MODULE 2: READING FOR TOPIC, MAIN IDEA, AND

SUPPORTING DETAILS – PART II

By the end of this module, you will be able to

• Identify topics and topic sentences

• Explain in your own words the main ideas and supporting details within
a selected text
• Compare and contrast major details and minor details within a selected
text
• Compare and contrast evidence and explanations within a selected text
• Prepare an outline of a selected text’s main idea(s) and supporting
details

Introduction:

What does comprehension mean? It suggests understanding about a

particular topic.

Academic texts can be challenging and difficult to understand. They might be

filled with new and strange vocabulary, slang, idiomatic language, and long,
complicated explanations. As a result, reading actively and developing
strong reading comprehension strategies are essential skills for academic
success.

It is your responsibility as an active reader to develop effective

comprehension strategies that work for you and will help you keep on top of
your assigned course readings without falling behind.

TOPICS AND TOPIC SENTENCES

A. Finding the topic

During the skimming process, it’s important to make note of the topics of
articles and paragraphs. Clues to article topics are usually found in the title or
early in the article.

How to identify topics:

• Circle key words in the title

• Circle words that are repeated or similar to each other
• Try to answer the questions “What is this article about? What is this
paragraph about? What is this section about?”
Exercise 1:

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Let’s work through an example. Read the following paragraph and do the
following:

1. Underline 4 key words in the first sentence.

2. Identify repeated ideas and concepts in the paragraph.
3. Answer the question “What is this paragraph about?”
4. Fill in the chart below with your answers.

Canada’s population growth depends on immigration. Between 2001 and

2006, 1.1 million immigrants came here. During the same period, Canada’s
total population grew by only 1.6 million. The 2006 census shows that the
majority of recent immigrants were from Asia and the Middle East. By
contrast, in 1971, only 12.1% were from these regions.
(Adapted from “Population is Growing and Changing”, 2010)

My response
The first sentence
is about…
This paragraph is
about…

[Adapted from materials by Elena DeGregorio, Professor of English, Humber College ITAL]

B. Finding the topic sentence

Topics are included in the topic sentence of paragraphs or sections of a

reading. The topic sentence is a complete sentence that expresses the topic.
In paragraphs or sections of articles, topic sentences can be at the beginning,
middle or end. Usually they are near the beginning of a section, but not
always. Sometimes the topic sentence is implied, not directly stated. You can
come up with the topic sentence on your own by piecing together the key
words you have identified.

How to identify topic sentences:

• The main key word(s) is/are mentioned in the topic sentence.

• Topic sentences usually include a claim (opinion) or focus of the topic.

Example 1: Direct Topic Sentence

For example, in the paragraph from the previous page, notice the difference
between the topic and the topic sentence:

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TOPIC This paragraph is the effects of immigration on Canada’s

about… population

TOPIC The sentence that Canada’s population growth depends

SENTENCE best expresses on immigration.
the topic is…

You can see that the word depends in the topic sentence provides a claim
and focus about the topic. The topic sentence tells us that immigration in
Canada increased mostly because of immigration.

Exercise 2: Implied Topic Sentence

You might think that this paragraph is about a well-known Canadian

Olympian, Clara Hughes, because her name is mentioned near the beginning.
But, the paragraph is actually about something else that Clara Hughes is
involved with. Review the key word(s) in this paragraph and write your own
topic sentence in the chart below.

What is the topic of this paragraph? To find it, do the following:

a) Underline repeating words and concepts in the paragraph.

b) Ask yourself, what is the purpose of this paragraph? To inform
the audience about what?
c) Fill in the information in the chart below.

Six-time Olympic medalist Clara Hughes is not only a famous face but also
a person who has struggled with depression, and she wants to bring the
issue of depression to public attention. The athlete has agreed to be a
spokesperson in the inaugural mental health campaign by the telephone
company Bell. Bell promises to donate five cents to campaigns dedicated
to mental health from every text message and long-distance telephone call
by Bell customers.
(Adapted from Rozenberg, 2012)

REPEATED Repeated words,

WORDS/ concepts and
CONCEPTS ideas:
PURPOSE This paragraph is
OF informing the
PARAGRAPH audience about…

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TOPIC
SENTENCE Write your own.

[Contributed by Elena DeGregorio, Professor of English, Humber College ITAL]

Exercise 3:

To check your understanding of topics and topic sentences, follow these

prompts below. Then, check your answers at the end of the module.

1. The difference between a topic and topic sentence is

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. To find the topic, a helpful strategy is to

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3. A topic sentence usually provides a f _ _ _ _ for the paragraph or section.

MAIN IDEAS AND SUPPORTING DETAILS

A. Main ideas

What is a main idea? It’s what a paragraph, section or full text is about. It
includes the gist of the entire text and briefly describes two things: 1) the
topic, and 2) what the author is saying about the topic.

The main idea is sometimes not found in one sentence. Instead, it’s the focus
of the entire paragraph, section or full text.

