HOW TO FIND THE MAIN IDEA OF A PARAGRAPH
This video focuses on finding the main idea of a paragraph. In a previous session we discussed how to find the topic sentence in a paragraph. Many writers will state the main idea of a paragraph in the topic sentence. The topic sentence is a general sentence that indicates what the paragraph will be about.
How do you find the main idea?
1) Find the precise topic.
2) Find the topic sentence. This is the general sentence that gives an overview of the other sentences.
3) Write the point made in the topic sentence preferably in your own words.
Example 1:
GRAVITATION
We now reach a very important point, the question of Gravitation. Gravitation, or gravity, as it is often called, is the attractive force that, for instance, causes objects to fall to the earth. Now it seems rather strange that one should say that it is owing to a certain force that things fall towards the earth. All things seem to us to fall so of their own accord, as if it were quite natural, or rather most unnatural if they did not. Why then require a "force" to make them fall? The story goes that the great Sir Isaac Newton was set a-thinking on this subject by seeing an apple fall from a tree to the earth. He then carried the train of thought further; and, by studying the movements of the moon, he reached the conclusion that a body even so far off as our satellite would be drawn towards the earth in the same manner.
How to find the main idea
First: Find the precise topic
The topic is gravitation. However, you may argue that gravitation is too general, or too broad, as this short paragraph does not tell us all there is to know about gravitation. A more precise topic for this paragraph could be, The force of gravitation.
Second: Find the topic sentence
Ask yourself, what does the writer want to say about, ‘The force of gravitation?’
Often writers state the main idea in a topic sentence at the beginning or very early in the paragraph. But topic sentences can also be in the middle or at the end of the paragraph.
Topic Sentence:
Gravitation, or gravity, as it is often called, is the attractive force that, for instance, causes objects to fall to the earth.
Third, write the main Idea in your own words
Gravity or gravitation is the universal force that pulls objects towards the ground.
Example 2:
How do you find the main idea?
1) Find the precise topic.
2) Find the topic sentence. This is the general sentence that gives an overview of the other sentences.
3) Write the point made in the topic sentence preferably in your own words.
Education
It is true that there are bad teachers – teachers who do not prepare for class, who are arbitrary, who subject their students to sarcasm, who won’t tolerate questions and criticisms or who have thought little about education. But there are also bad students. These are not students who get low grades. Bad students are students who do not participate sufficiently in their own education and who do not demand enough from their teachers. For example, they do not make the teacher explain the importance and significance of the subject being studied. They do not go to office hours. They do not ask the teacher to explain comments on papers handed back to them. They do not take notes on readings. Education is a cooperative effort between teacher and student. Students need to actively participate in these and other ways, to play their proper and necessary part in the cooperative process of education.
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Jack W. Meiland, College Thinking: How to Get the Best Out of College
First: Find the precise topic
The topic is Education. However, you may argue that ‘Education,’ is too general, or too broad, as this short paragraph does not tell us all there is to know about education. A more precise topic for this paragraph could be, The cooperative process of education.
Second: Find the topic sentence
Ask yourself, what does the writer want to say about, ‘The cooperative process of education?’
We find the topic sentence in the text, in the last sentence. Often writers state the main idea in a topic sentence at the beginning, middle or end of the paragraph.
Topic Sentence:
Students need to actively participate in these and other ways, to play their proper and necessary part in the cooperative process of education.
Third, write the main Idea in your own words
Education is a cooperative process and students need to be active participants.
