central idea and thesis

Central Idea Mastery: Tips for Identifying Main Themes in Texts

Ever struggled to figure out what a piece of literature is really about?

I have. I’m a math and sciences geek, and English Lit was never my strong suit in school. But I figured out a way to get straight to the central idea.

Studies show that grasping the central idea is one of the most challenging aspects for readers, freelance writers , and in-company writers alike.

This post will take you on a journey to understand clearly what a central idea statement in literature entails, how it differs from themes or thesis statements , and why it matters so much.

Ready for an enlightening ride into the realm of literary analysis? Let’s dive in!

What is the Central Idea in Literature?

The central idea in literature is the main point or message the author wants to convey to the reader. It is often the well written central ideas, expressed through a thesis statement , which serves as the foundation for the entire work of literature.

The central idea statement should be distinct from the story’s theme itself, as it focuses more on the author’s specific argument or perspective. To identify this in literature, readers can analyze key details and keywords as a map and keep their predictions short and straightforward.

The Relationship between Central Idea and Thesis Statement

A central idea is like a map for a story or essay. It guides readers through the words and themes. 

On the other hand, a thesis statement is a claim or argument in an essay, article or research work.

This is often based on the central idea but goes further by giving an opinion about the topic. You can think of these as two good friends. Both play key roles in shaping any piece of writing, and they rely on each other to make sense.

For instance, if you write an essay arguing that reading helps improve vocabulary – your central idea might be ‘the benefits of reading,’ while your thesis statement could be ‘reading regularly improves one’s vocabulary.’

The Difference between Central Idea and Theme

The central idea and theme are two critical parts of a story. They may seem the same but tell different parts of the tale. The main topic or message in a text is the central idea .

It’s like telling what a book or essay is about.

A theme, though, dives deeper into the story. It shows us life lessons or morals that we can learn from it. 

Think of it as an undercover message hiding inside the words and scenes of a story! An easy way to spot them? Central ideas often pop up more in texts that give information.

Themes make their home primarily in stories with lots of action, conflict and drama.

How to Identify the Central Idea in Literature

Use details and keywords as a map.

Words and clues in a story can help find the main idea. Look for words that repeat . They matter a lot to the writer. Think of keywords as signposts on a map. When you use a map when lost, use these words when stuck on an idea.

Stay away from small details that only discuss one thing in the text. Focus on ideas that cover all parts of the story instead. Those tell you what is most important to know.

Keep Predictions Short and Simple

When identifying the central idea statement in literature, keeping your predictions short and simple is essential. By predicting the answer in your own words, you can narrow down the options and eliminate choices that don’t match the passage.

Keeping your predictions brief makes it easier to compare them with the given choices. If you’re having trouble understanding a passage, try summarizing paragraphs or sentences to help clarify things.

Remember, taking it slow and staying calm can improve your performance in the SAT reading and writing section. So, keep those predictions concise and straightforward!

Importance of Central Ideas in Literature

The central ideas in literature play a crucial role in your content strategy and in understanding the text and its deeper meaning, as they serve as the backbone that holds the entire work together.

The Role of Central Ideas in Understanding Literature

The central idea plays a crucial role in helping us understand literature. It acts as the primary focus or point of the text, providing a clear picture of what the author wants to convey.

By identifying and analyzing the central idea, we can better comprehend the overall message and themes of a piece of writing. The well written central idea guides readers, helping them navigate through the details and supporting evidence presented in the text.

It helps us see how all these elements connect to create a cohesive whole.

The Connection between Central Ideas and Details

The connection between central ideas and details in literature is meaningful because the details provide evidence and examples to support and strengthen the central idea. 

Details are specific pieces of information or examples that help to bring the story’s main idea to life and make it more relatable for readers.

By analyzing the central idea and details, readers can engage with the text deeper and uncover hidden meanings and themes. 

A central idea can be explicit, stated directly in the text, or implicit, requiring readers to infer and interpret what the author is trying to convey.

So, paying attention to details helps readers understand and appreciate the overall message of a work of literature.

Central Ideas Examples in Literature

Central ideas in literature can vary greatly depending on the genre and themes explored. 

For instance, classification essays may focus on a central idea related to categorization and justification, while works of English literature might delve into a central idea about societal norms or personal identity.

Additionally, environmental science literature may explore a central idea surrounding sustainability and conservation. These examples demonstrate the diverse range found across different types of literature.

Central Ideas in Classification Essays

The central idea in a classification essay is the main topic and the categories or subtopics we use to organize our thoughts . It’s like a roadmap for our essay, showing us how to structure it and what message we want to convey.

In other words, it’s the same as the thesis statement in a classification essay . 

By stating the main topic and explaining why we’re categorizing things in a certain way, we can say something meaningful about how different parts of the topic are related or how they relate to the whole subject.

So, when writing a classification essay, ensure your central idea is clear and helps guide your readers through your thoughtful categories!

Central Ideas in English Literature

Understanding the central ideas in English literature is crucial for writers. These help us grasp the main themes and messages in literary works. They cover most details and emphasize key points, allowing readers to analyze the text effectively.

When analyzing literature, it’s important to avoid focusing too much on one detail or introducing new ideas not addressed in the text. 

Central ideas play a vital role in answering exam questions like the SAT, where students identify the main idea or specific details based on a passage.

Notable Examples

“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Central Idea: The American Dream and its corruption. This novel delves deep into the idea of the American Dream—the pursuit of happiness, wealth, and social status—and the lengths people go to achieve it. Set in the Roaring Twenties, the story showcases the opulence of the time but also the moral bankruptcy and hollowness that often accompanied the pursuit of wealth and social status. The novel questions the true meaning of success and challenges the superficial values of society.

“ To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

Central Idea: Racism and the loss of innocence. Set in the American South during the 1930s, this novel tackles the deep-seated racial prejudices of the time. Through the eyes of a young girl named Scout Finch, readers witness the injustice and cruelty meted out to a Black man, Tom Robinson, who is falsely accused of raping a white woman. The story also deals with the idea of growing up and losing innocence as Scout and her brother Jem navigate the complexities of their small town’s social structure.

“The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger

Central Idea: Adolescent alienation and the challenges of growing up. The novel’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield, represents the quintessential disaffected youth. As he navigates the adult world, which he views as “phony,” he struggles with his own sense of identity, his place in the world, and the impending responsibilities of adulthood. The story is a poignant examination of the complexities of adolescence and the inevitable loss of childhood innocence.

Whether it’s contemporary or classic works, central ideas can be found throughout English literature.

Central Ideas in Environmental Science Literature

The central idea in environmental science literature is essential. It helps us understand the main topic and categories/subtopics discussed in the text. It gives us an overview of what the whole thing is about.

The central idea also helps structure the essay and conveys a message about the topic. So, if you’re writing about environmental science, ensure you have a clear main idea that divides your topic into different parts, helping readers quickly grasp the main points.

One way to find the main idea is by locating the thesis statement in your text.

Tips for Writing a Central Idea

Crafting a strong main idea requires clarity and conciseness. Use clear and specific language to express the main point of your work, ensuring that it is debatable and not just a statement of fact.

Consider the purpose of your writing and the audience you are targeting to shape your central idea effectively.

Formulation of the Central Idea

To formulate a well written central idea, you need to think carefully about the main point or message you want to convey.

When formulating the central idea, make sure it covers most of the details introduced in your text and emphasizes any important points. Avoid focusing too much on just one detail or introducing new ideas not addressed in your writing.

Also, be careful not to contradict any information from your text.

To help with formulation, summarize your text in your own words and determine the task or purpose of your writing. If you need clarification on the story’s main character or idea, revisit your summary to find the overarching theme .

Predicting the answer can also be useful as it helps narrow down choices and eliminate options that don’t align with your writing.

The Purpose of a Central Idea in Literature

The purpose of a central idea in literature is to provide a main theme or message that ties together all the different parts of a literary work. It helps readers understand and grasp the overall meaning and purpose of the text.

When writing a central idea, it’s important to consider the main theme or message, analyze key elements in the text, and think about what the author wants to convey. The central idea should cover most of the details introduced in the text and mention any points of emphasis.

However, it shouldn’t focus too much on just one detail, introduce new ideas not addressed in the text, or contradict information from the text.

Wrapping up the Central Idea

Understanding the central idea in literature is crucial for writers and readers alike. By grasping the main message of a text, we can delve deeper into its themes and analyze it with greater clarity.

Through examples and explanations, this blog has highlighted the importance of central ideas and provided tools to identify them effectively. So go forth, writers, armed with this knowledge, and create works that captivate audiences by conveying powerful central ideas!

1. What is the central idea in literature?

The central idea in literature refers to the main point or theme that the author wants to explain or convey through their story or writing.

2. How can I identify the central idea in a piece of literature?

You can identify the central idea by looking for recurring themes, key messages, and important moments that shape the text’s overall meaning.

3. Why is understanding the central idea important when reading literature?

Understanding the central idea helps you grasp the deeper meaning and purpose behind a piece of literature, allowing you to appreciate its message and connect with it more meaningfully.

4. Can multiple central ideas exist in a single piece of literature?

While some texts may have multiple themes or ideas, there is typically one primary central idea that serves as the core focus of the work.

Content Manager, Marketer and Business Development Expert.

Noel is a full-time content manager, marketer, and business development manager. A 25-year veteran and professional project manager (PMP) as well, Noel enjoys writing about content management, AI and the tools and technology shaping the industry.

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• Knowledge Base
• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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53 Formulating a Central Idea Statement

Learning objectives.

After reading this chapter, the student will be able to:

• Distinguish between the specific purpose, central idea, and main points of a speech;
• Differentiate between a speech to inform, persuade, and inspire or entertain;
• Write a specific purpose statement;
• Write a thesis or central idea statement;
• Distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable specific purpose and central idea statements;
• Compose appropriate specific purpose and central idea statements for informative, persuasive, and inspirational/entertaining speeches.

Formulating a Central Idea Statement – developing the thesis statement

While you will not actually say your specific purpose statement during your speech, you will need to clearly state what your focus and main points are going to be (preferably after using an introductory method such as those described in Chapter 8). The statement that reveals your main points is commonly known as the central idea statement (or just the central idea).

Central Idea Statement

a statement that contains or summarizes a speech’s main points

Now, at this point we need to make a point about terminology. Your instructor may call the central idea statement “the thesis” or “the thesis statement.” Your English composition instructor probably uses that term in your essay writing. Another instructor may call it the “main idea statement.” All of these are basically synonymous and you should not let the terms confuse you, but you should use the term your instructor uses.

That said, is the central idea statement the very same thing as the thesis sentence in an essay? Yes, in that both are letting the audience know without a doubt your topic, purpose, direction, angle and/or point of view. No, in that the rules for writing a “thesis” or central idea statement in a speech are not as strict as in an essay. For example, it is acceptable in a speech to announce the topic and purpose, although it is usually not the most artful or effective way to do it. You may say,

“In this speech I will try to motivate you to join me next month as a volunteer at the regional Special Olympics.”

That would be followed by a preview statement of what the speech’s arguments or reasons for participating will be, such as,

“You will see that it will benefit the community, the participants, and you individually.”

However, another approach is to “capsulize” the purpose, topic, approach, and preview in one succinct statement.

“Your involvement as a volunteer in next month’s regional Special Olympics will be a rewarding experience that will benefit the community, the participants, and you personally.”

This last version is really the better approach and most likely the one your instructor will prefer.

So, you don’t want to just repeat your specific purpose in the central idea statement, but you do want to provide complete information. Also, unlike the formal thesis of your English essays, the central idea statement in a speech can and should use personal language (I, me, we, us, you, your, etc.) and should attempt to be attention-getting and audience-focused. And importantly, just like a formal thesis sentence, it must be a complete, grammatical sentence.

The point of your central idea statement in terms of your audience is to reveal and clarify the ideas or assertions you will be addressing in your speech, more commonly known as your main points, to fulfill your specific purpose. However, as you are processing your ideas and approach, you may still be working on them. Sometimes those main points will not be clear to you immediately. As much as we would like these writing processes to be straightforward, sometimes we find that we have to revise our original approach. This is why preparing a speech the night before you are giving it is a really, really bad idea. You need lots of time for the preparation and then the practice.

Sometimes you will hear the writing process referred to as “iterative.” This word means, among other things, that a speech or document is not always written in the same order as the audience finally experiences it. You may have noticed that we have not said anything about the introduction of your speech yet. Even though that is the first thing the audience hears, it may be one of the last parts you actually compose. It is best to consider your speech flexible as you work on it, and to be willing to edit and revise. If your instructor asks you to turn the outline in before the speech, you should be clear on how much you can revise after that. Otherwise, it helps to know that you can keep editing your speech until you deliver it, especially while you practice.

Here are some examples of pairs of specific purpose statements and central idea statements.

Specific Purpose: To explain to my classmates the effects of losing a pet on the elderly.

Central Idea: When elderly persons lose their animal companions, they can experience serious psychological, emotional, and physical effects.

Specific Purpose: To demonstrate to my audience the correct method for cleaning a computer keyboard.

Central Idea: Your computer keyboard needs regular cleaning to function well, and you can achieve that in four easy steps.

Specific Purpose: To persuade my political science class that labor unions are no longer a vital political force in the U.S.

Central Idea: Although for decades in the twentieth century labor unions influenced local and national elections, in this speech I will point to how their influence has declined in the last thirty years.

Specific Purpose: To motivate my audience to oppose the policy of drug testing welfare recipients.

Central Idea: Many voices are calling for welfare recipients to have to go through mandatory, regular drug testing, but this policy is unjust, impractical, and costly, and fair-minded Americans should actively oppose it.

Specific Purpose: To explain to my fellow civic club members why I admire Representative John Lewis.

Central Idea: John Lewis has my admiration for his sacrifices during the Civil Rights movement and his service to Georgia as a leader and U.S. Representative.

Specific Purpose: To describe how makeup is done for the TV show The Walking Dead.

Central Idea: The wildly popular zombie show The Walking Dead achieves incredibly scary and believable makeup effects, and in the next few minutes I will tell you who does it, what they use, and how they do it.

Notice that in all of the above examples that neither the specific purpose nor the central idea ever exceeds one sentence. You may divide your central idea and the preview of main points into two sentences or three sentences, depending on what your instructor directs. If your central idea consists of more than three sentences, then you probably are including too much information and taking up time that is needed for the body of the speech.

