Finding Topics

• Topic


  The broad, general theme or message. The overall SUBJECT of a paragraph (should be a noun or noun phrase)
• How to identify the topic

  Ask yourself: What or Who is this paragraph or essay about?
• Main idea


  The "key concept" being expressed. A STATEMENT about the topic that conveys the overriding theme of most—if not all—of the remaining sentences in a paragraph. The main idea provides the message of a given paragraph or the argument that is being made about the topic. It may be implied or directly stated, but you must state it in a complete sentence.
• How to find the main idea

  Ask yourself: What is the overall message or argument being made regarding the topic of this paragraph or essay? Certain words or word combinations often introduce the main idea: in short, in brief, in summary, in fact, clearly, thus, as these examples show.
• The main idea may be stated at the beginning of the paragraph, in the middle, or at the end. The sentence in which the main idea is stated is the topic sentence of that paragraph.
• Sometimes main ideas are expressed in two sentences, and sometimes a single main idea will serve for two paragraphs. Main ideas can be unstated, or implied, requiring that you infer the main idea.
• Supporting details


  Specific information about or support for the main idea. Details, major and minor, support the main idea by telling how, what, when, where, why, how much, or how many.
• How to find supporting details

  Certain words or word combinations often introduce major and minor details: for example, for instance.
• Topics, main ideas, and supporting details WORK TOGETHER; the main idea makes an argument about the topic, the details offer support for the main idea.
• You can't comprehend the subject matter if you haven't identified the topic, the main idea, and the supporting details.
• Writer's purpose


  To please: to delight, entertain, amuse, give pleasure to, describe, paint a picture in words. To instruct: to teach, show, inform, examine, expose, analyze, criticize. To persuade: to convince, change one's mind, influence, argue, recommend, give advice to.