Central Ideas and Author's Purpose

Central Idea = A CLAIM

(All Central Ideas are Claims, but not all Claims are Central Ideas: Like all dogs are mammals, but not all mammals are dogs).

(Making a statement about something. Not "just" listing a topic or summarizing)

Made up of :

Author’s Purpose + the main thing the author wants us to know, understand or do based on the info in the text

When creating a Claim, remember to combine two things-

1- What you are writing about (Topic).

2- What you have to say about it (Opinion).

Example:

Central Idea- "Success is defined as the ability to find happiness and meaning in any situation."

Topic- Success

Opinion- Finding happiness and meaning in any situation is what success is

Main ideas = Also a claim. Appear in paragraphs or chunks (think sections with heading in nonfiction). Multiple Main Ideas for a single Central Idea.

Evidence= Supporting ideas/proof

Central Idea

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Main Ideas

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Evidence

Further Tips to find Central Ideas:

1- Discover Author's Purpose. (Boil it down to 1 primary purpose. Remember, this is what you think the author intends not how you received it.

Fiction: Usually to Entertain

Non-Fiction: Usually to Inform

2- Know the difference between Themes and Central Ideas. They are subtle.

Theme: Usually in Fiction. A moral or message. Is universal and does not include the topic.

Central Idea: Usually non-fiction. A claim/ statement. Includes a topic and opinion.

3- Consider all main ideas. What do they all have in common? Don't make it so specific it leaves some out.

4- Avoid language like "about". About addresses the topic, telling what it is about. A central idea is a statement/ claim that can stand on its own as a single sentence.

Incorrect: The author wants us to know that... about legends of vampires and how they are based on real life.

Correct: The author wants us to know that... legends of vampires began with true stories based on real people.