Exploring Communication in the Real World Copyright © 2020 by Chris Miller is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
• picture_as_pdf Thesis

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• Online Guide to Writing

Thesis Statement and Controlling Idea

So what? This is the question you will get asked if your thesis statement, or main idea, is not obvious in your paper. Your thesis statement is the most important part of your writing; without it, your paper doesn’t have a main point or stance. A thesis statement states the purpose and topic of your writing, and the controlling idea indicates the direction and, often, the writing strategy you will adopt. 

Generally, your thesis is placed at the end of your introduction and is a concise and simple sentence that combines your topic and your position on the topic. Like a road map, your thesis lets your readers know what to expect from the rest of your paper. Your body paragraphs support it, and your essay lacks direction without it.

It is important to keep in mind that this early in your writing, your thesis statement is really a working thesis that you use to begin thinking about your topic. You may revise this thesis many times before you are finished thinking and ready to write your final draft. Below are some sample thesis statements.  

YOUR TOPIC + POSITION ON TOPIC = THESIS STATEMENT

Thesis Statement Do's and Don'ts

Present an argument, stance, or claim. Can your audience argue with it? 

Provide a key to the organization of your paper. Can you construct body paragraphs that support it? 

Mirror the assignment prompt. Are you following what is expected of you?

Present the thesis at the end of the introduction.  

Answer the question: “so what?”  

Present an argument that can be supported by reputable research. Is your argument logical?

Embrace the “how” and “why” elements. It’s a great strategy to present the problem, examine why it’s a problem, and show how it can be fixed. 

Include announcement style language like “this paper will discuss” or “this will be shown in this essay.” 

Be informative only with no argument or stance, such as, “Some high school seniors decide to take a gap year.” 

Include overly broad or generalized statements like, “Kids of this generation are lazy.”

Force the reader to guess what the paper will prove or discuss 

Be questions. 

Key Takeaways

Your thesis is one statement at the end of your introduction and should be clear, concise, and arguable.

Without a thesis, your paper lacks direction and purpose. 

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Table of Contents: Online Guide to Writing

Chapter 1: College Writing

How Does College Writing Differ from Workplace Writing?

What Is College Writing?

Why So Much Emphasis on Writing?

Chapter 2: The Writing Process

Doing Exploratory Research

Getting from Notes to Your Draft

Introduction

Prewriting - Techniques to Get Started - Mining Your Intuition

Prewriting: Targeting Your Audience

Prewriting: Techniques to Get Started

Prewriting: Understanding Your Assignment

Rewriting: Being Your Own Critic

Rewriting: Creating a Revision Strategy

Rewriting: Getting Feedback

Rewriting: The Final Draft

Techniques to Get Started - Outlining

Techniques to Get Started - Using Systematic Techniques

Writing: Getting from Notes to Your Draft - Freewriting

Writing: Getting from Notes to Your Draft - Summarizing Your Ideas

Writing: Outlining What You Will Write

Chapter 3: Thinking Strategies

A Word About Style, Voice, and Tone

A Word About Style, Voice, and Tone: Style Through Vocabulary and Diction

Critical Strategies and Writing

Critical Strategies and Writing: Analysis

Critical Strategies and Writing: Evaluation

Critical Strategies and Writing: Persuasion

Critical Strategies and Writing: Synthesis

Developing a Paper Using Strategies

Kinds of Assignments You Will Write

Patterns for Presenting Information

Patterns for Presenting Information: Critiques

Patterns for Presenting Information: Discussing Raw Data

Patterns for Presenting Information: General-to-Specific Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Problem-Cause-Solution Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Specific-to-General Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Summaries and Abstracts

Supporting with Research and Examples

Writing Essay Examinations

Writing Essay Examinations: Make Your Answer Relevant and Complete

Writing Essay Examinations: Organize Thinking Before Writing

Writing Essay Examinations: Read and Understand the Question

Chapter 4: The Research Process

Planning and Writing a Research Paper

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Ask a Research Question

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Cite Sources

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Collect Evidence

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Decide Your Point of View, or Role, for Your Research

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Draw Conclusions

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Find a Topic and Get an Overview

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Manage Your Resources

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Outline

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Survey the Literature

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Work Your Sources into Your Research Writing

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Human Resources

Research Resources: What Are Research Resources?

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found?

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Electronic Resources

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Print Resources

Structuring the Research Paper: Formal Research Structure

Structuring the Research Paper: Informal Research Structure

The Nature of Research

The Research Assignment: How Should Research Sources Be Evaluated?

The Research Assignment: When Is Research Needed?

The Research Assignment: Why Perform Research?

Chapter 5: Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity

Giving Credit to Sources

Giving Credit to Sources: Copyright Laws

Giving Credit to Sources: Documentation

Giving Credit to Sources: Style Guides

Integrating Sources

Practicing Academic Integrity

Practicing Academic Integrity: Keeping Accurate Records

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Paraphrasing Your Source

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Quoting Your Source

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Summarizing Your Sources

Types of Documentation

Types of Documentation: Bibliographies and Source Lists

Types of Documentation: Citing World Wide Web Sources

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - APA Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - CSE/CBE Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - Chicago Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - MLA Style

Types of Documentation: Note Citations

Chapter 6: Using Library Resources

Finding Library Resources

Chapter 7: Assessing Your Writing

How Is Writing Graded?

How Is Writing Graded?: A General Assessment Tool

The Draft Stage

The Draft Stage: The First Draft

The Draft Stage: The Revision Process and the Final Draft

The Draft Stage: Using Feedback

The Research Stage

Using Assessment to Improve Your Writing

Chapter 8: Other Frequently Assigned Papers

Reviews and Reaction Papers: Article and Book Reviews

Reviews and Reaction Papers: Reaction Papers

Writing Arguments

Writing Arguments: Adapting the Argument Structure

Writing Arguments: Purposes of Argument

Writing Arguments: References to Consult for Writing Arguments

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Anticipate Active Opposition

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Determine Your Organization

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Develop Your Argument

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Introduce Your Argument

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - State Your Thesis or Proposition

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Write Your Conclusion

Writing Arguments: Types of Argument

Appendix A: Books to Help Improve Your Writing

Dictionaries

General Style Manuals

Researching on the Internet

Special Style Manuals

Writing Handbooks

Appendix B: Collaborative Writing and Peer Reviewing

Collaborative Writing: Assignments to Accompany the Group Project

Collaborative Writing: Informal Progress Report

Collaborative Writing: Issues to Resolve

Collaborative Writing: Methodology

Collaborative Writing: Peer Evaluation

Collaborative Writing: Tasks of Collaborative Writing Group Members

Collaborative Writing: Writing Plan

General Introduction

Peer Reviewing

Appendix C: Developing an Improvement Plan

Working with Your Instructor’s Comments and Grades

Appendix D: Writing Plan and Project Schedule

Devising a Writing Project Plan and Schedule

Reviewing Your Plan with Others

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Chapter 5: Presentation Organization

32 Purpose and Central Idea Statements

Speeches have traditionally been seen to have one of three broad purposes: to inform, to persuade, and — well, to be honest, different words are used for the third kind of speech purpose: to inspire, to amuse, to please, or to entertain. These broad goals are commonly known as a speech’s general purpose, since, in general, you are trying to inform, persuade, or entertain your audience without regard to specifically what the topic will be. Perhaps you could think of them as appealing to the understanding of the audience (informative), the will or action (persuasive), and the emotion or pleasure.

Now that you know your general purpose (to inform, to persuade, or to entertain), you can start to move in the direction of the specific purpose. A specific purpose statement builds on your general purpose (to inform) and makes it more specific (as the name suggests). So if your first speech is an informative speech, your general purpose will be to inform your audience about a very specific realm of knowledge.

In writing your specific purpose statement, you will take three contributing elements (shown in figure 5.3) that will come together to help you determine your specific purpose :

• You (your interests, your background, past jobs, experience, education, major),
• Your audience
• The context or setting.

Putting It Together

Keeping these three inputs in mind, you can begin to write a specific purpose statement , which will be the foundation for everything you say in the speech and a guide for what you do not say. This formula will help you in putting together your specific purpose statement:

To _______________ [Specific Communication Word (inform, explain, demonstrate, describe, define, persuade, convince, prove, argue)] my [ Target Audience (my classmates, the members of the Social Work Club, my coworkers]  __________________. [T he Content (how to bake brownies, that Macs are better than PCs].

Example: The purpose of my presentation is to demonstrate for my coworkers the value of informed intercultural communication.

Formulating a Central Idea Statement

While you will not actually say your specific purpose statement during your speech, you will need to clearly state what your focus and main points are going to be. The statement that reveals your main points is commonly known as the central idea statement (or just the central idea). Just as you would create a thesis statement for an essay or research paper, the central idea statement helps focus your presentation by defining your topic, purpose, direction, angle and/or point of view. Here are two examples:

Specific Purpose –  To explain to my classmates the effects of losing a pet on the elderly.

Central Idea –  When elderly persons lose their animal companions, they can experience serious psychological, emotional, and physical effects.

Specific Purpose –  To demonstrate to my audience the correct method for cleaning a computer keyboard.

Central Idea –  Your computer keyboard needs regular cleaning to function well, and you can achieve that in four easy steps.

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Central Idea in Literature: Definition, Meaning, and Examples

Krystal N. Craiker

In literature, there are many elements that work together to make a cohesive story. At the heart of each story is the central idea.

The central idea, also called the main idea, is a brief, overall summary of what the entire story is about. Typically, we explain the central idea in one sentence.

The central idea is different from the theme and the message. It’s the backbone of a story’s plot. Let’s take a closer look at what the central idea means in literature.

Central Idea Definition: What Is It in a Story?

Central idea meaning: what does it mean, the importance of a central idea in a story, tips on using central ideas in your story, examples of the central idea of a story, conclusion on central ideas in a story.

The definition of the central idea is a statement that explains the main scenario of a story. All plot lines, supporting details, and conflicts support the central idea.

You can think of the central idea as a very brief summary of a story. In other words, if someone asks what the story is about, the central idea is what you would tell them.

Fairy tales are a great way to understand literary elements. Let’s use Goldilocks and the Three Bears as an example.

The central idea of this story is:

A girl named Goldilocks enters a house in the woods, helps herself to porridge, and breaks furniture, not knowing the house belongs to three bears.

We don’t explore every individual event of the story or even dive into the themes. We briefly summarize the plot and hint that there will be consequences to Goldilocks’ actions. The central idea doesn’t give away “spoilers” by revealing what happens in the story’s climax when the bears come home.

People often confuse the central idea with a story’s theme. These two literary elements are closely related but distinct.

The central idea addresses the main ideas of the plot. The theme, on the other hand, is the unifying element or elements weaved into a story. A literary theme is a generic truth found in many stories. Themes often have a message for readers from the author.

Examples of literary themes include courage, friendship, revenge, and power.

Central ideas are not generic. They are specific to an individual story.

Let’s return to our example of Goldilocks and the Three Bears . The theme is the effect of selfishness on others. There’s a message or moral there too: Be considerate of other people.

You can see how these differ from the central idea statement, which dealt with the story’s main character and plot.

The theme and message all come from the central idea. You can’t have a cohesive story without the central idea as a starting point.

Imagine writing a story is like building a house. When you have a clear central idea for your story, you have laid the foundation. This foundation supports every other part of the story.

The floors and walls of your story are the external conflict, internal conflict, characters, plot elements, setting, and more. The theme is like the electrical system that runs throughout the entire building.

You can’t have a sturdy house without a solid foundation. Likewise, you can’t have a strong story without a clear central idea.

In the Goldilocks story, the plot events, characters, and theme all relate back to our central idea. Imagine if the theme of Goldilocks and the Three Bears was forbidden love overcoming all. That doesn’t fit the story at all! The fable would sound very strange.

Here are a few tips on the most effective ways to use central ideas in your writing.

Write a Strong Central Idea Statement

The stronger your foundation, the sturdier your house. The same goes with a central idea.

You can get the point across with a poorly written central idea statement. In fact, a poorly written central idea is a great starting point.

But spend some time honing your central idea. A well-written central idea will explore not just the main plotline but also touch on underlying themes.

Let’s improve our Goldilocks central idea statement:

A young girl suffers the consequences of her selfish actions after breaking and entering and destroying property in a home owned by three bears.

This central idea still tells us the gist of the story and introduces the main characters, while also touching on the theme of selfishness.

Match the Theme to the Story

Like we discussed above, throwing in a theme about forbidden love to the classic Goldilocks tale won’t fit the story. The themes of a story must be relevant to the central idea.

Most novels or other long-form work have more than one theme expressed in the story. Spend some time figuring out which themes fit your central idea. Then you can plan character arcs , conflicts, or other elements to help you explore that theme.

Start Big, Narrow Down

It’s difficult to sum up an entire story in one or two brief sentences. Start with a big overview then whittle it down to find your central idea.

You can start by writing a synopsis, which is a roughly two-page plot summary. Then try to narrow that down into a paragraph by focusing on the main events and key characters.

Writing a central idea statement from a paragraph is much easier. Keep it short: one or two sentences max.

As an added bonus, you can then use your central idea as your elevator pitch to quickly introduce people to your book.

Your book is likely more complicated than a fairy tale. Let’s look at some examples of central ideas in other works.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Two young, star-crossed lovers cause a deadly war between opposing families when they hastily marry.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

In the 1920s, Jay Gatsby has achieved great wealth through unsavory means in an attempt to impress the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan. Regardless, they are still divided by their differences in social status, rampant materialism, and Daisy’s abusive husband.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

A lonely miser named Ebenezer Scrooge is haunted by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future to confront his life choices and learn about love and compassion.

Finding the central idea of a story will help you understand how the plot and themes work together. Discovering your own story’s central idea will guide your writing process and help you develop a cohesive story.

Do you want to know how to build a world your readers won’t forget? Download this free book now:

World-Building 101: How to Construct an Unforgettable World for your Fantasy or Sci-Fi Story!

This guide is for all the writers out there who want to construct an unforgettable world that your readers can't help but get lost in, learn how to invent species, gods, monsters and more in our immersive guide..

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Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Krystal N. Craiker is the Writing Pirate, an indie romance author and blog manager at ProWritingAid. She sails the seven internet seas, breaking tropes and bending genres. She has a background in anthropology and education, which brings fresh perspectives to her romance novels. When she’s not daydreaming about her next book or article, you can find her cooking gourmet gluten-free cuisine, laughing at memes, and playing board games. Krystal lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, child, and basset hound.

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Module 5: Choosing and Researching a Topic

Finding the purpose and central idea of your speech, learning objectives.

• Identify the specific purpose of a speech.
• Explain how to formulate a central idea statement for a speech.

