English 003 Chapter 3

Minor/ Supporting Details

Additional developmental that is provided to the major details. Directly support the major details.

Main Ideas and Thesis Statements in Long Passages

Essays often have a persuasive, assertive, or even argumentative main idea. The main idea is called a thesis statement. A thesis statement is the main idea in a longer piece of writing, particularly an essay.

Stated Main Ideas in Paragraphs

Often you may find a stated main idea in a passage. If a main idea is specifically stated in the paragraphs, it is usually located near the beginning or at the end. Remember to identify the topic of the reading. You usually call the main idea of a paragraph the topic sentence. Direct main idea written by author. Paraphrasing: Complete sentences In your own words Still authors thoughts or ideas-give them credit in works cited page.

Restating Main Ideas

One valuable way to check your understanding of a main idea is to try to write it in your own words. We retain information more easily if we can "translate" it into terms that connect with what we already know. Paraphrasing is another way to say restating an idea in your own words

Major Details

Sentences that support, explain and develop the main idea. Directly support the main idea.

Main Ideas in Short Paragraphs

Sometimes the main idea is not presented in a single paragraph but across two or more connected paragraphs that are unified around one idea.

Implied Main Ideas in Paragraph

Sometimes the main ideas are not directly stated in a paragraph. All the readings add up to a general point that the writer wants you to understand. The main idea is implied. Whether the main idea is stated or implied, you can construct a main idea sentence based on the wording of the topic that you have identified. Not directly stated. All ideas in paragraphs.

Main Ideas

The main idea is a general statement that covers all the important points that author makes about that topic. The general message that the author is trying to communicate to the reader.

Topics

The topic of a paragraph or passage is "what it is about". Topic=general subject that the passages explains