9 Reading Terms You Should Know

Note: These terms are also used in writing.

Topic: A topic is the general subject of a text. The text may be as lengthy as a chapter or as short as a paragraph.

• The topic is a phrase, not a complete sentence.
• It might be a title or subtitle but doesn’t have to be.
• It answers the basic question, “Who or what is this selection about?”

Thesis: A thesis is the focus of a complete work, such as an article, essay, or chapter, and it covers all the main ideas within the text.

• It is a complete sentence and, therefore, a complete thought.
• It is a statement, declaration, assertion, or claim about the topic and never a question or fact.
• It answers the question, “What is the point that the author is making about the topic?”
• If you are writing an assignment that has a prompt question, your thesis will be your direct answer to the writing prompt.

Main Idea: A main idea is the focus of a paragraph or a small group of related paragraphs.

• It is a complete sentence and therefore a complete thought.
• It is the main point that the author is making about a topic in a specific paragraph or a small group of related paragraphs.
• It answers the question, “What is the main point the author is making about the topic in this paragraph?”
• It is a statement, or claim, about the topic and never a question or fact.
• There will be multiple main ideas captured under one larger thesis.

Supporting Details: Details explain or support an idea.

• They are reasons, examples, facts, steps, personal experience, or other kinds of evidence that explain the main idea.
• They answer the question, “What details or evidence is supporting the main idea within the paragraph?”
• There is often more than one supporting detail in each paragraph
• They are more specific than the main idea

Implied Thesis and Main Ideas: Implied means that these follow all the characteristics of a stated thesis and main idea, but they are not actually stated in the text. The reader has to use the other stated parts of the text to figure out the main idea.