General Purpose

The general purpose of most speeches will fall into one of four categories: to inform , to persuade , to entertain , and to commemorate or celebrate . The first step of defining the purpose of your speech is to think about which category best describes your  overall  goal with the speech. What do you want your audience to think, feel, or do as a consequence of hearing you speak? Often, the general purpose of your speech will be defined by the speaking situation. If you’re asked to run a training session at work, your purpose isn’t to entertain but rather to inform. Likewise, if you are invited to introduce the winner of an award, you’re not trying to change the audience’s mind about something; you’re honoring the recipient of the award. In a public speaking class, your general purpose may be included in the assignment: for instance, “Give a persuasive speech about . . . .”  When you’re assigned a speech project, you should always make sure you know whether the general purpose is included in the assignment or whether you need to decide on the general purpose yourself.

Specific Purpose

Now that you know your general purpose (to inform, to persuade, or to entertain), you can start to move in the direction of the specific purpose. A specific purpose statement builds on your general purpose and makes it more specific (as the name suggests). So if your first speech is an informative speech, your general purpose will be to inform your audience  about a very specific realm of knowledge.

In writing your specific purpose statement, you will take three contributing elements and bring them together to help you determine your specific purpose :

• You (your interests, your background, experience, education, etc.)
• Your audience
• The context or setting

There are three elements that combine to create a specific purpose statements: your own interests and knowledge, the interests and needs of your audience, and the context or setting in which you will be speaking.

Keeping these three inputs in mind, you can begin to write a specific purpose statement, which will be the foundation for everything you say in the speech and a guide for what you do not say. This formula will help you in putting together your specific purpose statement:

To _______________ [ Specific Communication Word (inform, explain, demonstrate, describe, define, persuade, convince, prove, argue)] _______________ [ Target Audience (my classmates, the members of the Social Work Club, my coworkers] __________________. [ The Content (how to bake brownies, that Macs are better than PCs].

Example: The purpose of my presentation is to demonstrate to  my coworkers the value of informed intercultural communication .

Formulating a Central Idea Statement

While you will not actually say your specific purpose statement during your speech, you will need to clearly state what your focus and main points are going to be. The statement that reveals your main points is commonly known as the central idea statement (or just the central idea). Just as you would create a thesis statement for an essay or research paper, the central idea statement helps focus your presentation by defining your topic, purpose, direction, angle, and/or point of view. Here are two examples:

• Central Idea—When elderly persons lose their animal companions, they can experience serious psychological, emotional, and physical effects.
• Central Idea—Your computer keyboard needs regular cleaning to function well, and you can achieve that in four easy steps.

Please note that your central idea will emerge and evolve as you research and write your speech, so be open to where your research takes you and anticipate that formulating your central idea will be an ongoing process.

Below are four guidelines for writing a strong central idea.

• Your central idea should be one, full sentence.
• Your central idea should be a statement, not a question.
• Your central idea should be specific and use concrete language.
• Each element of your central idea should be related to the others.

Using the topic “Benefits of Yoga for College Students’ Stress,” here are some correct and incorrect ways to write a central idea.

A strong central idea shows that your speech is focused around a clear and concise topic and that you have a strong sense of what you want your audience to know and understand as a result of your speech. Again, it is unlikely that you will have a final central idea before you begin your research. Instead, it will come together as you research your topic and develop your main points.

• Purpose and Central Idea Statements. Provided by : eCampusOntario. Project : Communication for Business Professionals. License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• Finding the Purpose of Your Speech. Authored by : Susan Bagley-Koyle with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

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What is a Central Idea in Literature?

What is a central idea? A central idea (also called the main idea or main point) is the unifying component in a piece of literature. Central ideas are what we look for in paragraphs, chapters, or entire stories to uncover the point of the text. All writing should have a purpose. That’s what the central idea is! Almost all types of literature contain one or more central ideas. A central idea can often be put into one sentence. Sometimes we can recognize the central idea, just from the title or the first sentence of the text. Other times, it is not so simple.

Determining the central idea in a piece of writing is a basic reading skill. Finding and understanding the central idea is an essential skill that demonstrates that the child comprehends that text. This reading comprehension skill will benefit them not only in school. The ability to sift through a text and identify its central idea is as much a crucial life skill as a necessary literacy-based learning objective.  The central idea is usually emphasized by additional details which support the premise of the central idea. These are known as supporting ideas. check out our printable main idea graphic organizers that help students to organize the central idea into the main idea and two or three supporting details.

Difference from summary

The difference mostly comes down to length. Both a central idea and a summary filter out the unimportant details and leave the main point the author is trying to express. However, the central idea is more concise. It can sometimes fit into one sentence. A summary provides more details and takes several sentences or even a paragraph, depending on what is being summarized.

Difference from theme

A central idea must not be interchanged with a theme, as these are different concepts. A theme, found in a fictional text (novels, short stories, poetry), is the underlying message that goes beyond what the text is about. It is the moral or lesson learned through the characters in the text. Many students have difficulty distinguishing the difference between a central idea and a theme. One reason students have a hard time separating the two is that the length of a theme is also short.

Difference from topic and thesis sentences

Topic and thesis sentences should not be confused with the central idea.  It’s important to remember the differences between all three. A thesis statement will reveal what an entire essay is about. A topic sentence, on the other hand, is an indicator of what a specific paragraph is about.

Identifying

Sometimes the central idea is hard to miss. For example, the main idea of a newspaper article can be taken from the headline. Articles in academic journals include an abstract from which the reader can grab the central idea from.  In a shorter piece of literature, it’s often found at the beginning of a paragraph (in the introduction), or at the end (in the conclusion). In all of these examples, the central idea is more clearly stated.

When it’s not so explicit, we need to know what to look for. A main idea may be implied. This means we need to rely on details (facts, reasons, and examples) to uncover the central idea in literature.

There are specific questions to ask that can help pull out the main idea.

• Who – Does this passage discuss a person or group of people?
• When – Does the information reference a specific time?
• Where – Does the text name a certain place?
• Why – Is there a reason or explanation for something that happened?
• How – Does this information include a plan or a theory?

Additional strategies

Finding the central idea can be tricky for students, but luckily there are several ways to more easily identify it.

• Ask this simple question: “Who or what is this text about?”
• Focus on the first lines of the text or the last few lines. There’s a good chance the central idea lives in there. This is especially true if in a shorter text.
• Look for repeated ideas. Does the author keep going back to the same concept?
• When the child is ready to locate the central idea in a paragraph, have them cross out the sentences that are not as important.
• Have the child summarize the reading in their own words.

Start small 

• Have your child find the central idea in a sentence, before moving on to bigger texts.  This will help them gain confidence in the skill. Eventually, they will be able to locate the central idea in a full-length book.
• Use pictures first – You could start even smaller and wait to use text. Start with pictures instead. Show your child a simple picture of something common like an apple. Ask them, “what’s the main idea of this picture?” or “what is this picture about?”. Explain to them that “apple” is the central idea of the picture. After mastering simple pictures, show them a more complex picture.

25 Central Ideas Examples (In Literature and Film)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

A central idea in literature, commonly referred to as the main idea or theme, is the dominant concept that the author wishes to communicate to readers through the written work (Bertens, 2017; Kusch, 2016).

This is not to be confused with a story’s plot, which includes the sequence of events within a narrative. 

The central idea offers a deeper understanding beyond the explicit narrative. Essentially, it’s the source from which all events, characters, and elements of the story spring.

For example, in George Orwell’s 1984, the central idea explores the adverse effects of totalitarian regimes and the dangers of absolute power. 

Airy conjectures aside, let’s simplify things: the central idea is the author’s ‘why’. It is the reason the author decided to write this particular story with these particular characters and events (Grodal, 2011; Hébert, 2022).

For instance, Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” addresses racial injustice and moral development, serving as the book’s central idea. 

Central Ideas Examples

1. love conquers all.

Love is depicted as a prevailing force, capable of overcoming dire circumstances and challenges.

In many narratives, it serves as a beacon of hope during tumultuous times. Characters involved in such narratives often face seemingly insurmountable odds, but love provides strength and resolution.

Thus, this theme emphasizes the transcendental and invincible power of love. The message is that love is ultimately victorious, even in the face of adversity.

Real-Life Example “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen (1813) is a prime literary example. All through the various obstacles the protagonist couple Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy face, their love for each other overcomes the societal pressures and personal misunderstandings.

2. The Power of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is depicted as a powerful tool that facilitates healing and peace in many narrative works.

It allows both the offender and the person wronged to reconcile and overcome past animosities or conflicts. In literature, characters who embrace forgiveness often report personal growth, understanding, and peace.

Consequently, the theme upholds the message that forgiveness can transform despair into hope, and hostility into understanding. It indicates that the act of forgiving elevates the forgiver from torment to tranquility.

Real-Life Example A clear illustration of this principle is found in Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner” (2003). The protagonist, Amir seeks redemption for his past mistakes, and ultimately, his journey towards forgiveness provides him a route to make things right and gain inner peace.

3. The Search for Identity

The quest for identity is a common narrative in literary works. It captures the struggles and triumphs associated with characters’ journeys to recognize and embrace their unique identities.

In many stories, this process involves self-exploration, acceptance, and wrestling with personal demons.

The overall message often indicates that finding one’s identity takes courage and resilience, and brings about self-actualization.

It presents identity as a critical element in achieving personal fulfillment and clarity.

Real-Life Example J.D. Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye” (1951) precisely highlights this theme. The narrative follows the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery, attempting to find his place in a world laden with societal expectations. 

4. The Destructive Nature of Greed

This central theme emphasizes the detrimental consequences of unrestrained greed.

It cautions about the lure of unrestricted power, wealth, or fame, suggesting that it can lead to personal downfall and chaos.

Often, characters in literature who let greed control their actions meet disastrous endings. The central idea is that excessive greed undermines moral principles and can sever important relationships.

By threading such narratives, literature warns readers of the destructive nature of unchecked desires.

Real-Life Example This is elegantly explored in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” (1925). Jay Gatsby’s insatiable desire for wealth and status leads him down a destructive path, revealing the detrimental effects of greed.

5. The Importance of Individuality

This theme underscores the significance of expressing one’s unique qualities in all facets of life.

The narratives adhering to this theme often provoke characters to challenge societal norms or question conformity.

Stories highlight that being true to oneself may not always be easy, yet it remains integral to achieving true success and happiness. They argue that compromising individuality for acceptance often results in dissatisfaction.

Promoting authenticity , this central idea celebrates the value of being oneself and not a mere reflection of societal expectations.

Real-Life Example This theme drives the plot of “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky (1999). The main character, Charlie, struggles with his identity but eventually realizes the importance of embracing his individuality, demonstrating the empowering nature of self-authentication.

6. The Consequences of Unchecked Ambition

Literature often explores the disastrous results of uncontrolled ambition, cautioning readers about its inherent dangers.

This theme reveals how blind ambition can lead to tragic consequences as characters compromise their ethics for selfish pursuits.

It signifies that unchecked ambition can obliterate personal relationships, corrupt moral integrity, and eventually lead to downfall. It suggests a need for a balanced approach, where ambition doesn’t supersede ethics and relationships.

Real-Life Example William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” (1606) is an iconic text that portrays this theme. Macbeth’s insatiable ambition for power fuels a chain of violence and tragedy, illustrating the destructive potential of unchecked ambition.

7. The Struggle Between Good and Evil

This timeless theme represents the moral conflict that resides in us all. Characters are often torn between their noble intentions and their baser instincts.

The struggle represents the perpetual fight between virtues (like honesty, kindness) and vices (like deceit, cruelty).

The battle illuminates the inherently dualistic nature of humankind. This theme encourages readers to skew their choices towards goodness, stating that the triumph of good over evil may demand patience and perseverance.

Real-Life Example The “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling (1997-2007) outlines this theme in its entirety. Harry’s constant conflict against Voldemort’s evil encapsulates the quintessential battle between good and evil.

8. The Impact of War on Humanity

The harsh realities and grotesque implications of war often form the backbone of this central theme.

Characters in war-centric narratives confront death, distress, and destruction, which in turn shape their personalities and life choices. The exposed cruelties compel us to empathize with the victims and question the necessity of violence.

The theme aims to display the brutal, dehumanizing, and destructive effects of war on individuals and societies. It reiterates that peace and understanding should be the preferable path, demonstrating the profound impact war inflicts on the human spirit.

Real Life Example “A Farewell to Arms” (1929) by Ernest Hemingway profoundly captures this theme. Hemingway starkly portrays the grim realities of World War I, underscoring the devastating effects of war on individuals and society.

9. The Resilience of the Human Spirit

Such narratives often thrust characters into adverse situations, pushing them to exemplify remarkable endurance and determination.

It emphasizes the human capacity to survive and thrive in unfavorable circumstances, demonstrating immense inner strength. Characters evolve with their circumstances, embodying the will to persevere despite harsh conditions.

The key message is that the human spirit is essentially invincible and can triumph over adversities. It celebrates the indomitable, resilient nature of humans, which enables them to overcome hardships.

Real Life Example This element is powerfully embedded within “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel (2001). Pi Patel’s, the protagonist’s, survival journey amidst the vast, treacherous Pacific Ocean manifests the resilience of the human spirit.

10. The Danger of Ignorance and Blind Faith

This theme seeks to highlight the detrimental impact of ignorance and mindless adherence to faith or beliefs.

Characters who exhibit such traits often find themselves in precarious situations or make uninformed decisions, leading to disastrous consequences. It informs us that blind faith without critical reasoning can impede personal growth and societal progress.

The theme promotes the significance of awareness, understanding, and informed decision-making in life. It encourages skepticism and critical thinking over naive acceptance.

Real-Life Example “The Crucible” (1953) by Arthur Miller epitomizes this theme. By presenting the horrors of the Salem Witch Trials, Miller critiques the dangers of hysteria, ignorance, and blind faith.

11. The Quest for Justice and Equality

This central idea spotlights the enduring struggle for justice and equality in society.

Replete with characters who fight against inequality and oppression, such narratives often depict the journey towards social justice amidst systemic hurdles. The quest indicates a fight against disparities, encouraging transformation and growth.

The central message often upholds justice and equality as fundamental human rights, worth any sacrifice. It urges readers to question, challenge and change unjust systems.

Real Life Example A classic representation is “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee (1960). The protagonist, Atticus Finch, takes a stand against racial discrimination, exhibiting a relentless pursuit of justice and equality.

12. The Fleeting Nature of Happiness

Literature often explores the impermanent nature of happiness, illustrating its fleeting and subjective aspects.

This theme indicates that joy is transient, potentially affected by varying inner and outer circumstances. It emphasizes the need for appreciation of momentary contentment, easing us into acceptance of life’s inevitable ups and downs.

