We saw that writers put ideas in paragraphs.
We then look for
patterns of information in the paragraph
to understand the idea.
Yeah... it sounds easy, doesn't it?...
But how many times do we get
to the end of a paragraph
and still don't know what the main idea is?!
It's very frustrating!
Hey... stick around and let's look at
how you can use the details in the paragraph
to understand the main idea
much faster.
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[snap]
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Hi! Welcome back to Snap Language.
Marc Franco here.
Main ideas and supporting details...
[sigh] When we read in "real life,"
those can be a problem...
Maybe we're focusing
on the wrong thing...
So, why don't we
try something different?
If we understand the writing process
and understand the paragraph first,
we'll know what to look for when we read.
Let's see what I'd do as a writer.
In a very simplified way,
the writing process goes like this:
I have a topic and an idea
about that topic.
(That's the main idea I want to
communicate to you, the reader.)
I encode the idea, which means
I organize into a paragraph
the thoughts that, together,
convey that idea to you.
Those are the details that support
my main thought or my main idea.
I have an idea here.
The topic is "public health."
Many people confuse public health
and clinical medicine.
So, my idea is to explain
what public health is
by comparing it with clinical medicine.
Okay, what I need now are details
that support the idea that
public health is different from clinical medicine.
One major detail is that public health
focuses on the community, but
clinical medicine focuses on the person.
The other major difference is
public health tries to
prevent illnesses, but
clinical medicine treats people
who are already sick.
Now I have all the ingredients for my paragraph.
When you put these ideas together,
they'll support the idea that
there are two main differences
between public health and clinical medicine.
[Clinical medicine is concerned with
treating a person who has become ill.]
But... this is about clinical medicine!
What about public health!?
[Public health, on the other hand, is concerned with protecting
and improving
the health of an entire community.]
Oh, okay.
Here's some information about
clinical medicine first;
"on the other hand" is
a transition that shows
how that information contrasts with public health.
But there's more...
[Moreover, because public health treats the community
before people get ill, it is preventive.]
Great! Public health is preventive.
From that, you infer clinical medicine is not...
it treats people after they get sick.
You know that a good writer
organizes an idea into a paragraph.
So, when you read,
look for that organization, and
let the details guide you.
In another video, we learned that
a paragraph always has a main idea,
but it may or may not be stated
in a main idea sentence.
Mmm... I don't see one here.
But what's implied here is that
[Public health differs from
clinical medicine in two main ways.]
Oh... now, there it is!
Now we have a main idea sentence!
(Even though you didn't really need one
because the paragraph
was clear enough.)
How about this one?
[These are the two main differences
between public health
and clinical medicine.]
Yes! That works, too!
But wait a minute!...
I still have to re-read paragraphs
all the time
to see these patterns of information.
How do you stop that from happening?
Rereading is part of the reading process.
You can make it easier
on yourself if you focus
on understanding what you're reading.
Let the details guide you and,
eventually, the main idea that
the writer wants you to understand
just... clicks.
It also takes practice.
The more you read,
the more fluent your reading becomes,
and the better you become at finding these patterns.
Then, you don't have to reread as often.
Speaking of practice,
look at this paragraph.
[Type 2 diabetes is the most common
form of this illness.
In Type 2 diabetes,
the body cannot produce
or use insulin effectively.
The risk of Type 2 diabetes
increases with age.
Genetics and lifestyle also play a role.
However, the exact causes of
Type 2 diabetes are not
fully understood.]
Examine the details
in this paragraph.
The details support a main idea.
What is this main idea?
Pause the video and think about it...
This first sentence tells you that
Type 2 diabetes is the most common.
Is the paragraph about how common it is?
Not really.
You see in the next sentence
that the author explains
what causes this type of diabetes.
The next two sentences explain
two other causes.
Finally, the writer explains that
the exact causes
are not fully understood.
Well, do you see the pattern?
Cause...
cause...
cause......
The details tell you
the main message from the writer is that
Type 2 diabetes has
several possible causes.
In fact, that could be stated
right...
here...
So, when you read,
don't forget that
reading is about
understanding what the writer
wants you to understand.
The writer has an idea.
The writer encodes that idea in writing.
You decode the message
so the idea is transferred
from the writer's head...
into your head.
Is that cool or what?
When you read to understand the content,
look at the details the author used.
Look at how the ideas are organized
in the paragraph.
Look for patterns of information.
What do the ideas have in common?
What is the idea that the author is
supporting with those details?
Using the details, the idea will
eventually pop out of the page.
That means you understand what
you're reading.
Focus on understanding
and learning the content
as opposed to
"finding that one
main idea sentence" in the paragraph
that may not even be there...
The most important thing is to
understand the message...
Do you read to learn the content?
Why do you think sometimes
we get so focused on
things that don't matter?
Do you build a mental picture of
the ideas the writer expresses?
This takes practice,
so get out there and
read a lot!
Read different subjects...
read different types of publications.
Notice how you're reading...
and maybe try a different approach...
And please support Snap Language.
Like this video...
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And until the next time,
thanks for stopping by
and watching this video.
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