Chapter 4: Determining the Topic
and the Stated Main Idea
- Topic: a word, name, or phrase; tells what the author is writing about in paragraph
- Always expressed as phrase
- Appears as a heading or title
- Appears in special type: bold, italics, color
- Repeated throughout paragraph
- Appears at the beginning of para., then mentioned in para. By pronouns, other words.
- Stated Main Idea
- Sentence within a para. Contains both topic and author’s single most important point
- ALWAYS expressed as a SENTENCE!!!!
- Never written in question form
- Author presents it as a sentence in para.
- How to find stated main idea
- Ask ?: “Who or what is the passage about?”
- Ask?: “What is the single most important point the author wants me to understand
- TOPIC + AUTHOR’S MOST IMPORTANT POINT=MAIN IDEA
- Where to find main idea
- First sentence
- End of para.
- Within the para.
- Main idea checklist
- Sentence contains topic
- States single most import. Point of topic
- General enough to cover all info. In para.
- Sentence makes sense by itself
- All other sentence support, explain, introduce main idea sentence
- Two common errors
- Avoid reading only the 1st and last sentences
- Avoid choosing a sentence that “sounds important” – ask the question “What is the most important point the author wants me to understand about this topic?”
Chapter 5 Implied Main Idea
- Requirements for Correct Formulated M.I.
- A complete sentence that includes topic
- Must express the author’s most important general point about topic
- Must make complete sense by itself w/o reading the rest of the paragraph.
- 3 Formulas to Formulate Implied Main Idea
- Sentence that almost states main idea + essential word OR TOPIC = Formulated M.I.
- Sentence expresses part of the M.I. + Sentence that states rest of M.I. = Formulated M.I.
- Summarize important info. into one sentence OR Write one sentence that gives general inference based on details = Formulated M.I.
- Steps to find Implied Main Idea
- 1. Who or what is this passage about?
- 2. What is the single most important point the author wants me to infer?
- 3. Formulate a sentence that answers the question in step 2.
- Implied Main Idea: sentence formulated by the reader that expresses the author’s main point about the topic.
- Infer- the reader must reason out main idea
- Author only suggests main point by presenting facts, descriptions, explanations or examples
Chapter 6 - Supporting Detail
- Major Detail – directly support main idea; primary details
- Minor Detail – support or explain other details; secondary details
Major and Minor Detail
- Ask the ? – “What additional info. does the author provide to help me understand the main idea?”
- Supp. Detail use signal words: first, second, next, also, another, in addition, moreover.
- Paraphrase – restate author’s words in your own words helps – when listing supporting detail
How to identify
- Help explain main idea
- Leads you to main idea
- Help grasp the organization of the para.
- List patterns – places, things, characteristics
- Sequence patterns – items in a series
- Comparison- contrast – similarities and differences
- Cause-effect – reasons and results
Why important?
- Information that provides additional info. to help you understand the main idea
- It explains, illustrates, proves the main idea
Supporting Detail –