Characters’ experiences communicate that genuine contentment often stems from personal fulfillment, peace, and love, rather than exterior achievements.

Real Life Example The novel, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925) illustrates this theme. Despite his wealth and apparent success, Gatsby’s happiness remains elusive and short-lived, signifying the fleeting nature of joy.

13. The Significance of Self-Discovery

Self-discovery forms a recurrent motif in literature, echoing the significance of understanding oneself.

Characters in such narratives embark on journeys towards self-recognition, overcoming personal barriers. Their voyage paves the way for growth, acceptance, and realization of potential.

The theme applauds the pursuit of self-knowledge and promotes personal introspection. It asserts that self-discovery is the key to leading an authentic, fulfilling life.

Real Life Example The theme of self-discovery is vivid in “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho (1988). The protagonist, Santiago’s journey towards self-discovery is symbolic of the universal human quest for understanding oneself and realizing dreams.

14. The Corruption of Power

This theme unfolds the destructive consequences when power is misused or unchecked.

It features characters who become morally debased or dictatorial due to their possession of power.

This central idea often cautions that power without ethical control or responsibility can give rise to cruelty, corruption, and social harm. It emphasizes that power should be balanced with morality and conscience to prevent its potential misuse. 

Real-Life Example A salient example is George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” (1945), where the pigs’ rise to power transforms them into oppressive rulers, mirroring the corruption of power.

15. The Transformative Power of Art and Literature

This central theme accentuates art and literature’s capacity to stir emotions, alter perspectives, and influence society.

Characters in such tales often find solace, inspiration, or catharsis through artistic expression or literary engagement.

Through this thematic exploration, readers are invited to recognize the power of art and literature in triggering personal and social changes. This theme reaffirms art and literature’s crucial role in cultural enrichment and human development.

Real-Life Example “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak (2005) beautifully exhibits this theme. The protagonist, Liesel’s fascination with books not only provides her solace but fosters her understanding of her war-torn world.

16. The Conflict Between Tradition and Progress

This theme involves characters grappling with the tension between upholding traditional values and embracing progressive changes.

It underscores societal conflicts arising due to transformative shifts and the need for adaptation.

It suggests that blind adherence to traditions may resist progress while dismissing tradition entirely might lead to loss of cultural identity. Hence, the need for a balanced approach to progress and tradition is critical.

Real-Life Example The struggle between tradition and progress is profound in “Fiddler on the Roof” by Joseph Stein (1964). The story revolves around Tevye’s attempt to maintain his Jewish traditions amid influxes of societal and familial changes.

17. The Strength of Familial Bonds

Family relationships are recurrently depicted as a source of strength and comfort.

Characters derive support, love, and encouragement from their family ties during their life journey.

This theme underscores the resilience and unparalleled strength of familial bonds in the face of adversity. It stresses that family solidarity can serve as a steadfast source of solace, endurance, and love.

Real Life Example “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott (1868) emphasizes this theme, showcasing the invincible bond among the March sisters despite their varying personalities and challenging circumstances.

Additional Central Themes

• The exploration of morality and ethics.
• The pursuit of knowledge and truth.
• The consequences of societal pressure and expectations.
• The consequences of colonialism and imperialism.
• The power and struggle for the American dream .
• The fragility of human existence.
• The importance of empathy and compassion.
• The struggle against oppression.
• The nature of sacrifice and selflessness.

Read Also: What are the 8 Elements of Story?

The identification of a text’s central idea is crucial in literature studies as it allows an understanding of the text beyond surface-level reading. Identifying the central idea requires you to draw inferences based on information that the author has implicitly provided. For example, one might derive the central idea of “The Hunger Games” (Collins, 2008) as a critique of reality television’s voyeuristic and exploitative nature. 

Every good piece of literature has a central idea that is masterfully woven into its fabric. Through careful examination of the text and understanding of literary devices, you too can extract these central ideas and deepen your appreciation for the written word (Smith, 2015).

Bertens, H. (2017). Literary theory: The basics . London: Routledge.

Grodal, T. (2011). Evolution, Literature and Film: A Reader. Projections , 5 (2), 122.

Hébert, L. (2022). Introduction to Literary Analysis: A Complete Methodology . New York: Taylor & Francis.

Kusch, C. (2016). Literary analysis: The basics . London: Routledge.

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This was very helpful for me as a student because I needed to find central ideas for a book, and since I couldn’t think of any, this website helped me find three of them. Thank you!

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Read Like This: Central Ideas and Supporting Details in Texts

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A variety of strategies and text features can help improve informational text reading skills.

The central idea is the big idea or the most important message that the author is trying to convey. It is the unifying element of a story, which ties together all of the other elements of fiction used by the author to tell the story. Determining the central idea will help you to understand and analyze what you are reading. The overall central idea of a text emerges through smaller central ideas and supporting key details that are conveyed through the development of the text.

Once you have determined the overall central idea, you can use it to develop a summary, which includes smaller central ideas and supporting key details. Summarizing a text helps to communicate the most important ideas in a clear and concise manner.

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After you have written your summary, be sure that you can answer yes to each of the following questions. If you can, you have written a good summary:

• Does it state the overall central idea for the text?
• Does it include the most important central ideas from the different sections in the text?
• Do all of the central ideas included in the summary support the overall central idea?
• Does it include the most important key details that support one or more of the central ideas?
• Does it contain only information from the text?
• Are all the sentences written in your own words?
• Go to page 1
• Go to page 2
• Go to page 3
• Go to page 4
• Go to page 5
• Go to page 6
• Go to page 7

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Supporting Details

Information in a story that explains, defines, supports or helps one to identify the main idea and determine the theme of a text.

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Stream of consciousness

A literary technique that presents the thoughts and feelings of a character as they occur.

What Is a Central Idea (Definition & Examples)

The central idea is the essential and unifying element in writing.

It captures the essence of the piece. Unlike the theme, there’s a central idea to both fiction and non-fiction texts.

What Is a Central Idea (Definition)?

The central idea communicates the general truth of the article. It’s often understood as the main point or the keypoint.

What Are Its Main Characteristics?

• Unifying element of the text;
• The dominant impression one gets after reading;
• The main idea of the writing;
• Can be written in one sentence;
• Different from theme;
• Often found in the first sentence of the article;

Difference Between Central Idea and Theme

A central idea should serve a specific purpose in the text and shall not apply everywhere like a universal theme.

Take this children’s  short story , for example:

It was an incredibly hot day, and a lion was feeling very hungry. He came out of his den and searched here and there. He could find only a small hare. He caught the hare with some hesitation.

“This hare can’t fill my stomach” thought the lion. As the lion was about to kill the hare, a deer ran that way. The lion became greedy.

He thought “Instead of eating this small hare, let me eat the big deer.” He let the hare go and went behind the deer. But the deer had vanished into the forest.

The lion now felt sorry for letting the hare off.

It was an incredibly hot day, and a lion was feeling very hungry. He came out of his den and searched here and there. He could find only a small hare. He caught the hare with some hesitation. “This hare can’t fill my stomach” thought the lion. As the lion was about to kill the hare, a deer ran that way. The lion became greedy. He thought “Instead of eating this small hare, let me eat the big deer.” He let the hare go and went behind the deer. But the deer had vanished into the forest. The lion now felt sorry for letting the hare off.

In this story, you can say the theme is greed (general theme), but you may write the central idea in one sentence as, “Lion lets go of prey in hand to catch the bigger prey, loses both.”

However, you can’t write a central idea as a generic truth found in the story. For example, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”

• Themes are often instructional; central ideas are the specific purpose statement;
• A theme can be applied to fictional texts; a central idea statement can be applied to non-fictional texts as well;
• Themes help students understand the moral of a story; the central idea has the general purpose of unifying a text;
• Theme can be found after reading the entire book; the central idea can be found in the first sentence of an article;
• Themes can be applied outside of the story; central idea is text-specific;

Four-Step Process to Identify Central Idea

You can generally find a central idea in the topic sentence and the concluding sentences of an article.

Here’s a four-step process to identify the central idea:

1. Looking for the primary text aspects

The central idea most often will be found in the main heading of an article. However, every section or paragraph of a text can have its central idea. You can unify these main ideas from each division into one main point or the  meta  central idea.

However, you should be cautious not to confuse it with supporting details. An example of supporting details is analogies, quotes, or other contextual information.

2. Analyze the content structure

Look for contrasting elements, chronological order, the framework of scenes and events, problems, and solutions.

Understanding the content structure and asking questions along these topics will usually reveal the central idea.

Once the article’s main subject is determined, ask what the writer has tried to convey about the text. The answer is the central idea.

3. Overlooking supporting details

Elements specific to the text should be omitted to emphasize the central idea. These are not part of the larger picture the text wants to demonstrate and are unnecessary to understand a central idea.

Although these details help the reader perceive the main idea, they are not essential to identifying the central idea.

4. Finding thesis statement

If you’re still unable to figure out the central idea, you can generally find it in the concluding passages of the text. More or less, every closing paragraph has a clear, concise thesis statement.

However, not all pieces have a thesis statement. In such cases, you must deduce the central idea by reading the text several times.

Sometimes, seeking outside help can also be beneficial; for instance, when students decide to pay for an essay , they often receive a model paper that demonstrates how to identify and articulate the central idea.

Two Examples of Well-Written Central Ideas

Here are examples of well-written central ideas:

• The story’s central idea is how a young girl goes through immense struggle and sacrifice to build a successful career for herself. (connects all dots of the story)
• The central idea of this text is how women are systematically discriminated against in workforces, which are essentially men-centric. (summarizes women’s struggle in the workforce)

Two Examples of Badly-Written Central Ideas

• The central idea of the story is friendship. (incomplete statement)
• Don’t judge a book by its cover. (avoid using cliches, proverbs, idioms)

How to Use Central Idea as a Tool to Explain the Big Picture Concept to the Reader

Here’s the  formula for finding a central idea : [subject] + [writer’s idea about it].

An easy way to find out the central idea statement is to determine the subject and then add to it what the author has said about this subject.

Every writer has a perspective in mind while writing a text, a stance they want to take, a feeling they want to convey.

All of these components that make up the content combine to produce concentrated ideas. If you’re an author and are wondering how to make a point of conveying a successful central idea, here are some.

Tips for Using the Central Idea in Your Story

• Use proper chronology while writing about historical events;
• Break the text into paragraphs and let each paragraph have its point;
• Have a broader idea in mind;
• Don’t use the same concept in supporting paragraphs;
• Try having a clear, concise thesis statement;
• Remember to be brief for the reader to grasp the big picture concept;
• Have a title, headings, and subheadings;
• Align the title with the subject of the piece;
• Identify and explain complex parts in a way that supports your main idea;
• Summarize the ideas in the concluding paragraph;
• Make sure every part of the story converges into your central idea;

If the central idea were to have a tagline, it would say: “Unity of point, idea, and action!”

Tomas Laurinavicius

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Reading Skills

Finding the central idea.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: December 27, 2023

What We Review

Introduction

Understanding the central idea in reading is an essential skill for comprehending both literary and informational texts. Think of it as the heart of what the author wants to tell us. It’s not just the subject of the text but the key message or argument the author is presenting.

In articles or speeches, you might find this main idea in the first few sentences. But when it comes to novels or stories, it’s a bit like a puzzle. You’ll need to connect the dots throughout and sometimes even after you’ve finished reading to really grasp it.

In this blog post, we’re going to explore some great ways to identify this central idea, and we’ll try out some activities to practice this skill. Are you ready to get started? Let’s jump right in!

Defining Central Idea

The central idea of a text is not quite the same as the topic or theme. But that does not mean that both things are not important! In fact, being familiar with both the topic and theme is a stepping stone to grasping the central idea.

For example, take Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice . One of the initial topics is Antonio’s venture trading. Another possible topic is Antonio’s melancholy, but more is needed to understand the play’s central idea. As the play continues, the theme of Antisemitism is apparent in Antonio’s treatment of Shylock, the Jewish money-lender. However, there are so many other themes present! Love, deception, and marriage also feature – the theme alone does not accurately represent the central idea. 

Looking at the play as a whole allows us to understand Shakespeare’s broader message about the human experience. For instance, a possible central idea in The Merchant of Venice is how it exposes the hypocrisy in both Christian and Jewish communities, showing how neither is morally superior despite their claims.

Additionally, a text can have several messages or central ideas expressed throughout the text, and Shakespeare is no exception to this.

The play suggests that these concepts are intertwined. In the climax, when Portia, disguised as a lawyer, serves justice to Shylock, it’s more than he bargained for. Meanwhile, Antonio, who was at risk of death, receives mercy. This twist of events highlights that mercy can sometimes be a form of justice, and vice versa, as seen when Antonio shows mercy to Shylock through his daughter, Jessica.

Strategies for Identifying the Central Idea

To find the central idea in a text, it’s essential to practice close reading , which means reading the text multiple times, each time with a different focus. Here’s how it works:

• Preview the Text: Start by quickly going through the text to get a general idea of what it’s about. Look at things like headings, opening sentences, or any images or graphs.
• First Reading – Basic Understanding: Now, read the text more thoroughly to understand what it’s saying. This is where you get a grip on the main topics and the basic storyline or arguments.
• Second Reading – Deeper Understanding: Read the text again, but this time, pay attention to the key ideas and details. Think about how different parts of the text connect to each other.
• Third Reading – Author’s Purpose and Perspective: In this reading, try to understand why the author wrote the text and their viewpoint. What are they trying to tell us? Why do they think this topic is important?
• Identifying the Central Idea: After these readings, use everything you’ve gathered to figure out the central idea. This is where you put together the main messages from the text and understand what the author wants to say about life or the human experience.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to dive deep into a text and really understand not just what it’s about but what message the author is trying to convey.

Drawing Conclusions about the Central Idea

To accurately understand the central idea of a text, it’s important to analyze key elements systematically. Here’s a step-by-step approach:

• Understand the Plot: Make sure you have a clear grasp of the story’s events. What happens and in what order?
• Review the Characters: Focus on the characters, especially those who undergo significant changes. How and why do they change throughout the story?
• Analyze Character Motivations and Actions: Consider what drives these characters. How do their motivations and actions highlight the main themes or key ideas in the text?
• Link Themes to Character Development: Connect the dots between what motivates the characters and the broader themes of the story. This will help you form a clearer picture of the central idea.

For example, The Merchant of Venice characterizes Shylock as a greedy, vengeful money-lender bent on punishing Antonio for mistreating him. He maintains this character until he receives his verdict from Portia, which condemns him, instead of his enemy, for plotting to murder another Venetian. This verdict changes him into a sorrowful, broken man.

