Reading: Main Idea

The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about. It is important to find main ideas when reading. Main ideas help readers remember important information.

The main idea of a paragraph tells the topic of the paragraph. The topic tells what all or most of the sentences are about.

The other sentences in the paragraph are called details. Details describe or explain the main idea.

1. As soon as you can define the topic, ask yourself: What general point does the author want to make about this topic� Once you can answer that question, you have more than likely found the main idea.

2. Most main ideas are stated or suggested early on in a reading; pay special attention to the first third of any passage, article, or chapter. That's where you are likely to get the best statement or clearest expression of the main idea. Pay attention to the title, first sentence, and thesis as well.

3. Pay attention to any idea that is repeated in different ways. If an author returns to the same thought in several different sentences or paragraphs, that idea is the main or central thought under discussion.

4. Once you feel sure you have found the main idea, test it. Ask yourself if the examples, reasons, statistics, studies, and facts included in the reading lend themselves as evidence or explanation in support of the main idea you have in mind. If they do, your comprehension is right on target. If they don't, you might want to revise your first notion about the author's main idea.