Cornell Notes - Main Idea

Main Idea

• Main Idea

• Topic Sentence

• Supporting Details

• Stated vs. Implied

Summary

Main Idea

• Main idea is the "big picture"
• Can often be found in the title

• Main Idea

• Look for common thread
• Main idea = of paragraph/text
• Who/What is the passage about?

Next

• Topic Sentence

• Supporting Details

• Stated vs. Implied

Summary

Main Idea

• Main idea is the "big picture"
• Can often be found in the title

• Main Idea

• Look for common thread
• Main idea = of paragraph/text
• Who/What is the passage about?

• Topic Sentence

• Many paragraphs have topic sentences
• TS express the main idea of paragraph

• Supporting Details

• Summary

Summary

Main Idea

• Main idea is the "big picture"
• Can often be found in the title

• Main Idea

• Look for common thread
• Main idea = of paragraph/text
• Who/What is the passage about?

• Many paragraphs have topic sentences
• TS express the main idea of paragraph

• Topic Sentence

• Supporting Details

• SD prove the value of the main idea
• Think of how legs support a chair/table

• Stated vs. Implied

Summary

Next

Main Idea

• Main idea is the "big picture"
• Can often be found in the title

• Main Idea

• Look for common thread
• Main idea = of paragraph/text
• Who/What is the passage about?

• Topic Sentence

• Many paragraphs have topic sentences
• TS express the main idea of paragraph

• Supporting Details

• SD prove the value of the main idea
• Think of how legs support a chair/table

Stated

• main idea = paragraph "says"
• main idea = reader has to state in their own words

• Stated vs. Implied

Implied

Summary

Next

Main Idea

• Main idea is the "big picture"
• Can often be found in the title

• Main Idea

• Look for common thread
• Main idea = of paragraph/text
• Who/What is the passage about?

• Topic Sentence

• Many paragraphs have topic sentences
• TS express the main idea of paragraph

• Supporting Details

• SD prove the value of the main idea
• Think of how legs support a chair/table

• Stated main idea = paragraph "says"
• Implied main idea = reader has to state in their own words

• Stated vs. Implied

• Sentences should always support
• No support = does not belong

Summary

Next

Main Idea

• Main idea is the "big picture"
• Can often be found in the title

• Main Idea

• Look for common thread
• Main idea = of paragraph/text
• Who/What is the passage about?

• Topic Sentence

• Many paragraphs have topic sentences
• TS express the main idea of paragraph

• Supporting Details

• SD prove the value of the main idea
• Think of how legs support a chair/table

• Stated main idea = paragraph "says"
• Implied main idea = reader has to state in their own words

• Stated vs. Implied

• Sentence should always support
• No support = does not belong

Summary

Main Idea

• Main idea is the "big picture"
• Can often be found in the title

• Main Idea

• Look for common thread
• Main idea = of paragraph/text
• Who/What is the passage about?

• Topic Sentence

• Many paragraphs have topic sentences
• TS express the main idea of paragraph

• Supporting Details

• SD prove the value of the main idea
• Think of how legs support a chair/table

• Stated main idea = paragraph "says"
• Implied main idea = reader has to state in their own words

• Stated vs. Implied

• Sentence should always support
• No support = does not belong

Summary

Main Idea

• Main idea is the "big picture"
• Can often be found in the title

• Main Idea

• Look for common thread
• Main idea = of paragraph/text
• Who/What is the passage about?

• Topic Sentence

• Many paragraphs have topic sentences
• TS express the main idea of paragraph

• Supporting Details

• SD prove the value of the main idea
• Think of how legs support a chair/table

• Stated main idea = paragraph "says"
• Implied main idea = reader has to state in their own words

• Stated vs. Implied

• Sentence should always support
• No support = does not belong

Summary

The main idea is the central point or message of a text that the author wants to communicate. A topic sentence often expresses this main idea at the beginning of a paragraph. Supporting details are facts, examples, or descriptions that help explain or back up the main idea. Stated main ideas are directly expressed in the text, while implied main ideas are suggested and require readers to infer the message. Understanding these concepts helps readers grasp and summarize the material more effectively.

Stated Main Idea

The students had fun on their field trip. They visited the Marine Museum. They were able to tour a tug boat and they bought souvenirs in the gift shop. After the tours they ate a picnic lunch in the park and played with their friends.

The underlined portion of the sentence is the main idea and is stated for the reader.

Implied Main Idea

The Native Americans used the trees to build their houses. They hunted and trapped animals in the forest for food. They found roots and berries that they could eat. Some plants found in the forest were used for medicine.

In this paragraph, the main idea isn’t stated. However, by reading the paragraph, the reader can determine the main idea: Native Americans used resources in the forest to survive.