Shylock’s actions reveal that the theme of justice, in Shylock’s eyes, is merely vengeance. When Portia enters the scene, however, she brings with her the notion of the coexistence of justice and mercy. The final events of the play reveal the error of Shylock’s vengeance and how Shakespeare believed justice should be delivered alongside mercy. 

Classroom Application

There are many things you can do to identify the central ideas in a text. Here are some tips to help you uncover the central idea in any text you’re reading:

• Keep an Eye on the Characters: Pay attention to what the characters in the story are doing and why they’re doing it. As you read, jot down notes about their actions and motives. This will help you understand them better.
• Back Up Your Ideas with Evidence: When you have a thought about a character or something that’s happening in the story, don’t just keep it in your head. Find a sentence or a scene in the book that supports your idea . This is like detective work – you’re finding clues to solve the mystery of the story’s main message.
• Look for Themes: Themes are the big ideas in a story, like friendship, courage, or justice. Sometimes your teacher might give you a heads-up about what themes to look for. Keep track of parts of the story that show these themes. This is like collecting puzzle pieces to see the whole picture.
• Put It All Together: Now for the cool part – take everything you’ve learned about the characters, their actions, and the themes, and mix it all together. This is where you start to see the bigger message the author is trying to tell us. It’s a bit like being a chef, combining ingredients to make an awesome dish.

Remember, figuring out the central idea isn’t just about spotting details – it’s about connecting them to form a bigger picture. And just like any skill, it gets easier and more fun the more you do it. So, dive into your next book and see what you can discover!

Practice Makes Perfect

In addition to the recommended activities above, Albert provides a wide range of texts for students to analyze and interpret. For emerging readers, check out our Short Readings course, which uses short passages to reinforce fundamental reading skills. Readers at all ability levels may enjoy our Leveled Readings course. It offers Lexile® leveled passages focused on a unifying essential question. This allows students to stay on the same page regardless of reading level. Learn more about the Lexile Framework here !

For authentic practice, check out our Essential Readings in Literature course. This course provides an overview of the core texts that American students often read in English class. We break each text down by skill, ensuring that students approach their reading from every angle.

With our easy-to-use interface and informative feedback, Albert.io is the perfect tool for reinforcing close reading skills and helping students develop a deeper understanding of the texts they encounter.

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12 Structure and Format: Outlining the Speech

Rebecca Collier, M.B.A.

Learning Objectives

• Determine the general and specific purpose of a presentation.
• Create a captivating speech introduction, body and conclusion.
• Support ideas and arguments through cited research.
• Differentiate between preparation outlines and presentation notes.

Just like a building has structure and an overall plan to guide people through the space in a logical way, you will need an outline for your speech to provide a framework for your ideas and to help your audience see how these ideas connect to create your overall message. Additionally, similar to the way people have expectations for what they will experience when walking into a building, your audience will have some expectations about how your speech will unfold. When these expectations are not met, such as the example earlier, when you entered the door expecting to see the receptionist and were instead met with a toilet, your audience may find it jarring or uncomfortable if your speech does not have a recognizable introduction or conclusion, or if you abruptly jump from subtopic to subtopic without notice. In this chapter, we’ll look at how to create an outline to guide your audience through your points in an organized format for a well-structured speech. In a professional setting, most speakers outline their speeches far enough in advance of their presentation date so that they have time to practice their performance and become comfortable with the material. Creating an outline will help you feel confident during your speech, because you took the time to carefully plan out what you desired to say. This leaves you free to focus on your delivery – how you say it – during your speech. This chapter will walk you through all the different parts of a speech outline, and show you how a formal outline can be translated into less cumbersome speaking notes.

The Speech Topic

One of the hardest parts of the speech assignment for students is choosing a topic with which to work with. Oftentimes, as soon as you begin drafting an outline for a chosen topic, other topics will start to look more and more appealing, and you will want to change to a new topic. Resist this impulse, if you can! Many speech students have lost points on late assignments because they kept changing their mind about what to speak about. Once you begin working with a topic (approved by your instructor, when applicable), commit to it. Your instructor can help you navigate through the challenges of a topic with which that you are struggling with. Remember, your research and your speech delivery can make almost any topic engaging for the audience.

The Speech Purpose

Before you begin preparing your speech, your instructor will let you know what kind of speech you are working on. Is it a speech intended to inform your audience? Is it a speech where you will be persuading the audience? Or, is the speech designed for entertainment purposes? You will need to know what kind of speech you are giving before you do any other work on this assignment. To make sure that you are aware of the overall goal of the speech, your instructor may ask you to include the general purpose on your outline. There are three basic general purposes that apply to speech presentations: To inform, to persuade, and to entertain. An informative speech requires you to give a neutral, unbiased perspective to the audience, while a persuasive speech attempts to change an audience’s beliefs, feelings, or actions. An entertainment speech is used to celebrate or commemorate something or as part of a ceremony.

In addition to the general purpose, each speech will also have a corresponding specific purpose. The specific purpose identifies what you would like to leave the audience with after your speech. For example, a specific purpose for an i nformative speech about the pyramids of Giza, Egypt might read:  To inform my audience about when and how the pyramids of Giza were built and what they look like today . A specific purpose for a persuasive speech about organ donation might read:  To persuade my audience to register as organ donors.

Some professors might prefer that you submit a purpose statement in lieu of a specific purpose. The purpose statement identifies your goal for the audience. Using the example informative speech topic above on the pyramids of Giza, Egypt, your purpose statement might read:  At the end of my speech, my audience will know when and how the pyramids of Giza were built and what they look like today.   The organ donation speech might have the following purpose statement:  At the end of my speech, my audience members will register as organ donors .

The Central Idea

Once you know your topic and your purpose, it’s time to brainstorm the key message of your speech. This message is known as the central idea, and it serves as a thesis for your presentation. Your instructor may ask you to include a central idea on your outline. Creating a central idea is good practice, because it shows that you can state the main ideas of the speech in one sentence. A central idea elaborates on the speech purpose. For a persuasive speech, the central idea includes what we’re persuading the audience about, and why our viewpoint is correct. For example:

Everyone should register as an organ donor because it’s easy to do, and it could save or drastically improve someone’s life at no cost to the donor. 

For an informative speech, the central idea is a summary thesis, and it gives the main ideas of the speech in one strong statement. For example:

The pyramids of Giza, Egypt, were built by hand over six thousand years ago, and their outer structures and inner chambers are mostly intact today.

A strong central idea should have the following characteristics:

• It should be a complete sentence.
• It can’t be a question.
• It should encapsulate each main idea.

The Speech Introduction

Although your instructor may ask you to include the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, and central idea on your speech outline, you actually won’t share these with your audience as part of your speech. Instead, your presentation to the class should begin with your introduction. The introduction and the conclusion are the most important parts of your speech, because they are the parts that your audience is most likely to remember. Thus, the structure and development of these two parts is crucial to the success of your speech. Your speech introduction should include the following five parts:

• Attention-getter

Introduce yourself and your topic

Relate the topic to your audience

• Statement of credibility/interest
• Summary of your main ideas. 

Attention-Getter

The first–and most important–thing you can do in a speech introduction is to captivate your audience and interest them in your speech topic. It is much easier to keep someone’s attention than to fight to regain it, so the attention-getter is the first part of your speech that your audience will hear.

There are lots of ways you can help your topic appeal to your listeners. One classic example is to tell a short story. This can either be a personal story, or you can recount a story you heard or read somewhere that leads into your topic. A story can help personalize your topic for the audience and bring in a human connection.

Another way to draw attention to your topic is to startle your audience with a shocking statistic or example that they won’t be expecting. Be careful with this technique. If the audience is already familiar with your “shocking” material, your attention-getter could backfire, and you may end up losing the attention of your audience instead of gaining it.

Many students like to begin their speeches by asking a series of rhetorical questions. This requires the audience to think about the speech topic and make personal applications. If you start your speech in this way, make sure that you ask a few questions. One is rarely enough to generate interest in the topic. Also, the questions should make the audience ponder something. Suppose I began my speech with, “How many of you like lemons? Well, today I’m going to inform you about Miracle Berries.” Did that get your attention? Not likely. Are you excited to hear more about my topic? It’s doubtful. Let’s try that again. “By show of hands, who here likes drinking lemonade? Okay, now who likes having a slice or two of lemons in their drinking water? Now, how many of you would enjoy snacking on slices of lemon – no sugar added? Well, what if I told you there was a way to make lemons taste intensely sweet, without adding any sugar? Today, I’m going to tell you about Miracle Berries…” When using questions as an attention getter, you might consider incorporating a silent survey. This is where you have your audience answer your questions in a physical way, such as by raising a hand. If students answer your questions vocally, the attention-getter will likely go on for far too long. A silent survey keeps the entire audience involved, without letting the audience take over your speech.

Additionally, you could begin with a powerful quote that ties into your topic. Make sure that you tell the audience where the quote comes from. If the source of the quote is someone that your audience is not likely to be familiar with, you may need to contextualize the source and explain why the words of this person are relevant. For example, if I began my speech with this quote, “Taxes are the price we pay for civilized society,” as said by Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior. Who is this person? Nobody knows, so nobody cares. I should contextualize this source, by saying something like, “According to US Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior…“ Now my audience will understand why the person who spoke these words is relevant.

You might also try to get the audience’s attention by making them curious about your topic. Give them some clues, and see if they can guess what your topic will be from these clues. Be sure to take a moment and celebrate with them when they finally guess correctly!

Finally, you can begin your speech with some audience participation . Just make sure this is carefully planned and not too complicated. You don’t want the attention-getter to take up all the allotted time for your speech. One student began her informative presentation by having everyone write down five numbers, between zero and nine, in any order, with no repeats. She then held a mini lottery for the class by randomly drawing numbers from a hat and giving a small prize to the student who’s written-down numbers were the closest to the drawn ones. This was an exciting way to begin a speech on the New York State lottery.

The attention-getter of the speech is arguably the most important part of the presentation. If you don’t capture the audience’s attention, they are less likely to take in the rest of your speech. Thus, it is worthwhile to spend some time developing an engaging attention-getter that you are comfortable delivering.

Now that your audience is focused and interested in what you have to say, you should share with them who you are, and what you will be speaking to them about. This is especially important if you have used a detailed or complex attention-getter, where it may be necessary to clarify your actual topic for the audience.

Statement of Credibility/Interest

Once you have piqued the interest of your audience, and they know who you are and what you’ll be speaking about, it’s time to gain their trust. What makes you a credible speaker on this topic? Share with the audience why you chose this particular subject, and any personal experience you have with it. For example, if I were giving an informative speech on lacrosse: “I was first exposed to lacrosse in middle school, and I went on to play the sport for all four years of high school. Our team was very successful, and we won several championships.”

However, you might give a speech on a topic with which you have had no direct experience. Never fear! You can also tell the audience about the kinds of research you have done to prepare yourself to speak on this subject. For example: “Although I’ve never actually played lacrosse, I’ve always been curious about it. I began preparing for this speech by watching videos online to understand how the sport is played, and I found some great articles to help me understand its history and development.”

Sharing your interest in this topic, along with your experience with it, or an explanation of your research process will show the audience that you are a credible speaker on this topic and someone worth listening to.

The next step is to help the audience see how they can relate to the topic you have chosen. Be creative! This can be a challenging step, and it requires some critical thinking. Suppose you are giving a speech where you are persuading your audience that college students shouldn’t have to buy textbooks for their classes. Well, this is an easy one, because almost everyone in your audience will be a college student, and most people like to save money. Now, imagine that you are giving a speech to inform your audience about conjoined twins. It is unlikely that you will have many pairs of conjoined twins in your audience, so how can you make this topic relatable? You might start with the idea that many audience members may want to have children (or more children) someday, or they may know people who plan to have children. It’s important to be informed about a condition that could affect these future children. Also, you could take the angle that we live in a complex world, and we have to deal with lots of different kinds of people. Understanding more about the conditions of people different from ourselves can help us develop empathy. Almost any topic can relate to your audience, but some will take more work than others.

Preview your main ideas

For the final part of the speech introduction, you’ll give your audience a summary of what you’ll specifically be talking about in this speech. This is different from introducing yourself and your topic. There, you might tell the audience that you’ll be informing them about the axolotl. In the preview, you’ll let them know that this speech will describe the physical appearance of the axolotl, where it lives, and how it regenerates different parts of its body. The preview is given at the end of the introduction to help the audience pace the speech. For the example above, when you come to the part about the axolotl regenerating, the audience will know that the speech is almost done. It also helps your audience to know what they should be focusing on during your speech, and what the takeaway will be.

The speech introduction is the foundation of your presentation, and it’s important to ensure that this foundation is sturdy. If the foundation of a building is unstable, the building may crumble and fall apart. Similarly, the speech introduction prepares the audience for the body of the speech. If the introduction is underdeveloped, the rest of the speech will be weakened by association. It is worth taking some extra time to make sure your speech introduction covers each of the five steps.

Transitioning from Point to Point

Suppose you were driving a car down the highway, and the driver in front of you kept switching lanes abruptly without using a turn signal. Wouldn’t that be frustrating? Well, when a speaker doesn’t use transitions, it creates a similarly jarring experience for the audience. Using a transition phrase prepares the audience for a new topic and helps your speech flow logically from point to point. Transitions in a speech are a little bit different from transitions used in written work. When you are writing an essay, you can use a word such as “also” or “however” to move on to your next point. Yet, in a speech, you need to be more specific. The audience needs a clear signal that you are about to begin a new point. In order to transition to your first main point, you might say: “Let’s begin by,” “I’d like to start with,” “First of all, ” “To commence,” etc. For additional main ideas, you could transition with “Moving on,” “My next point will be,” “Now that we’ve looked at__________, I’ll tell you about ________,” etc. Transitions are especially helpful in separating out your main ideas for your audience so that the body of the speech has distinct sections.

The Main Ideas

The main ideas are the major subtopics of your speech. Once you know your speech topic, the next step is to decide on your main ideas. You can’t create a central idea or a speech introduction without them. The main ideas are the topic sentences of your speech. As a general rule, you should have at least two main ideas. If you only have one main idea, your speech has nowhere to go, and it may feel repetitive for the audience. That being said, you generally shouldn’t have more than five main ideas in your speech. Once you get past the fifth main idea, the audience may have trouble remembering the first one! It’s often a good idea to plan on having three main ideas for your speech. Think about how often the number three comes up in life: three strikes in baseball, three wishes, first/, second/, and third place, etc. In writing, this is known as the “Rule of Three.” How many bears does Goldilocks encounter? How many musketeers are there? People are used to hearing things come up in sets of three, and so having three main points may make it easier for your audience to remember them. In the end, though, you will need to decide on the appropriate number of points you need to develop your speech topic for your audience.

