READING STRATEGIES:

STATED MAIN IDEAS, IMPLIED

MAIN IDEA, AND SUPPORTING
DETAILS

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this chapter, students should be able to:

1.1 Recognize and identify stated main ideas of a

paragraph in college level readings.

1.2 Recognize and identify implied main ideas of a

paragraph in college level readings.

1.3 Recognize supporting details in paragraphs in

college readings.

1.4 Apply reading and study techniques to

enhance comprehension of college textbooks.

1
What does the cartoon imply about the boy
in the red shirt?

What about this?

2
 Main Idea
Every paragraph has a topic.
Every paragraph has a main idea.

The main idea answers the question,

“What is the author’s one most important
point about the topic?”

Characteristics of a Main Idea Sentence

• Must always contain the topic (the word, name, or phrase
that tells who or what the paragraph is about)

• Must always make complete sense by itself (even if you

couldn’t read the rest of the paragraph)
• Must be a general sentence that sums up the details in the
paragraph

• It is the most general sentence in the paragraph

• Does not provide details like statistics or examples

3
Location of the Stated Main Idea Sentence
It can appear anywhere in a paragraph:
• Most often it appears at the beginning.
• The next most likely location is at the end.
• The third possibility is somewhere else within the
paragraph.

Regardless of where it appears, it will have

Supporting details that explain more about it,
give examples of it, or prove it.

1 Identifying the Stated Main Ideas

• Only ONE sentence can be the stated main idea in a paragraph.
• Avoid choosing a sentence just because it interests you or you
think it sounds important.
• The main idea is NEVER a question.
• Examples are details that support the main idea, so examples
cannot be the main idea.
• Watch for words or phrases authors use to signal their main
idea: The point is, It is important, Thus, etc.
• Read the entire paragraph before you decide if there is a stated
main idea sentence.
• The main idea may give a clue about the number of types of
details: “There are four categories of galaxies.”

4
 2 Supporting Details
• Details consists of specific information such as
examples, explanations, descriptions, proof, and
statistics.

• They answer the questions

Identifying the Supporting Details

• Main idea and details are not the same.
• The main idea is general. Details are specific.
• Examples are always details.
• Details are often introduced by In addition, also, moreover,
another, next, then, last, finally, etc.

5
 3 Implied Main Ideas
• An implied main idea is a main idea that is not stated
clearly in a sentence.
• It is strongly suggested by the supporting details in the
passage.
• Short stories, novels, poems and plays often rely on
vivid details to suggest the author’s point, which is left
unstated.

Identifying the Implied Main Ideas

• Who or what is the paragraph about?
(What is the topic?)
• What is the main point the author is trying to make
about the topic?
• What are the major supporting details?
• Implied main ideas must be neither too broad nor too
narrow.

When we think we know the main point, we can test it by asking:

• Does all or most of the material in the
paragraph support this idea?

6
 Hints for identifying the topic and main idea:

• Remember to look for repeated words.

• Mark major supporting details.
• Major details are often signaled by addition words:

one to begin with also further

first (of all) for one thing in addition furthermore
second(ly) other next last (of all)
third(ly) another moreover final(ly)

What is the implied main idea of this paragraph?

 Are you getting enough water? Think of your houseplants. When they are
short on water, they droop. The same thing happens to you! Your body is
made up of millions of cells, and the principal part of each cell is water. If
your cells are low on water, you will function at less than full efficiency.
Strive for six to eight glasses of water each day.
A Houseplants need water to survive.
B Cells contain a high percentage of water.
C Our bodies are made up of millions of cells.
D Your body needs water to remain efficient.

D Your body needs water to remain efficient.

Each major detail in the paragraph is shows the importance of water to the human body.
Note that the major details are supporting sentences.

7
What is the implied main idea of this paragraph?

 Everybody has a strong need to belong to groups. This need may also be driven by
the desire to feel protected against threat and uncertainty in everyday life or to gain
a greater sense of personal and social identity. Moreover, people join specific
groups in order to accomplish things that they cannot accomplish as individuals.
Neither symphonies nor football games can be played by one person alone. Many
types of work require team effort. In addition, people join groups because of the
social status and identity that they offer. An important part of people’s feelings of
self-worth comes from their identification with particular groups. Even a relatively
low-status group can be a source of pride for individuals who have high esteem
within the group, particularly people who are individualists. Finally, people may
join groups simply because they like the members and want to have the opportunity
to interact with them.
 People join groups for a number of reasons.