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Locating Main Ideas

The document discusses strategies for locating main ideas and thesis statements in academic texts. It explains that the main idea or thesis statement can be found in the abstract, introduction, or conclusion. It may also be located at the end of the introduction in the form of a purpose statement. Topic sentences present the main idea of a paragraph and can be found at the beginning, middle or end of a paragraph. The document provides examples of paragraphs and prompts the reader to identify the main ideas within them.

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Rhea Tamayo Casuncad
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43 views14 pages

Locating Main Ideas

The document discusses strategies for locating main ideas and thesis statements in academic texts. It explains that the main idea or thesis statement can be found in the abstract, introduction, or conclusion. It may also be located at the end of the introduction in the form of a purpose statement. Topic sentences present the main idea of a paragraph and can be found at the beginning, middle or end of a paragraph. The document provides examples of paragraphs and prompts the reader to identify the main ideas within them.

Uploaded by

Rhea Tamayo Casuncad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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loca ting main

ideas
MAIN IDEA IS THE CENTRAL
POINT THE AUTHORS
WANTS TO CONNECT TO
THE READERS.
thesis statement
The thesis statement presents or describes
the point of an essay. In an academic text,
the thesis statement is usually presented in
the abstract or executive summary or found
at the last part of the introduction. It is
written in a declarative sentence.
In some cases in academic texts, the thesis
statement located at the last part of the
introduction is replaced with a purpose
statement. Unlike the thesis statement, the
purpose statement is introduced by signal
phrases that announce the purpose, scope, or
direction of the text as well as its focus.
STRATEGIES IN LOCATING THE
THESIS STATEMENT
Read the title of the text and make inferences on its
purpose.
If the text has no abstract or executive summary, read the
first few paragraphs as the thesis statement is usually
located there.
In other cases, you may also check the conclusionwhere
authors sum up and review their main points.
topic sentence
The topic sentence presents or describes
the point of the paragraph; in other
words, it is the main idea of a paragraph
. It can be located in the
beginning, middle or last part of a
paragraph.
assignment
Locate the main ideas in the
paragraph.
1. In Africa, music is usually performed outdoors. There
is spontaneous music making as well as performances
by social and music groups at ceremonies and feasts.
There is no musical notation (written music). African
music tradition, like folklore and history, is transmitted
orally. Music is a social activity in which almost
everyone participates. Clearly, African music has
several interesting characteristics.
2. Tsunamis, large ocean waves caused by underwater
earthquakes, can be deadly and destructive. For
example, in December 2004, an underwater
earthquake triggered a massive tsunami throughout
the Indian Ocean. The tsunami killed more than
200,000 people and caused billions of dollars of
damage to the coasts of numerous Southeast Asian
countries.
3. Is it an ant, you wonder, or a termite? Ants resemble
termites, but they are quite different and can be easily
distinguished. In contrast to termites, ants are usually
dark in color, are hard bodied, and have constriction
between
the thorax and abdomen. Also, ants and termites belong
to different orders.
4. When a driver pushes on the brake pedal, it starts a process
that causes the vehicle to stop. You literally trust
brakingsystems with your life every time you get into a vehicle
or cross a busy intersection, but how does this process work?
It begins when the pedal is pushed. At this moment brake fluid
is released into the area where the braking mechanisms are
located. As the fluid collects, leverage is created, which causes a
friction to be applied. If the braking system is functioning
properly, this friction will create a force that will cause the
wheels to stop and allow you to reach your destination safely.
5. There are many types of lethal venom in the animal kingdom, but
perhaps no stranger carrier than the platypus. The platypus is one
of few venomous mammals. Males carry a venom cocktail in their
ankle spurs that paralyzes victims with excruciating pain. Stranger
still, the platypus is the only mammal that uses electro reception.
What this means isthat the platypus uses its bill to sense the
electricity produced by the muscular movements of its prey. The
platypus neither sees, hears, nor smells its prey while hunting but,
rather, pursues it through electroreception. Perhaps most odd, the
platypus is the only mammal that lays eggs rather than giving birth
to live young. The platypus is an oddcreature indeed.

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