The Supporting Material

After you have your Main Ideas planned out, it’s time to start researching material to support these points. For each point, you’ll need some things to talk about. Depending on how you have chosen to organize your speech, you may need to look up some facts to share. This includes definitions, descriptions, and explanations. If you have too many facts, your speech may come across as dry and lacking in depth. Facts are generally used to lay the foundation for your main idea, and you will use other supporting materials to illustrate your point or defend your argument.

As you continue to research your topic, you should look for examples to share. Examples help your audience to understand and relate to your main idea. If I was giving an informative speech on the solar eclipses, I might share a brief example with my audience: “On Monday, August 17th, 2017, a rare, full solar eclipse of the sun crossed the North American continent.” A brief example takes an abstract idea from your speech and quickly translates it into a real-life situation. This can help make your topic clearer for your audience.

In that same speech on solar eclipses, you could also use an extended example. In this situation, you would fill in all the details to create a story for your audience. “It was a day to be remembered. Hotels across North America had been booked over a year in advance, and millions of people traveled to find a spot in the path of totality – the area, about 70 miles wide, that would experience a total eclipse of the sun. As the time of the eclipse drew near, the air felt noticeably colder, and there were strange shadows on the ground. Then, for a little over a minute in most cities, the sky was plunged into darkness and the beautiful, white corona of the sun could be seen, along with a few stars. People gasped and screamed with delight. It was over all too soon, but those who witnessed this event would never forget it.” Extended examples add a personal touch to your speech and can help ensure that you have enough content to reach the timing parameters of your assignment.

Additionally, you may decide to use a hypothetical example. When used in a speech, a hypothetical example puts the audience into your speech. “What if you…” “Suppose you…” “Imagine that you…” These types of examples work well as attention-getters in the introduction, and you can use them throughout your speech to grab the attention of your audience and refocus them on your topic. As the audience members think about how they would respond to the imagined scenario, they are directly engaging with your speech concepts.

If you are looking to build credibility with your audience on your main idea, you should include testimonies as part of your supporting material. In the court of law, a person who has experience with the subject of the trial is called upon to give their opinion or relate their direct experience. This is similar to how testimonies are used in a speech, where you will include quotes from people who are experienced with your topic. These quotes fall into two categories: expert and peer. An expert testimony comes from someone who has professional experience with the topic, or some other publicly recognized form of expertise. A peer testimony is someone who has personal experience with your topic, but this experience is not from a professional or academic standpoint. Now, which is better for your speech, expert or peer testimonies? It depends. People tend to trust an expert testimony about scientific and medical points; however, people relate to a peer testimony more when the speech point has to do with everyday life. Sometimes an expert testimony can feel out of touch with how the average person lives.

Another way to come across as a credible speaker on your topic is to include statistics in your speech. Any numerical data in your speech, except, perhaps, a date or time, would be considered a statistic. When people hear numbers, they are more likely to believe that what you are telling them is backed up by research. However, you need to make sure you are using statistics appropriately. Here are some guidelines to follow when using this type of supporting material:

• Cite : if you use a statistic in your speech, you need to tell us where that number came from. Otherwise, we’ll think you made it up!
• Sparingly : Don’t use too many statistics in your speech! Remember, statistics are like spices. If you use the right ones, they will bring out the flavors of your meal, but if you use too many, they will overwhelm your meal.
• Round : It can be difficult to process complex numbers unless we see them written out. While it’s fine to read that “New York City covers 300.36 miles,” in a speech, it’s better to say that “New York City has just over 300 miles.” It’s okay to be a little less accurate, if it helps you to be understood. Words like, “approximately,” “close to,” “almost,” “nearly,” etc. will come in handy here.
• Explain : Help your audience to understand the numbers you are using. For example: “How much is a billion dollars? You could spend $100,000 a day for 25 years before you’d run out of cash.” During your speech, help us grasp complicated numbers in terms we can relate to.

No matter what materials you decide to use in your speech to support your main ideas, you’ll want to include citations in your outline to show where you found this information. Unlike writing, which has several formal citation styles, there is no specific way to cite your sources in your speech body. Your professor may require you to use a particular writing citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago, Associated Press). If not, note that speech citations should include at least the source where you found the information and the date the information was published. You may also include the author of the information, but you may need to contextualize this for us. For example, if I said during my speech, “According to Bob Smith…,” who is Bob Smith? No one knows, and no one cares. However, if I said, “According to the financial journalist Bob Smith, in an article published by the New York Times last month…,” people may care more about Bob’s point of view. The date is important here because the recency of your information can affect its relevance. Unlike citation in a paper, you don’t need to cite your source every time you use information from it. This would become tedious for the audience to listen to. Instead, you should add your citation at the beginning or end of when you are sharing information from that source. For example: “All of the statistics I’ve shared today come from the Red Cross website, updated in 2019.” Or, “The examples you’ll be hearing in my speech all come from the Mermaid documentary published on Animal Planet in 2011.” These oral citations give your audience enough information about your source to be able to find the full reference on your outline, if they need to verify something.

The Speech Conclusion

Once you have finished taking your audience on a journey through the main ideas of your speech, it’s time to draw things to a close. However, you need to give your audience a hint that the end is coming. We call this a signal . If you forget to signal the end of your speech, you may finish speaking and find that your audience does not break into applause. They didn’t realize you were on your way to the finish line. Giving your audience a signal alerts them that your speech will be over soon and helps them emotionally prepare for the end of your speech. The signal can be given a specific phrase, such as, “I’d like to end by…” or, “to wrap things up.” Pay attention, and you may notice that your college professors will often use a verbal signal near the end of the class session, such as, “and last of all…” or “before we go…” Try using a signal phrase in your next presentation, and see if you can spot your audience visibly perking up when they hear it. More advanced signals can also signal the end of the speech by changing the rate, pitch, or volume of their remarks. However, if you are using this technique, be sure to practice in front of someone before your actual presentation in class. You may think that you’re effecting a great change in the way you are speaking, but those changes might need to be exaggerated to be noticeable by your audience. The only way you’ll know for sure is to get some live feedback.

The signal of the conclusion leads into a brief summary of your main ideas. Simply restate an overview of the main ideas you just covered to help your audience retain the message of your speech. You may notice that your professors will also do this near the end of a class session. “Today we have covered…” is a common way for this to begin.

You’ll want to cap off your conclusion with a strong statement . It’s a good idea to actually plan out, word for word, what you would like to say for the last line of your speech. The audience is most likely to remember the first thing you said, and the last thing you said, so these words are the most important part of your speech. As much as you are able, commit them to memory. This will help you to make eye contact with your audience as you speak to help the words land with maximum effect. A strong statement can be a quote, or it can refer back to something you said in your introduction. In a persuasive speech, this statement will usually contain a call to action, or it will reinforce what you want your audience to believe, feel or do after hearing your presentation. For an informative speech, the strong statement should reinforce the importance of knowing about your topic, or what makes it so interesting.

It may be useful to think of the Three S’s of the speech conclusion as you work on this part of your presentation. Using a signal, summary, and strong statement will provide closure for the audience and help them to remember the ideas that you shared.

Creating a List of References

The last piece of your outline will generally be a list of references that you have used to provide source material for your speech. There should be at least one citation in the body of your speech from each reference. A reference is not just a website link to your research, but it shares details about your source in an organized format. You will generally need to provide the author’s name and the title of the piece, along with the name of the source you got this information from, and the date it was published. If you found the source online, you will also include the URL for the web page where this source can be found. There are standardized ways to organize all this information, and your professor may ask you to use a specific format. The two most common styles for formatting references are MLA and APA. You can find many resources, both online, and in your college’s library, to help you apply the correct formatting of the style your professor has requested. Carefully following these guidelines will add a professional polish to your speech outline and help you develop attention to detail in your written work, which is a valuable skill in the workforce, and in daily life.

Practicing with the Outline

As you are preparing to present your speech, it may be helpful to highlight key words and phrases so that you can quickly find the information you need in a single glance. This way you can have consistent eye contact with your audience. You want to avoid bobbing your head up and down as you speak, alternating between reading and seeing your audience. Remember, the outline is merely there to keep you on track. You don’t have to say all the words exactly as you have written them. In fact, your words will have much greater impact with the audience if you can create the impression that you are speaking spontaneously. Don’t be afraid to check in with your outline to make sure you have included all your ideas, and in the correct order, but also don’t rely so much on the outline that you are not connected to the audience.

If your instructor has asked you to include a speech topic, general purpose, specific purpose, purpose statement, and/or central idea on your outline, do not include these as part of your speech presentation. They belong on the outline to show your professor that you understood the topic and the goals for the assignment, and that you had a clear thesis for the speech, but you don’t share these out loud with your audience. Likewise, you also won’t read off the references to the audience at the end. These are part of the written assignment, but your oral citations are sufficient to establish your credibility in your presentation. For each speech assignment, you’ll begin with the introduction and finish up with the conclusion.

To help you prepare for your in-class presentation, you should plan on practicing your speech out loud, with a timer, in front of at least one other person. The first time you run through your speech in this way, you’ll find out what you’ve got, and you will likely need to make some adjustments to your outline. You can also get some feedback on your speech delivery, so that you can begin to refine your presentation skills. Continue this process of making changes and then practicing again in front of someone. In general, by the fifth time you’ve gone through the speech, you have it loosely committed to memory. You will know the overall flow of your topics and supporting material, and you can focus on connecting with your audience.

Remember the example of the disjointed building at the beginning of this chapter? The building had important rooms, but it was very difficult to navigate between them and make use of them. This concept also applies to your speech. You might find interesting examples and compelling arguments, but if they are not organized well, your audience may miss them. A well-organized speech will help your audience process and remember your message and will give you greater confidence as a speaker. Spending a little extra time polishing your outline will pay off in dividends towards a speech performance that you can be proud of.

Review Questions

• Why is it important to create an outline for a presentation?
• What are the three general purposes of a speech presentation?
• What is the difference between a specific purpose, or purpose statement, and a central idea?
• What are the five parts of a speech introduction?
• How do speech transitions help the audience?
• Which type of example generally works well as an attention-getter for a speech?
• Why should we use statistics sparingly in our presentations?
• When would a peer testimony be more credible with the audience than an expert testimony?
• How does oral citation differ from the type of citation you would include in an essay?
• What could you say to signal the end of your speech?
• What might be included on your outline that would not be spoken out loud as part of your speech?

Class Activities

• Read aloud a series of specific purposes or purpose statements, and have the students classify the speech categories as “Informative,” “Persuasive,” or “Special Occasion.”
• Write down different types of attention-getters on small pieces of paper, such as “Story,” “Startle,” “Rhetorical Questions,” “Quote,” “Make the audience curious,” “Audience Participation,” etc. Break the students into small groups, and have each group blindly choose an attention-getter from the pile. Then, give the entire class a topic, such as “chewing gum.” Each group has to come up with an attention-getter for this topic in the category they selected.
• Have the students help you come up with a list of 10-14 totally random, but specific, people, places, or things. Help them out with a few – mustaches, the Black Widow spider, North Dakota, etc. Once you have a list, pair the students up and have them share how they would have credibility on this topic. Do they have personal experience with it? Will they need to do research?
• Keeping the same list above, have the students work with their partner to decide how they would relate this topic to their diverse classroom audience.
• Create an abbreviated preparation outline for the students that includes the general purpose, specific purpose, central Idea, and a list of main points. Break the students into groups and give each group either the introduction or a main point. The groups will prepare 1-2 minutes of content for their section and elect a spokesperson to present this to the class. Once the students are prepared, start a timer and do the presentation. The instruction should provide transitions between main ideas, as well as the conclusion.
• Have the students look up a quote from their favorite celebrity. It has to come from an article, though, and not a “Quotes” website. Put them into groups to share, and let each group pick the best one to present to the class. The elected spokesperson for that group will need to complete this oral citation phrase: “According to_______, reported by________(website or periodical) on _______(date)…” and then relay the quote.
• Assemble Make 5-10 enlarged copies of both an APA reference and an MLA references. Cut the copies up so that the author, article title, published date, Retrieval URL, etc., are all on different parts. Divide the class into groups and give each group an APA “puzzle” to assemble. The first group to correctly assemble their reference wins! Repeat with the MLA reference.
• Pass out a lined index card to each student. Give the students an easy topic, and have them free write in complete sentences on this topic until either the time is up or the card is filled. Next, have the students choose 10 key words that will help them remember what they wrote, and list those words on the blank side of the card. Then, pair the students up. Decide on a “Person A” and a “Person B.” “Person A” begins, and flips the card so that he or she can see only the key words, and the partner can see the freewriting. Have “Person A” attempt to share what he or she wrote with “Person B,” using only the key words as a prompt. At the end, “Person B” will let him or her know if anything was left out. Finally, switch roles, so that the other partner can present. Have a discussion with the class about the difference between presentation notes and preparation outlines.

Works Cited

Gallo, Carmine. Talk Like TED . New York, NY: Macmillan. 2014. Print.

Hemmert, Nancy Grass. Public Speaking in American English: A Guide for Non-Native Speakers . 1st  edition. New York, NY: Pearson. 2007. Print.

Lucas, Stephen. E. The Art of Public Speaking . 12th edition. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. 2014. Print.

Powell, Susanna, et al. Stand and Deliver: High Impact Presentations . 4th edition.  New York, NY: Pearson. 2014 Print.

Structure and Format: Outlining the Speech Copyright © by Rebecca Collier, M.B.A. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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eCore Public Speaking Textbook (COMM 1113)

• Download PDF Prints
• The Basics of Public Speaking
• Listening in Public Speaking Settings
• Ethics in Public Speaking
• Unit 1 Glossary

Developing Topics for Your Speech

• Organizing and Outlining
• Introductions and Conclusions
• Special Occasions
• Unit 2 Glossary
• Audience Analysis
• Researching Your Speeches
• Supporting Your Speech Ideas
• Informative Speaking
• Unit 3 Glossary
• Persuasive Speaking
• Logical Reasoning
• Presentation Aids
• Unit 4 Glossary
• Attribution and References

After reading this section, the student will be able to:

• Distinguish between the specific purpose, central idea, and main points of a speech

• Differentiate between a speech to inform, persuade, and inspire or entertain

• Write a specific purpose statement

• Write a thesis or central idea statement

• Distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable specific purpose and central idea statements

• Compose appropriate specific purpose and central idea statements for informative, persuasive, and inspirational/entertaining speeches

Getting Started with Your Topic and Purpose

So far in this text we have examined many practical and theoretical aspects of public speaking as a method of communicating and as an art form. In this chapter we are going to get into the real meat of putting your speech together.

