Improve your vocabulary. An inadequate vocabulary can limit your ability to follow complicated ideas or a train of thought. Enlarging your vocabulary is a lifetime endeavor. Develop the habit of referring to the dictionary when your encounter unfamiliar words and phrases.
Broaden your background and understanding of the issues and contexts. For example, if you are interested in contemporary political issues in the Middle East, take the time to read about the history of the region. The better informed you are on the historical, social, cultural and political contexts, the better equipped you will be for following the details of current events and situations. In a similar vein, if you are interested in the Irish writer James Joyce, take the time to read about Joyce, his influences and the modern literature of the early 1900s. Joyce is very difficult to comprehend, so supplementary reading and research makes the task much easier.
Pay attention to the title and topic of the book or lecture. Comprehending complicated ideas is a two-step process. First, it is important to see the larger picture. This is usually indicated by the title of a book or a lecture title. Secondly, comprehension depends upon the specific details. The larger overview helps place things in perspective. With complicated ideas it is easy to get lost in the details and fail to see the larger picture.
Identify the central ideas and details of the argument. Comprehending the flow of an argument requires concentrated effort. Avoid the temptation to daydream when the going gets tough. Take notes as you listen or read. Note taking helps you to concentrate and stay focused on the material. Write down the central ideas. Pay attention to cues in the lecture or book, such as: the main point is, my thesis is, I am suggesting, what we have failed to understand is, and so forth. Write down questions, ambiguities and problems that you encounter.
Reread your notes. Try to reconstruct the details of the argument. Reflect on what you have read or heard. Ask yourself if you agree or disagree and list your reasons for agreeing or disagreeing. For example, you may think the author or speaker is correct on certain points but incorrect or incomplete on others. Taking the time to critically reflect helps you the better digest and comprehend what you have read or heard.