Topic Versus Central Idea

Distinguish what a text is about from the point the author makes about it.

The topic of a text is its subject, usually a word or phrase: 'honeybees,' 'school start times. ' The central idea is the most important point the author makes about that topic, stated as a full sentence. Many texts can share a topic but have different central ideas. Imagine three articles on honeybees. One argues that honeybees are essential to the food supply. Another explains how bees communicate through a 'waggle dance. ' A third describes how cities are building rooftop hives.

Same topic, three different central ideas. To move from topic to central idea, ask: What is the author saying about this topic? What does every section help to show? Test your answer: if a detail from the text doesn't fit your central idea, your idea may be too narrow. If your idea could describe almost any article on the subject, it's too broad. The central idea should be specific enough to belong only to this text.

• 1Topic: a word or phrase naming the subject
• 2Central idea: a full sentence stating the author's main point
• 3Many texts share a topic but differ in central idea