Often when we get to the point of sitting down to prepare a speech, we think about topics. That is understandable, but before we go any further, let’s recalibrate our minds to think also, or even more, about “purpose.” There are some benefits to considering purpose and topic simultaneously. Doing so will help you focus your speech to a manageable amount of content and become more audience-centered. Also, you will be able to make strategic decisions about other aspects of the speech, such as organization, supporting evidence, and visual aids.

Speeches have traditionally been seen to have one of three broad purposes: to inform, to persuade, and— Well, to be honest, different words are used for the third kind of speech purpose: to inspire, to amuse, to please, to delight, or to entertain. We will just use “to inspire” as the overall term here. These broad goals are commonly known as a speech’s general purpose , since, in general, you are trying to inform, persuade, or entertain/inspire your audience without regard to specifically what the topic will be. Perhaps you could think of them as appealing to the understanding of the audience (informative), the will or action (persuasive), and the emotion or pleasure.

Your instructor will most likely assign you an informative and a persuasive speech, and then perhaps one more. The third one might be a special occasion speech, such as a tribute (commemorative), an after-dinner speech, a toast, or a eulogy. These four types of speeches fit into the category of “to inspire” or “to entertain.” This text has sections on and examples of all three types.

It should be understood that these three purposes are not necessarily exclusive of the others. A speech designed to be persuasive can also be informative and entertaining, even if neither of those is the main purpose.

As we saw in Unit 1, the canons of rhetoric is the traditional way to explain the process of preparing a speech. That process is still a practical guide for today. The first canon, invention, or inventio , is discussed, at least in part, in this unit. Although in modern times we tend to think of invention as the creation of a new technology, invention basically means “discovery” of what to say.

The scholars of rhetoric from the ancient times encouraged the use of questions to “discover” the arguments and content of the speech. These were called “ topoi ” and there were a couple of dozen of them; modern scholars have reframed them as questions that can be used to develop reasons and material. These can be helpful in many ways, but here we will present just two basic questions you should consider for beginning your speech:

1. What value, connection, or interest does my purpose/topic have for the audience? What needs do they meet?

2. Why would the audience consider me, the speaker, a credible source on this purpose/topic?

We suggest that these two questions be in your mind as you develop your speech. You should answer them, directly or indirectly, for your audience in your speech. If your audience is unfamiliar with your topic, for instance, you would want to address the first one early in the speech. If your audience does not know anything about you, you should mention (in an appropriate way) your background in the subject area.

One of the authors has a core concept in her basic public speaking classes: The most effective speeches are the ones that answer the questions in the minds of the audience. She uses that to change the students’ focus from speaking just to express themselves to being audience-centered. She also uses the acronym “WIIFM.” This is not a new radio station, but the abbreviation for “What’s In It For Me?” The audience is asking this question, directly or indirectly, during a speech. Keep the WIIFM acronym in mind as you start to think about your speeches more and more from your audience’s perspective.

Formulating a Specific Purpose

Now that you know your general purpose (to inform, to persuade, or to entertain), you can start to move in the direction of the specific purpose. A specific purpose statement builds on your general purpose (such as to inform) and makes it more specific (as the name suggests). So if your first speech is an informative speech, your general purpose will be to inform your audience about a very specific realm of knowledge, for example, the history of NASA’s Shuttle program.

In writing your specific purpose statement, you will take three contributing elements that will come together to help you determine your specific purpose. The diagram shows those three elements. These three elements are you (your interests, your background, past jobs, experience, education, major), your audience (which you learned to analyze later), and the context or setting (also discussed later).

An old adage states, “Write about what you know.” In many ways, that is a great place to start with creating a speech, although you will need to consult other sources as well. If you start with ideas that reflect your interests, goals, and passions, that passion and commitment will come across in your speech, give you more credibility in the eyes of your audience, and make your speech more interesting.

This would be a good place for you to do an inventory. Retail stores do regular inventories to know what is “really there” in the stores. You have much more going on in your brain and background than you can be conscious of at any one time. Being asked the right kinds of prompts can help you find ideas. Below is a list of prompts for this inventory. To help generate some ideas for your speeches, complete the phrases and/or answer the questions below to see if any ideas can be generated from experiences or interests you may not have realized you had.

This inventory may seem long and intrusive, but digging a little deeper may help you find ideas and directions that are unique to you. You want to find this kind of subject matter and not the same topics others will gravitate towards just because they saw a list on Google on informative speech topics. Also, generating your list based on these questions and prompts will get you excited about your topic and talking about it to your classmates. For example, a very common persuasive speech topic is organ donation. There is nothing wrong with that topic per se and it is an important issue. However, if you ask yourself the right questions, you may come up with something far more central to who you are and that might interest and/or apply to the audience more.

Another approach that you might find helpful is to determine what you are passionate about through two binary routes. First, you will obviously be passionate about the things you love, so talk about those. Is The Simpsons your favorite TV show? Then you can inform us on the people and vision of the team behind this highly popular and long-running TV show. Do you feel that Big Brothers Big Sisters is a vital organization in the way it helps kids? Then persuade us to volunteer there. Conversely, you can also be passionate about things you don’t love (i.e., hate). Does it really annoy you when people don’t use their turn signals? Then persuade us to always use them. Do you want to scream when you hear a cell phone go off at the movies? Then persuade us that cell phones should be banned in theaters.

The Audience

Of course, what you love or hate may be in stark contrast to how your audience feels, so it is important to keep them in mind as well, which brings us to the next contributing factor. After you examine what you know and are passionate about, you have to determine if and how the topic has practical value or interest for others. It may be that it is a topic the audience is not immediately interested in but needs to know about for their own benefit. Then it becomes necessary for you to find that angle and approach that will help them see the benefit of the topic and listen to you. The more you know about your audience, the better you can achieve this goal. Good speakers are very knowledgeable about their audiences.

The Context

Many aspects come into the context of a speech, but the main ones are the time, place, and reason(s) for the event and the audience being there. Your classroom speeches have a fairly set context: time limits, the classroom, assignment specifications. Other speeches you will give in college (or in your career and personal life) will require you to think more deeply about the context just as you would the audience.

Putting It Together

Keeping these three inputs in mind, you can begin to write a specific purpose statement, which will be the foundation for everything you say in the speech and a guide for what you do not say. This formula will help you in putting together your specific purpose statement:

• Specific Communication (to inform, to explain, to demonstrate, to describe, to define, to persuade, to convince, to prove, to argue)
• Target Audience (my classmates, the members of the Social Work Club, my coworkers)
• The Content (how to bake brownies, that Macs are better than PCs)

Each of these parts of the specific purpose is important. The first two parts make sure you are clear on your purpose and know specifically who will be hearing your message. However, we will focus on the last part here.

The content part of the specific purposes statement must first be singular and focused, and the content must match the purpose. The word “and” really should not appear in the specific purpose statement since that would make it seem that you have two purposes and two topics. Obviously, the specific purpose statement’s content must be very narrowly defined and, well, specific. One mistake beginning speakers often make is to try to “cover” too much material. They tend to speak about the whole alphabet, A-Z on a subject, instead of just “T” or “L.” This comes from an emphasis on the topic more than the purpose, and from not keeping audience and context in mind. In other words, go deep (specific), not broad. Examples in this chapter will show what that means.

Second, the content must match the focus of the purpose word. A common error is to match an informative purpose with a persuasive content clause or phrase. For example,

To explain to my classmates why term life insurance is a better option than whole life insurance policies.

To inform my classmates about how the recent Supreme Court decision on police procedures during arrests is unconstitutional.

Sometimes it takes an unbiased second party to see where your content and purpose may not match.

Third, the specific purpose statement should be relevant to the audience. How does the purpose and its topic touch upon their lives, wallets, relationships, careers, etc.? It is also a good idea to keep in mind what you want the audience to walk away with or what you want them to know, to be able to do, to think, to act upon, or to respond to your topic—your ultimate outcome or result.

To revisit an earlier example, “to explain to my classmates the history of NASA” would be far too much material and the audience may be unsure of its relevance. A more specific one such as “to inform my classmates about the decline of the Shuttle program” would be more manageable and closer to their experience. It would also reference two well-known historical tragedies involving the Shuttle program, the Challenger Disaster in 1986 and the Columbia Explosion in 2003. Here are several examples of specific purposes statements. Notice how they meet the standards of being singular, focused, relevant, and consistent.

To inform my classmates of the origin of the hospice movement.

To describe to my coworkers the steps to apply for retirement.

To define for a group of new graduate students the term “academic freedom.”

To explain to the Lions Club members the problems faced by veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

To persuade the members of the Greek society to take the spring break trip to Daytona Beach.

To motivate my classmates to engage in the College’s study abroad program.

To convince my classroom audience that they need at least seven hours of sleep per night to do well in their studies.

Now that you understand the basic form and function of a specific purpose statement, let’s revisit the original diagram in this section. The same topic for a different audience will create a somewhat different specific purpose statement. Public speaking is not a “one-size-fits-all” proposition. Let’s take the subject of participating in the study abroad program. How would you change your approach if you were addressing first-semester freshmen instead of first-semester juniors? Or if you were speaking to high school students in one of the college’s feeder high schools? Or if you were asked to share your experiences with a local civic group that gave you a partial scholarship to participate in the program? You would have slightly different specific purpose statements although your experience and basic information are all the same.

For another example, let’s say that one of your family members has benefited from being in the Special Olympics and you have volunteered two years at the local event. You could give a tribute (commemorative speech) about the work of Special Olympics (with the purpose to inspire), an informative speech on the scope or history of the Special Olympics, or a persuasive speech on why audience members should volunteer at next year’s event. “Special Olympics” is a key word in every specific purpose, but the statements would otherwise be different.

Despite all the information given about specific purpose statements so far, the next thing you read will seem strange: Never start your speech by saying your specific purpose to the audience. In a sense, it is just for you and the instructor. For you, it’s like a note you might tack on the mirror or refrigerator to keep you on track. For the instructor, it’s a way for him or her to know you are accomplishing both the assignment and what you set out to do. Avoid the temptation to default to saying it at the beginning of your speech. It will seem awkward and repetitive.

Formulating a Central Idea Statement

While you will not actually say your specific purpose statement during your speech, you will need to clearly state what your focus and main points are going to be (preferably after using an introductory method such as those described in Chapter 8). The statement that reveals your main points is commonly known as the central idea statement (or just the central idea).

Now, at this point we need to make a point about terminology. Your instructor may call the central idea statement “the thesis” or “the thesis statement.” Your English composition instructor probably uses that term in your essay writing. Another instructor may call it the “main idea statement.” All of these are basically synonymous and you should not let the terms confuse you, but you should use the term your instructor uses.

That said, is the central idea statement the very same thing as the thesis sentence in an essay? Yes, in that both are letting the audience know without a doubt your topic, purpose, direction, angle and/or point of view. No, in that the rules for writing a “thesis” or central idea statement in a speech are not as strict as in an essay. For example, it is acceptable in a speech to announce the topic and purpose, although it is usually not the most artful or effective way to do it. You may say,

“In this speech I will try to motivate you to join me next month as a volunteer at the regional Special Olympics.”

That would be followed by a preview statement of what the speech’s arguments or reasons for participating will be, such as,

“You will see that it will benefit the community, the participants, and you individually.”

However, another approach is to “capsulize” the purpose, topic, approach, and preview in one succinct statement.

“Your involvement as a volunteer in next month’s regional Special Olympics will be a rewarding experience that will benefit the community, the participants, and you personally.”

This last version is really the better approach and most likely the one your instructor will prefer.

So, you don’t want to just repeat your specific purpose in the central idea statement, but you do want to provide complete information. Also, unlike the formal thesis of your English essays, the central idea statement in a speech can and should use personal language (I, me, we, us, you, your, etc.) and should attempt to be attention-getting and audience-focused. And importantly, just like a formal thesis sentence, it must be a complete, grammatical sentence.

The point of your central idea statement in terms of your audience is to reveal and clarify the ideas or assertions you will be addressing in your speech, more commonly known as your main points, to fulfill your specific purpose. However, as you are processing your ideas and approach, you may still be working on them. Sometimes those main points will not be clear to you immediately. As much as we would like these writing processes to be straightforward, sometimes we find that we have to revise our original approach. This is why preparing a speech the night before you are giving it is a really, really bad idea. You need lots of time for the preparation and then the practice.

Sometimes you will hear the writing process referred to as “iterative.” This word means, among other things, that a speech or document is not always written in the same order as the audience finally experiences it. You may have noticed that we have not said anything about the introduction of your speech yet. Even though that is the first thing the audience hears, it may be one of the last parts you actually compose. It is best to consider your speech flexible as you work on it, and to be willing to edit and revise. If your instructor asks you to turn the outline in before the speech, you should be clear on how much you can revise after that. Otherwise, it helps to know that you can keep editing your speech until you deliver it, especially while you practice. Here are some examples of pairs of specific purpose statements and central idea statements. 

Specific Purpose: To explain to my classmates the effects of losing a pet on the elderly.

Central Idea: When elderly persons lose their animal companions, they can experience serious psychological, emotional, and physical effects.

Specific Purpose: To demonstrate to my audience the correct method for cleaning a computer keyboard.

Central Idea: Your computer keyboard needs regular cleaning to function well, and you can achieve that in four easy steps.

Specific Purpose: To persuade my political science class that labor unions are no longer a vital political force in the U.S.

Central Idea: Although for decades in the twentieth-century labor unions influenced local and national elections, in this speech I will point to how their influence has declined in the last thirty years.

Specific Purpose: To motivate my audience to oppose the policy of drug testing welfare recipients.

Central Idea: Many voices are calling for welfare recipients to go through mandatory, regular drug testing, but this policy is unjust, impractical, and costly, and fair-minded Americans should actively oppose it.

Specific Purpose: To explain to my fellow civic club members why I admire Representative John Lewis.

Central Idea: John Lewis has my admiration for his sacrifices during the Civil Rights movement and his service to Georgia as a leader and U.S. Representative.

Specific Purpose: To describe how makeup is done for the TV show The Walking Dead.

Central Idea: The wildly popular zombie show The Walking Dead achieves incredibly scary and believable makeup effects, and in the next few minutes I will tell you who does it, what they use, and how they do it.

