief, Short, and Long
     • Single short passages
     • Paired passages
     • Statements with single questions
   • Question Format Familiarity
     • Single-selection multiple choice
     • Multiple-selection (select all that apply)
   • Time Management and Pacing
   • Eliminating Distractors Effectively

Praxis Core: Reading (5713) flashcards for Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments)

20 of 51 cards from the Praxis Core: Reading (5713) deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is the 'main idea' of a passage?

   The central point or overarching message the author wants the reader to take away; it is broad enough to cover the whole text but specific enough to capture its focus.

2. How does the main idea differ from a supporting detail?

   The main idea is the central, general claim of the passage; a supporting detail is a specific fact, example, or reason that explains or backs up that main idea.

3. Where is the main idea most often located in a short passage?

   Frequently in the first or last sentence (topic or concluding sentence), though it can also be implied and require synthesis of the whole passage.

4. What is the 'central purpose' of a text, as tested on the Praxis Core Reading?

   The author's primary reason for writing—what the passage as a whole is trying to accomplish (e.g., to inform, persuade, describe, or analyze).

5. What is a 'supporting detail' in a reading passage?

   A specific piece of information—fact, statistic, example, reason, or anecdote—that develops, explains, or provides evidence for the main idea.

6. On the Praxis, how do you locate the best textual evidence for a claim?

   Return to the passage, find the specific sentence(s) that directly state or imply the claim, and choose the answer supported by explicit wording rather than outside knowledge.

7. What distinguishes an explicit detail from an implicit one?

   An explicit detail is stated directly in the text; an implicit detail must be inferred from clues the author provides.

8. What is an inference in reading comprehension?

   A logical conclusion drawn from textual evidence combined with reasoning—something the author implies but does not state outright.

9. What is the key rule for answering inference questions on the Praxis?

   The correct inference must be directly supported by the passage; avoid answers requiring assumptions or information not grounded in the text.

10. What signal words often introduce a conclusion within a passage?

    Words such as therefore, thus, consequently, as a result, hence, and so.

11. What is a summary of a text?

    A brief restatement, in your own words, of the main idea and the most important supporting points, omitting minor details and examples.

12. What makes a summary 'good' versus 'poor' on the Praxis?

    A good summary captures the central idea and key points accurately and proportionally without adding opinion or trivial detail; a poor one focuses on a minor detail or distorts emphasis.

13. What is an author's 'purpose' in writing?

    The author's intent—commonly to inform, persuade, entertain, describe, instruct, or analyze.

14. Define 'tone' in a reading passage.

    The author's attitude toward the subject as revealed through word choice (diction), expressed in adjectives like critical, admiring, neutral, sarcastic, or nostalgic.

15. How do tone and mood differ?

    Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject; mood is the emotional atmosphere the text creates in the reader.

16. What clues reveal an author's attitude toward a topic?

    Connotative word choice, descriptive adjectives, qualifiers, and the selection or framing of details (positive, negative, or neutral).

17. What does 'vocabulary in context' require you to do?

    Determine the meaning of a word based on how it is used in the surrounding sentence, rather than its most common dictionary definition.

18. What strategy best answers a vocabulary-in-context question?

    Substitute each answer choice into the sentence and select the one that preserves the sentence's intended meaning, using surrounding context clues.

19. What is a 'context clue'?

    Information in surrounding text—definitions, examples, contrasts, or restatements—that helps reveal an unfamiliar word's meaning.

20. Name four common types of context clues.

    Definition/restatement, example, contrast/antonym, and inference from general context.

See more Praxis Core: Reading (5713) flashcards →

Planning Praxis Core: Reading (5713) for Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments)

Praxis Core: Reading (5713) (Praxis (Praxis Core and Praxis Subject Assessments)) FAQ