1. The Main Idea HESI MTM

The Main Idea

The main idea of a text describes the text’s main topic and the author’s perspective on that topic. On the HESI, you will be asked to identify the topic and main idea of a text, and you may have to use this information to concisely summarize a passage.

To determine the topic, ask yourself what you’re reading about. To determine the main idea, ask yourself how the author feels about that topic.

To find the main idea, first identify the topic, which is simply what the passage is about. The topic sentence is generally the first sentence, or very near the first sentence, in the paragraph. It introduces the reader to the topic by making a general statement about that topic so that the reader knows what to expect in the rest of the passage. Once you’ve identified the topic, use the text to figure out what the author wants to say about that topic.

As you read the following passage, think about the topic and what the author wants to communicate about that topic.

Swimmers and beachgoers may look nervously for the telltale fin skimming the surface of the ocean, but the reality is that shark bites are extremely rare and almost never unprovoked. Sharks attack people at very predictable times and for very predictable reasons: rough surf, poor visibility, or a swimmer sending visual and physical signals that mimic a shark’s normal prey are just a few examples. The “shark mania” of recent years can be largely pinned on the sensationalistic media surrounding the animals. The release of Jaws in 1975 to the ultra-hyped shark feeding frenzies and “worst shark attacks” countdowns known as Shark Week are just some examples. Popular culture both demonizes and fetishizes sharks until the public cannot get enough.

The topic of the passage is the single thing that is discussed throughout the passage: the danger of sharks. To identify the main idea of the passage, ask yourself what the author wants to say about this topic. What does she want the reader to think about the danger of sharks after reading this passage? It’s clear from the author’s opening sentence that she wants the reader to understand that shark attacks are not nearly as common or dangerous as popular culture makes them seem. The author includes details about the reasons shark bites happen in the real world, then explains how this danger is exaggerated in movies and on TV.