Notice that in all of the above examples that neither the specific purpose nor the central idea ever exceeds one sentence. You may divide your central idea and the preview of main points into two sentences or three sentences, depending on what your instructor directs. If your central idea consists of more than three sentences, then you probably are including too much information and taking up time that is needed for the body of the speech. Additionally, you will have a speech trying to do too much and that goes overtime.

Problems to Avoid with Specific Purpose and Central Idea Statements

The first problem many students have in writing their specific purpose statement has already been mentioned: specific purpose statements sometimes try to cover far too much and are too broad. For example:

To explain to my classmates the history of ballet.

Aside from the fact that this subject may be difficult for everyone in your audience to relate to, it is enough for a three-hour lecture, maybe even a whole course. You will probably find that your first attempt at a specific purpose statement will need refining. These examples are much more specific and much more manageable given the limited amount of time you will have.

To explain to my classmates how ballet came to be performed and studied in the U.S.

To explain to my classmates the difference between Russian and French ballet.

To explain to my classmates how ballet originated as an art form in the Renaissance.

To explain to my classmates the origin of the ballet dancers’ clothing.

The second problem with specific purpose statements is the opposite of being too broad, in that some specific purposes statements are so focused that they might only be appropriate for people who are already extremely interested in the topic or experts in a field:

To inform my classmates of the life cycle of a new species of lima bean (botanists, agriculturalists) To inform my classmates about the Yellow 5 ingredient in Mountain Dew (chemists, nutritionists) To persuade my classmates that JIF Peanut Butter is better than Peter Pan. (professional chefs in large institutions)

The third problem happens when the “communication verb” in the specific purpose does not match the content; for example, persuasive content is paired with “to inform” or “to explain.” If you resort to the word “why” in the thesis, it is probably persuasive.

To inform my audience why capital punishment is unconstitutional. (This cannot be informative since it is taking a side)

To persuade my audience about the three types of individual retirement accounts. (This is not persuading the audience of anything, just informing)

To inform my classmates that Universal Studios is a better theme park than Six Flags over Georgia. (This is clearly an opinion, hence persuasive)

The fourth problem exists when the content part of the specific purpose statement has two parts and thus uses “and.” A good speech follows the KISS rule—Keep It Simple, Speaker. One specific purpose is enough. These examples cover two different topics.

To explain to my audience how to swing a golf club and choose the best golf shoes.

To persuade my classmates to be involved in the Special Olympics and vote to fund better classes for the intellectually disabled.

To fix this problem, you will need to select one of the topics in these examples and speak on just that:

To explain to my audience how to swing a golf club.

To explain to my audience how to choose the best golf shoes.

Of course, the value of this topic depends on your audience’s interest in golf and your own experience as a golfer. The fifth problem with both specific purpose and central idea statements is related to formatting. There are some general guidelines that need to be followed in terms of how you write out these elements of your speech:

• Do not write either statement as a question.
• Always use complete sentences for central idea statements and infinitive phrases (that is, “to …..”) for the specific purpose statement.
• Only use concrete language (“I admire Beyoncé for being a talented performer and businesswoman”), and avoid subjective or slang terms (“My speech is about why I think Beyoncé is the bomb”) or jargon and acronyms (“PLA is better than CBE for adult learners.”)

Finally, the sixth problem occurs when the speech just gets off track of the specific purpose statement, in that it starts well but veers in another direction. This problem relates to the challenge of developing coherent main points, what might be called “the Roman numeral points” of the speech. The specific purpose usually determines the main points and the relevant structure. For example, if the specific purpose is:

To inform my classmates of the five stages of grief as described by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross.

There is no place in this speech for a biography of Dr. Kubler-Ross, arguments against this model of grief, therapies for those undergoing grief, or steps for the audience to take to get counseling. All of those are different specific purposes. The main points would have to be the five stages, in order, as Dr. Kubler-Ross defined them.

• There are also problems to avoid in writing the central idea statement. As mentioned above, remember that:
• The specific purpose and central idea statements are not the same thing, although they are related.
• The central idea statement should be clear and not complicated or wordy; it should “stand out” to the audience.
• As you practice delivery, you should emphasize it with your voice.
• Getting the audience's attention
• Revealing the topic
• Revealing the central idea and main points
• Establishing your credibility
• Establishing your rapport with the audience

One last word. You will notice that we have said nothing about titles of your speeches so far. A title is a good thing and serves purposes. Your instructor may or may not emphasize the title of your speech. This textbook chooses to focus on the purpose and central idea as the basis, even the spine of the speech. 

• Creating Speech Title with Impact

You should be aware that all aspects of your speech are constantly going to change as you move toward actually giving your speech. The exact wording of your central idea may change and you can experiment with different versions for effectiveness. However, your specific purpose statement should not change unless there is a really good reason, and in some cases, your instructor will either discourage that, forbid it, or expect to be notified. There are many aspects to consider in the seemingly simple task of writing a specific purpose statement and its companion, the central idea statement. Writing good ones at the beginning will save you some trouble later in the speech preparation process.

Case Studies

Case Study #1 

 Mitchell is taking a Fundamentals of Speech course in his second year of college. As a member of the college’s tennis team, he wants to speak on his favorite subject, tennis. He is assigned an informative speech that should be seven minutes long and use four external sources (other than his own experience). He realizes off the bat that he knows a great deal about the subject as far as how to play and be good at it, but not much about the history or origins or the international impact of the sport. He brainstorms a list of topics, as his instructor tells him to: 1. Famous tennis players 2. Rules of tennis 3. How to start playing tennis 4. How to buy or choose equipment for tennis 5. Why tennis is a great sport 6. Tennis organizations 7. Where tennis came from 8. Dealing with tennis injuries 9. Tennis and the Olympics 10. Famous tennis tournaments—grand slam events. 

However, he also wants to be sure that his audience is not bored or confused. His instructor gives him a chance to get in a small group and have four of his classmates give him some ideas about the topics. He finds out no one in his group has ever played tennis but they do have questions. He knows that everyone in his class is 18-24 years old, single, no children, enrolled in college, and all have part-time jobs.

Critique Mitch’s brainstormed topics based on what you know. What should he do? Can you come up with a good starting specific purpose?

Cast Study #2

Bonita is required to give a 5- to 6-minute presentation as part of a job interview. The interview is for a position as public relations and social media director of a nonprofit organization that focuses on nutrition in a five-county region near her home. There will be five people in her audience: the president of the organization, two board members, the office manager (who is also the Human Resources director), and a volunteer. She has never met these people. Bonita has a college degree in public relations, so she knows her subject. She does as much research on the organization as she can and finds out about their use of social media and the Internet for publicity, marketing, and public relations. It does have a Facebook page but is not utilizing it well. It does not have any other social media accounts.

What would you suggest for Bonita? Here are some questions to consider. Should she be persuasive, informative, or inspiring? (General purpose). What should be her specific content area? How can she answer the two important questions of the value of her topic to the audience and why would the audience think she is credible?

Something to Think About

What if your informative speech has the specific purpose statement: To explain the biological and lifestyle causes of Type II diabetes. The assignment is a seven-minute speech, and when you practice it the first time, it is thirteen minutes long. Should you adjust the specific purpose statement? How?

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Main Idea Finder: Free Summarizing Tool

Add the text to find its main idea:

Number of sentences in the summary:

Condensed version:

Shorter by %

Charachters: Words: Sentences:

If you are looking for a main idea finder, consider using this online summarizing tool. It will condense any paper into a short piece that contains its central idea. All you need to do is:

• 🤔 Why Using the Tool?
• 🆚 Central Idea vs. Theme

👣 Steps to Find the Main Idea

• 🤖 How Do Main Idea Finders Work?

🔗 References

🤔 main idea finder: why using it.

Students often need to analyze loads of literary works to synthesize data and present their findings in academic assignments. Thus, they read tons of articles and books every semester.

Such a hassle, isn’t it?

But the good news is that you can leave this activity out and relax, getting only the gist of every assigned text carefully prepared for you by smart software. It’s the main idea finder – a tool that has made thousands of students’ lives easier and can do the same for you. Using our app, you can easily process large volumes of data and use brief summaries to write reports, literature reviews, and well-grounded analyses.

What Is a Central Idea of a Text?

The central idea is the primary message the author tries to communicate in his text, whether a lengthy book or a short article. Summaries can be long or short, but any piece of literature also has a key point that can be summarized in a single sentence or statement.

How to Find the Main Idea?

At first, it might seem challenging to elicit one main idea in a text, especially if it's long and touches upon many issues. Still, the simplest way to do this is to answer a question, " tell what the author wanted to say in one short sentence. " You can also think of this task as explaining the content to a child in simple terms. The answer will soon surface.

How to Summarize the Main Idea of an Article?

If you were tasked with summarizing the literary work’s idea, focus on the key terms first . What was the subject of the authors’ analysis? What did they want to analyze? Did they succeed? Then produce a summary of the key idea based on the authors’ main focus and approach to that subject.

🆚 Central Idea vs. Theme: What Is the Difference?

The central idea is typically different from the literary piece's theme. The distinction can become clear if you approach the main idea as the topic of a book or an article. It can be elicited even from a title or an abstract, as these parts rarely contradict the rest of the content.

A theme, in turn, is about the meaning that lies under the surface of words and sentences. It is a moral message you can embrace only after careful study of the text and thinking it over.

To illustrate these points, let’s consider a couple of examples. For instance, when talking about The Catcher in the Rye , you will identify:

• Main idea : resistance to coming of age
• Theme : protection of innocence

If you approach Othello, you may note the following:

• Main idea : manipulation and jealousy
• Theme : trust

As you can see, the main idea is closely related to a literary work's theme. Yet, they are subtly different; the main idea refers to the plot more, while the theme concerns the story's moral and life lesson.

There are several effective techniques to find the text’s main idea quickly and correctly. The main helper in this task is a well-established structure of academic texts. It may give you a couple of pointers on where to look for, saving you time and effort. Let’s review these pro tips and see how they work in practice.

Step #1: Look for a Thesis Statement

As a rule, the authors place their central ideas at the end of the introduction. The final sentence of an introductory paragraph is referred to as a thesis statement.

A thesis serves as a roadmap for the entire text , clarifying what the author means to discuss and what point they will argue. Thus, if you find that statement, half of the work is done, as you have the main idea at your fingertips.

Step #2: Mind Topic Sentences

To produce a more extended summary of the author's key ideas, you should also pay attention to the topic sentences spread across the text. These are typically placed at the beginning of each new paragraph.

A topic sentence communicates the paragraph's main idea , while the following sentences are used to strengthen that point and provide additional evidence.

Step #3: The First and Last Sentence Matter

If you're unsure whether you've interpreted the main idea or topic sentence correctly, look at the final sentence of the paragraph as well.

A concluding sentence is a summary that should wrap up the main idea once more before proceeding to the next point. So, a joint analysis of the paragraph's opening and closing sentences will give you a clearer point for a summary.

Step #4: Summarize a Paragraph in One Sentence

Nothing works better than a one-sentence summary . No matter the length of your assigned reading, anything can be explained in one short sentence. Once you perform this exercise, the text’s main idea will surface without a problem.

Step #5: Search for Repeated Keywords

A more nuanced approach is to look for repeated words or their synonyms. Such simple linguistic analysis will also help uncover the main idea and underlying themes.

🔎 How to Find the Main Idea: Example

Finding the text’s main idea shouldn’t be hard if you know where to look for it. Let’s consider an excerpt from Dale Carnegie ’s How to Win Friends and Influence People as an exercise for main idea formulation. Here is the full fragment:

If you tell me how you get your feeling of importance, I'll tell you what you are. That determines your character. That is the most significant thing about you. For example, John D. Rockefeller got his feeling of importance by giving money to erect a modern hospital in Peking, China, to care for millions of poor people whom he had never seen and never would see. Dillinger, on the other hand, got his feeling of importance by being a bandit, a bank robber and killer. When the FBI agents were hunting him, he dashed into a farmhouse up in Minnesota and said, "I'm Dillinger!" Fie was proud of the fact that he was Public Enemy Number One. "I'm not going to hurt you, but I'm Dillinger!" he said. Yes, the one significant difference between Dillinger and Rockefeller is how they got their feeling of importance.

You can locate the main ideas in this fragment using several tips we've outlined above. Here's what you will see if you focus on the topic sentence:

If you tell me how you get your feeling of importance , I'll tell you what you are.

It shows that the fragment will be dedicated to how different people find their feeling of importance and how the latter affects their activities, self-perception, and overall character. Now, we can also take a closer look at the first and last sentences of the paragraph:

If you tell me how you get your feeling of importance , I'll tell you what you are. Yes, the one significant difference between Dillinger and Rockefeller is how they got their feeling of importance .

This approach confirms our initial finding about the “feeling of importance” as the author’s central idea in this paragraph. Dale Carnegie gives two distinct examples – a philanthrope and a criminal – to show that regardless of the person’s activity, the self-derived feeling of importance is central in shaping their characters.

You can also apply the technique of repeated words to elicit the key idea here. A quick review of the paragraph shows the following repeated phrases and their synonyms:

• How you get your feeling of importance
• Significant

So, these phrases show that the main idea is about a search for one's feeling of importance and its significant role in determining one's character, type of activities, and vocation.

🤖 Automatic Main Idea Finders: How Do They Work?

As you can see, eliciting key details and themes in a text is not that hard.

All you need to do is:

• Focus on the topic,
• Read the passage carefully to capture its gist.

But why do this manually and waste so much time if you can use an automatic central idea generator? This machine tool can help you identify the main points in the assigned text. This way, you will have concise summaries outlining the most vital statements, which can speed up your essay work. Let’s have a look at how such an app works.

The tools that can single out main ideas in large texts usually follow the extraction-based principle . The smart algorithm identifies key phrases and words labeled as important in the text, extracting and compiling them into a shorter textual variant. The system uses machine learning techniques that approach summary from the word/phrase classification perspective:

• Frequency distribution of specific words
• Topic words
• Latent semantic analysis
• Discourse-based text analysis
• Bayesian topic models
• Graph models

Besides, you need to indicate the expected length of the summary, which may also affect the scoring criteria and selection of particular words and phrases for the final summary compilation. This way, you receive a concise summarization of content without redundant details; it contains the author's core message.

We hope that this main idea finder will be useful for you. Please try other free tools we offer: summarizer , essay rephraser , paragraph reworder , and thesis finder .

• How to Find the Main Idea With Easy Strategies - YourDictionary
• Theme in Literature: What Is It? - The Balance Careers
• Difference between main idea and theme in literature
• One Sentence Summary
• How to Summarize a Passage With One-Sentence Summary