Reading and Writing SKills

Main Idea, Thesis

Statement, and
Topic Sentence
Module 22
Objectives:
• Identify the differences among the main idea, thesis
statement, and topic sentence.
• Formulate thesis statement and topic sentences using
the given topic
 MAIN IDEA
This is the central idea being expressed or examined.
To find the main idea of any paragraph or passage, ask these
questions:
1. Who or what is the paragraph about?
2. What aspect or idea about the ‘who’ or ‘what’ is the author
concerned with?
 THESIS STATEMENT
It is a one-sentence summary that guides, controls, and unifies
ideas when writing a paper.
It states the argument in a piece of persuasive writing, and often
gives an indication what the main sections of the essay will be,
and how the argument will unfold.
The thesis sentence usually comes at the end of the introduction.
 TOPIC SENTENCE
It usually guides, controls, and unifies ideas in a paragraph. It
develops one argument of the thesis statement.
 Summary
The main idea of a piece is the overall gist of what the piece will be
dealing with as a whole. We look at this as the overall plot of our
essay.
The thesis statement is a one- or two-sentence summary of your essay.
We can look at the thesis as a more developed plot statement that
allows us to bring some context to our piece.
The topic sentences – the one-sentence summary of the main point.
While the thesis statement summarizes overall plot, the topic sentence
summarizes the overall specifics in your piece itself.
 Example:
• Main Idea: Jogging and Why is it Beneficial
• Thesis statement: Jogging is beneficial because it positively affects physical
well-being and mental fitness.
• Topic Sentence 1: Jogging positively impacts one’ s physical wellness by
preventing hypertension and other diseases.
• Topic Sentence 2: Another benefit of jogging inspires self-confidence and
helps reduce stress thus maintaining mental fitness
Questions?
 Let’s Try!
• Get your Module in COR 002
• Turn to Module 22
• Answer Activity 3: Skill-building Activities