Main Idea: What the Text Is Mainly About
by Susan Westbrook
1. What the whole thing is about, not part of what its about
2. Supported with details
3. summary and main idea are not the same thing
4. ideas of the passage
5. What the author is trying to convey.
5.1. essential point the author is trying to make
5.2. What the author is trying to tell you, it will help if you know the author's purpose
5.3. look for clues while reading
6. Be aware of Broad or Narrow ideas.
7. Pay extra attention to the first and last sentence
8. Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
9. Summarize in own words
10. How to identify it?