Determining the Central Idea of an Informative Text, Lecture notes of Dance

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Determining the

Central Idea of an

Informative Text

What’s the Big Idea?

What Is a Central Idea?

• The Central Idea of an informative passage is

what a passage is all about--stated in a broad

sentence. In past years, you may have called this

the “Main Idea.”

• Central Ideas are the most ESSENTIAL ideas to

help you understand an informative text.

• An informative passage may have more than one

central idea (just like a short story may have

more than one theme).

Steps to Find the

Central Idea

3. Ignore supporting details : Central ideas are GENERAL

topics stated in a word or two. Do not look at very specific details found in body paragraphs of the text. These ideas are too specific to be what the ENTIRE article is about. Instead, those details SUPPORT the central ideas of the text.

4. If all else fails, find the Thesis Statement: Introduction

and conclusion paragraph paragraphs often have a THESIS STATEMENT, which is a main idea sentence that shows what the entire passage is about (similar to your on-demand writings). However, some articles do not contain specific thesis statements because the central idea is something you should INFER.

Read the article “Michaela, Triumphant.” Example: “Michaela, Triumphant”

Step 2: Determine Text

Structure

• Choose from the 5

structures you have

studied previously:

• chronological order
• compare/contrast
• statement & support
• problem & solution
• cause & effect We can determine the text structure of “Michaela, Triumphant” by looking at the transition words used at the beginnings of paragraphs: “Civil war raged Sierra Leone from 1991 to 2002.” “After her mother died...” “Through it all....” “In 1999.....” “Today...”

This article uses

Chronological Order to tell

the story of Michaela’s life

Example: “Michaela, Triumphant”

• So....what have we determined about this article’s

central idea? (Putting it all together)...

life in the

orphanage Michaela,

a new life^ Triumphant

Now put these ideas all together in a sentence (you don’t have to use every word as long as the big ideas are conveyed): Michaela overcame the great difficulty of being orphaned to achieve a new life.

chronological order

heading text structure subheading subheading Example: “Michaela, Triumphant”

In addition to finding Central Ideas in an entire article, you can also find a Central Idea in a particular section of a text, such as a subheading. THINK: Which answer choice expresses a general statement of what the OVERALL section is about--not just a particular paragraph or sentence? What is the Central Idea of the section “Life in the Orphanage?” a)Michaela was the favorite child at the orphanage. b)There are thousands of orphans in Sierra Leone. c)Orphanages don’t provide much love for children. d)Michaela experienced many difficulties as an orphan. ANSWER: D Example: “Michaela, Triumphant”

THINK: Which answer choice expresses a general statement of what the OVERALL section is about--not just a particular paragraph or sentence? What is the Central Idea of the section “A New Life?” a)Being adopted helped Michaela achieve her goals. b)Michaela was able to join the Dance Theatre of Harlem. c)Michaela was very sick after she was adopted. d)Being adopted was a difficult journey for Michaela. ANSWER: A Example: “Michaela, Triumphant”

How is a Central Idea Developed?

• A central idea is developed by supporting details (specific statements that explain and “prove” the central idea).
• Supporting Details are found in strategies such as examples, statistics, descriptions, causes & effects, quotes, analogies, stories....(i.e. DRAPES)
• There are multiple supporting details for one central idea.
• Ask yourself, “What does this detail show?”

Analyzing How Central Ideas Are Developed THINK: Which answer choice expresses specific statements that PROVE the central idea listed? Which detail from the article demonstrates the central idea “how an orphaned girl overcame difficulties to achieve her dreams”? a)Michaela was adopted after living as an orphan for several years. b)Michaela was very sick but soon received medical care. c)Dance helped Michaela overcome her horrible memories. d)all of the above ANSWER: D

Analyzing How Central Ideas Are Developed Which detail best illustrates the idea that Michaela has achieved her dreams? a)In 1999 she was adopted by an American couple. b)She said the photograph of a dancer saved her life. c)Her adoptive mother enrolled her in dance classes. d)She has been accepted into the Dance Theatre of Harlem. ANSWER: D THINK: Which answer choice expresses specific statements that PROVE the central idea listed?