When writing a single-paragraph essay, it’s important to know what your point is and how you’re going to prove it, because unlike a traditional-length essay, you won’t have the space of several paragraphs to flesh it out. The main idea and support for the main idea should be carefully crafted in a single-paragraph essay so you can say what you need to say in the most direct and concise way.
Main Idea And Supporting Detail: Meaning
In a single-paragraph essay, the main idea is the writer’s position or principal concept, and the supporting details are the means by which they develop and prove that idea. This might sound similar to a thesis statement. That’s because a thesis statement should include the main idea and supporting details for an essay.
Remember, a thesis statement is a single declarative sentence that includes the main idea, or position on a topic, and mentions the way(s) you intend to prove or support that idea. A thesis acts as a blueprint for the body of your essay. It lays out the expectation for the audience of what your point is and how you intend to prove it.
If you’re writing a single-paragraph essay, you might be wondering whether you need to include a thesis statement. The short answer is, yes you do! In this case, because your essay will only be the length of a paragraph, the thesis statement will function the exact same way as a topic sentence for a regular paragraph.
A topic sentence functions much the same as a thesis statement. It is a single sentence, usually the first sentence of a paragraph, that introduces the main argument or idea for that paragraph. It’s a helpful technique so your audience knows the principal point of each paragraph because it is expressly stated.
It’s also useful as a way to organize your argument. Each piece of support for your main idea can serve as the topic sentence for an entire paragraph that develops that supporting detail in relation to the main idea. Or, in the case of a single-paragraph essay, the topic sentence is the thesis for the entire essay.
A single-paragraph essay should be concise and to the point. There is no room for filler language or information that is not absolutely necessary. Because of the length of a single-paragraph essay, it is important to state your main point at the very beginning.
In a single-paragraph essay you don’t need to spend much time providing background information on the topic. Your main objective is to express your main idea and support it with concrete details. You can assume your audience already has a working knowledge of the subject.
How To Organize The Main Idea And Supporting Details
There is a basic structure for a single-paragraph essay that is similar to that of the basic multi-paragraph essay. It includes the topic sentence (or thesis statement), at least two pieces of supporting information, concrete evidence for and commentary on the supporting information, and a conclusion. See the layout below.
Fig. 1 - How to organize support for main idea.
In a single-paragraph essay, the thesis statement will come first and usher in the main idea. It isn’t always possible to fit the main idea and a reference to the supporting details into a single sentence, but it is a good goal.
In Around the World in Eighty Days (1873) Jules Verne explores the themes of calmness and persistence with his character Phileas Fogg; Mr. Fogg remains calm in the face of extreme circumstances as he travels the world, and remains persistent to his goal despite many setbacks.
This example demonstrates how to include support for the main idea within a single sentence (i.e. thesis statement). In a single-paragraph essay, the segment following the thesis statement is considered the body of the essay. This is where you provide support for the main idea.
What Can Be The Support For The Main Idea?
For a single-paragraph essay, support for the main idea must be specific and brief; you won’t have the space of several paragraphs to expound on the details. Because of this, it’s especially important for your support to be effective.
Below are some of the most constructive pieces of information to include to support your main idea.
Facts and Data
Sometimes the best support of the main idea is simply stating relevant facts. If, for example, you’re discussing why bats are a positive addition to your outdoor living space, you might include that they like to eat mosquitoes. Remember, you’ll need to choose only the most relevant information to make your point in the fewest possible sentences.
Quotations
Quotes are an effective way to prove a point in a very concise way. This is true whether you’re quoting a text you’re discussing, or quoting an expert or authoritative source on the subject.
An authoritative source is one that can be trusted because it is widely recognized in the field as authentic and/or expert.
Quotes taken from the text under discussion are effective because this is the primary source. Quoting the source directly is the best way to prove your point about a text.
Statistical Evidence
Statistical evidence is numerical data organized to show a trend or some information about a particular subject. This is great evidence because it usually represents large numbers of participants or objects; the larger the group, the more reliable the information. Some statistics you could use in a one paragraph essay are percentages or statistics.
The best places to get statistical data are from government organizations and other trusted sources in the field.
Examples of Relevant Details
Examples are the best way to support your main idea. You can use examples from the text you’re referencing, real life experiences, or anything else that will expand the main idea.
How To Identify The Main Idea And Supporting Details
Identifying the main idea and its supporting details improves your reading and understanding of a text and its topic. Once you’ve identified these elements, you can follow the author’s logic through their use of examples or other support.
Fig. 2 - Neoclassical pillars represent support for main idea.
Identifying the main idea and its supporting details improves your reading and understanding of a text and its topic. Once you’ve identified these elements, you can follow the author’s logic through their use of examples or other support.
One way to quickly recognize the main idea is to use these tips:
Scan the title of the text
Look for significance in the pictures included
Note words and phrases that are repeated often
Summarize the text in your own words (in a sentence, if possible)
Ask yourself - what is this text mostly about?
Relationship Between The Main Idea And Supporting Details
The supporting details are not the main idea, but are the pillars that hold up the main idea. These details are kind of like an extension of the main idea, and so can be confused with it sometimes.
Supporting details are meant to offer evidence of the accuracy or truth of the main idea. They offer more specific information about the topic.
The main idea in an article about global warming is, “Global warming is the long-term warming of Earth’s overall temperature and is the most pressing issue facing humanity today.” That is the concept that will be discussed in the body of the article. The following sentence is an example of a supporting detail for that main idea, “Fossil fuels are burned, which produce gasses that trap heat on the earth’s surface.”
The sentence about fossil fuels should not be confused with the main idea of the article. It is a single point that the author is using to explain the concept of global warming and its danger to humanity. It supports the idea that global warming is a danger to the planet, and humanity.
More Examples Of The Main Idea And Supporting Details
Below are a few examples of a main idea and its supporting details. Think about how these interact with one another as you read them.
Example 1
Main idea: People suffering from neuroticism experience anger, anxiety, self-consciousness, irritability and depression, but their complaints of further physical ailments have largely been discounted by physicians until recently.
Supporting detail a: Research now shows that neuroticism is linked to five physical ailments: arthritis, ulcers, asthma, heart disease, and headaches.
Supporting detail b: Similarly, there is evidence that people who display pessimistic behavior in their teens or twenties or more likely to become seriously ill or die in their forties.
Example 2
Main idea: Mental illness has been explained in many different ways over the course of the last several hundred years.
Supporting detail a: In ancient times, irrational behavior was thought to be the result of demons or evil spirits.
Supporting detail b: The Greeks believed irrational behavior was an imbalance of body fluids, called “humors,” or some organs being misplaced in the body.
Supporting detail c: After a resurgence in the belief of demons thanks to the highly superstitious Middle Ages, the last one hundred years have finally seen a true medical acceptance and explanation of mental illness.
Can you think of any more supporting details for the two examples above? Use these, or come up with some ideas of your own for more practice.
Support for Main Idea - Key Takeaways
- In a single-paragraph essay, the main idea is the writer’s position or principal concept they would like to express, and the supporting details are the means by which they develop and prove that idea.
- Single-paragraph essays demand a concise and to-the-point main idea and supporting details.
- The thesis statement contains the main idea, and should also refer to the support for the main idea.
- Support for the main idea are like pillars that hold up the main idea when it is scrutinized.
- Support for the main idea can be statistical data, quotes, facts and data, and examples of relevant information.
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