1. Understanding Main Idea
definition: “…the single most important point the author makes about the topic. This point. . .is general enough that all the supporting points function to back it up.” Mindscapes, p. 186
One of the most important skills a reader can have
Essential for reading and comprehending textbooks, literature, research articles and more complex texts
Can be further developed and refined throughout one’s life

2. Points to remember about Main Idea:
Can represent a single paragraph, an essay (thesis statement), an entire chapter or an entire article
Can be explicit/directly stated in a topic sentence or thesis
Can be implied so the reader must use clues from the text to infer the main idea
Includes the topic (who or what the author is writing about) and what the author most wants the audience to know about the topic
Is always one complete sentence

3. Where to look for explicit/directly stated main ideas:
Paragraph (topic sentence):
Most likely the first sentence
Common in the last sentence
But can be in the middle
Essay (thesis), chapter or article:
Most likely in the intro
Common in the conclusion

4. How to find implied main ideas:
Identify the topic (who or what the author is writing about)
Identify what the author wants the audience to know about the topic. (What is the author’s most important point?)
Use your own words to create a main idea statement based on the above information

5. Practice Activities Shorter Passages
Longer Passages