Think of the main idea as the palm of the hand -- not the thumb, which is the
topic sentence, and not the fingers, which are the supporting details. It is the
part of the hand that unites all the other parts of the hand together. Without
being able to describe the main idea, your comprehension of the paragraph,
section or text will not be full.

This image will help to explain:

Topic Sentence

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Supporting Details

Main Idea

[Image adapted from Elena DeGregorio, Professor of English, Humber College ITAL]

How to Determine the Main Idea:

• Identify the topic. Main ideas are usually connected to the topic of the
article.
• Consider the main point that the author is making about a topic.
• Main ideas are sometimes not obvious or directly stated. The reader
has to figure it out by putting together the clues in the text.

Once you get a sense of what the text is about and what the author’s main
message is within the text, be prepared to express the main idea in your own
words. If you can express the main idea in your own words, then you’ve truly
understood the text.

Finding the Main Idea: An Example

Let’s go back to a previous paragraph about immigration and Canada. Do you

remember the topic and topic sentence of the paragraph? Check the chart
below to refresh your memory.

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Canada’s population growth depends on immigration. Between 2001 and

2006, 1.1 million immigrants came here. During the same period, Canada’s
total population grew by only 1.6 million. The 2006 census shows that the
majority of recent immigrants were from Asia and the Middle East. By
contrast, in 1971, only 12.1% were from these regions.

(Adapted from “Population is Growing and Changing”, 2010)

REPEATED Some words, Canada

WORDS/ concepts and ideas Population
CONCEPTS that are repeated Immigration/immigrants
in this paragraph growth
are….
TOPIC This paragraph is The effects of immigration on Canada’s
about… population

TOPIC The sentence that Canada’s population growth depends

SENTENCE best expresses the on immigration.
topic is…
MAIN IDEA What is the
author’s main [see hand image on next page for
message about the answer]
topic in your own
words?

So, what’s the point of this paragraph about Canada and immigration? What
is the author trying to tell us about immigrants and their impact on Canada’s
population? The topic sentence includes the word “depends”, so we can use
this as a clue to help us figure out the main idea and express it in our own
words.

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TOPIC SENTENCE: Canada’s population

growth depends on immigration.

Main idea: Without

immigrants, Canada’s
population wouldn’t increase
very much.

Exercise 4:

To check your understanding of main ideas, follow these prompts below.

Then, check your answers at the end of this module.

1. The difference between a topic sentence and a main idea is

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. Another word for “main idea” is

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

3. A main idea should be expressed

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

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B. Supporting Details

Supporting details

• make the main idea stronger

• help you understand why you are reading a text
• help you understand the author’s point of view
• are meant to convince readers of the accuracy and truthfulness of the
main idea
• function as proof or evidence that add reliability to the author’s
opinion
[Adapted from Elena DeGregorio, Professor of English, Humber College ITAL]

Supporting details can be

• An explanation that expands on the topic sentence

• Facts, quotations, or specific examples
• Reasons or results
• A specific opinion
• Statistics or data
• Descriptions of evidence-based research and findings
• A personal story (anecdotal evidence)
• Historical information

How to Find Supporting Details:

• Explanations usually follow connecting words like in other words, to

explain, etc.
• Examples or explanations could follow connecting words like for
instance, for example and to illustrate.
• Statistics are indicated by numbers and percentages.

Finding Supporting Details: Example 1

Let’s go back to a previous paragraph about immigration and Canada.

Topic: Immigration and Canada’s population growth

Topic Sentence: Canada’s population growth depends on immigration.

Main Idea (written in own words): Without immigrations, Canada’s population

wouldn’t increase very much.

What are the supporting details? What types of details does the author use?
What makes it clear that these are supporting details and not main ideas?

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Supporting Detail Type of Detail

Between 2001 and 2006 1.1 million immigrants Statistics
came here. (research)
During the same period, Canada’s total Statistics
population grew by only 1.6 million. (research)
The 2006 census shows that the majority of Statistics
recent immigrants were from Asia and the (research)
Middle East.
By contrast, in 1971, only 12.1% were from Statistics
these regions. (research)

Going back to our hand analogy, supporting details are the fingers that
provide evidence and explanations related to the main idea, which are
expressed in the palm of the hand.

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Exercise 5:

Here is another paragraph. Read it and fill in the graphic organizer with the
main idea and supporting details.

Lieutenant Colonel Maryse Carmichael, 39, is a remarkable pilot and officer in

the Canadian Armed Forces. In 2000, she became the first woman to fly with
the elite Canadian Snowbirds military aerobatics team. She is now a
commanding officer of the Snowbirds. Carmichael is a great role model for
young women considering a similar career in what remains a heavily male-
dominated field. In all of North America, the percentage of female pilots is
low. This long-term trend is only now starting to change.

(Adapted from Rozenberg, 2012)

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Exercise 6:

To check your understanding of supporting details, follow these prompts

below. Then, check your answers at the end of this module.

