Which of these statements does not identify an advantage of turning a paragraph into a list?

1. Advising and Tutoring
2. Tutoring and Writing Assistance
3. Finding the Main Idea

The main idea of a paragraph is the author's message about the topic. It is often expressed directly or it can be implied.

Where are the main ideas found?

It is easy to identify a main idea that is directly expressed in the text. Main ideas are often found:

• at the beginning of paragraphs. The first sentence often explains the subject being discussed in the passage.
• in the concluding sentences of a paragraph. The main idea can be expressed as a summation of the information in the paragraph as well as a link to the information in the next paragraph.

The main idea is not always clearly stated. It is more difficult to identify a main idea when it is inferred or implied. It can be implied through other words in the paragraph. An implied main idea can be found in several ways.

• Several sentences in a paragraph can imply the main idea by introducing facts about the topic before actually stating the topic.
• Implied ideas can be drawn from facts, reasons, or examples that give hints or suggestions concerning the main idea. These hints will be clues leading you to discover the main idea in the selected text.
• Try the passage below to see if you can pick out the main idea.

  "To many parents, the infant's crying may be mainly an irritation, especially if it continues for long periods. But crying serves important functions for the child as well as for the parents. For the child, crying helps improve lung capacity and the respiratory system. Perhaps more important, the cry serves as a signal of distress. When babies cry, they indicate that they are hungry or in pain, and this is important information for parents."

Use the hints below to determine the correct main idea of this paragraph.

After reading a paragraph ask, "What point is the author making in this passage?"

Ask the following questions:

• Who - Does this passage discuss a person or group of people?
• When - Does the information contain a reference to time?
• Where - Does the text name a place?
• Why - Do you find a reason or explanation for something that happened?
• How - Does this information indicate a method or a theory?

How can I determine if I have selected the correct main idea of a paragraph?

If you are able to summarize the information in the passage in your own words,you have absorbed the correct main idea. To accomplish this goal, try the steps listed below after reading a short section of your textbook.

• Write a short summary in your own words about what you have read.
• Does your summary agree with this general topic?
• Does your summary contain the same ideas being expressed by the author?
• Could you write a headline (or textbook subheading) that would express your summary in less than five words?

If you are able to rephrase your choice of a topic sentence into a question and then determine if the passage answers your question, you have been successful at selecting a main idea.

What advice would you give to a writer considering revising the long paragraph below? (Numbers were inserted to identify the sentences; they will not appear in the finished document.)

(1) Although graphics can enhance a website, they can also serve as a distraction. (2) Having too many graphics that do not contribute to the content of the site may make your company appear unprofessional, as well as contributing to slow download times. (3) Your site, for example, has thirty moving images. (4) Such images do not reflect the serious nature of your business. (5) When it comes to graphics, we suggest you adopt a "less is more" approach. (6) Another troublesome feature of your site is the scrolling banner used as a navigation element. (7) To reach certain pages on your site, users must quickly click the links scrolling across the banner. (8) If they miss a link, they must wait another 20 seconds until the link scrolls by again. (9) Because this site is not designed to be a game but rather a place for customers to learn more about handling hazardous materials, you should not use a scrolling banner as a navigation element. (10) We recommend that you use standard navigation buttons aligned along the left margin or across the top of the page. (11) Also, you may want to include a text-only navigation element at the bottom of the page.

A writer is considering revising the long paragraph below. Would the best place to start a second paragraph be at (1), (2), or (3)?

Although graphics can enhance a website, they can also serve as a distraction. Having too many graphics that do not contribute to the content of the site may make your company appear unprofessional, as well as contributing to slow download times. Your site, for example, has thirty moving images. (1) Such images do not reflect the serious nature of your business. When it comes to graphics, we suggest you adopt a "less is more" approach. (2) Another troublesome feature of your site is the scrolling banner used as a navigation element. To reach certain pages on your site, users must quickly click the links scrolling across the banner. If they miss a link, they must wait another 20 seconds until the link scrolls by again. (3) Because this site is not designed to be a game but rather a place for customers to learn more about handling hazardous materials, you should not use a scrolling banner as a navigation element. We recommend that you use standard navigation buttons aligned along the left margin or across the top of the page. Also, you may want to include a text-only navigation element at the bottom of the page.

A. None of the responses are correct. The excerpt is most effective as a single paragraph.
B. at (1)
C. at (2)
D. at (3)

Sets with similar terms

Which of the following are benefits of turning paragraphs into paragraph lists?

Which of the following can be done to make paragraphs more coherent for readers?

What type of sentence states summarizes or forecasts the main point of the paragraph?

Why should you avoid back to back headings?