1. One difference between a main idea and a supporting detail is

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

2. Some types of supporting details include

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

C. Outlining

What is an outline? An outline is a skeleton or point-form version of a

selected text. Outlining is a skill that involves understanding the main idea(s)
and pulling out the topics and supporting details of a text in the same order
that they are presented in the reading. An outline helps you to

• Understand the organization

• Clarify the main idea(s)
• Identify the topic(s)
• See how the details relate to the topics and support the opinions.

Outlining is helpful for

• Proving that you understand the organization and content of a text

• Clarifying topics and main ideas
• Making sure that the reader didn’t miss any important topics, ideas and
details
• Breaking down a text into sections and subsections for easier
interaction with the text

Tip 1: Imagine that you are going back in time and pretend the
article hasn’t been written yet. Imagine that you are the author
preparing to write this text. What do you think the author’s plan
would look like? It should be similar to the outline you are
creating.

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HOW TO OUTLINE:

1. Annotate an article first. Read actively by highlighting, underlining, and

making marginal notes.
2. Go back to your annotations and look at the topic sentences that you
identified. Make a note in point form of the topics of each section of the
text.
3. On a piece of paper, list the topics you’ve identified in the same order
that they appear in the text. Leave space under each topic.
4. Use clear subheadings, numbers or letters to identify each main topic.
A., B., C., or 1, 2, 3, etc.
5. Use bullets or numbers to identify the supporting details.

Tip 2: Use headings and subheadings to help you organize

your outline.

Tip 3: Don’t copy exactly from the text in your outline. Use
abbreviations, symbols and your own words that help simplify
the language and concepts from the text. Don’t write full
sentences in an outline. It should be in point form.

Here are some sample symbols and abbreviations to get you started. Come
up with your own too!

Word/Term Symbol or Word/Term Symbol or

abbreviation abbreviation
Example Ex. Percent %
Because of b/c of Students Ss
Therefore Theref. Organization Org.
Causes/Leads ➔ Introduction, Intro.
to Conclusion Concl.

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Sample structure of an outline:

Article Title:
Author:
Year of Publication:
Source:
Main Idea of Article in your own words:

A. Introduction
1. Topic

B. [Topic 1]
1. Supporting detail
2. Supporting detail
3. Supporting detail

C. [Topic 2]
1. Supporting detail
2. Supporting detail
3. Supporting detail

D [Topic 3]
1. Supporting detail
2. Supporting detail
3. Supporting detail

E. Conclusion

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MODULE 2: READING COMPREHENSION

Sample Outline of “Why You Should Take Notes by Hand – Not on a Laptop”:

Article Title: “Why You Should Take Notes by Hand – Not on a Laptop”
Author: Joseph Stromberg
Year of Publication: 2014
Source: Vox.com

Main idea: University students should take notes by hand in class because using a
laptop has negative effects on their memory (para. 4).

Intro: Laptops =. popular in uni. Classrooms but DON’T use one!

• New research, 3 studies: hand notes = active listening (laptops = mindless)
• laptop users (LU) vs. hand note takers (HN) (327 degree Ss)

Study 1: Ss watched TED Talk + notes + test (fact + analysis questions)

1. Results: LU + HN = same results on factual questions
2. Results: LU = worse on analytic. Questions
3. Results: LU users copied directly from TED Talk

Study 2: Same as Study 1, some L. users told not to copy directly

1. Results: SAME as Study 1!
2. All LUs still copied even the ones told not to!

Study 3: Ss watch video + take notes + one week pass + 10 min study + test
1. Results: HN benefited from studying notes
2. Results: LU = much worse on test even though they could study too
3. Why??? HN (active listening) is helpful for studying later
4. Why? LU are “robots” who don’t internalize info.

Concl. LUs = distracted while taking notes, not as satisfied with education,
WASTE OF $$$$ for LUs!

Exercise 7:

Your turn to practice outlining an article! Read “Guns, Sex and Education” by
Jaime O’Meara (2000). This article can be found by clicking on this link:
http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.humber.ca/docview/222358491?accounti
d=11530.

Using the sample structure of an outline on the previous page, write your own
outline for this article. Once you’ve completed your outline, compare it with
the answers at the end of this module.

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Checklist for Self-Evaluation:

 I can compare and contrast topics and topic sentences

 I can compare and contrast main idea(s) and supporting details within
a selected text
 I can compare and contrast evidence and explanations within a
selected text
 I can compare and contrast major details and minor details within a
selected text
 I can prepare an outline of a selected text’s main ideas and supporting
details.

References

O’Meara, J. (2000, May 20). Guns, sex and education: We teach kids about

sex. We should teach them about guns too. Saturday Night. 115(4),

8.

Population is growing and changing. (2010). Ontario Reader. Canada:

Maracle Press, 17.

Rozenberg, M. (2012). Step up to academic reading. Don Mills, ON: Oxford

University Press.

Stromberg, J. (2015, March 31). Why You Should Take Notes by Hand, Not

on a Laptop. Vox. Retrieved from

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/4/5776804/note-taking-by-hand-versus-

laptop

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