Main Idea
Author's Purpose
Paraphrasing
General Class Information
100

What is a main idea? 

The big point that an author wants the reader to take away from their work. 

100

What is an author's purpose? 

The reason the author created the text. 

100

What is the difference between quoting and paraphrasing? 

Quote = using an author's exact words 

Paraphrase = explaining the evidence in your own words 

100

How many units are there to complete in Investigative Writing? 

2

Expository Writing

Argument Writing

200

These are the facts, details, and pieces of information that support and develop a main idea. 

Supporting details 

200

Name three words that can describe an author's purpose 

inform, describe, explain, persuade, advise, compare

200

True or False: When you paraphrase a piece of evidence, you still need to cite it. 

True. 

You ALWAYS need to cite where you got information. 

200

True or false: All of your assignments can be found on Google Classroom. 

False. 

300

What are 3 criteria of a competent main idea?

Hint: There are more than 3...just name 3 of them! 

A comptent main idea: 

- Is a complete sentence. 

- Summarizes the big point. 

- Is declarative, not descriptive. 

- DOES NOT start with "how." 

- DOES NOT start with "The main idea is."

300

What is the purpose of an editorial? 

To persuade 

300

In the chat, paraphrase the following quote: 

“Rents in Boston are soaring — up nearly 55 percent since 2009. The average market rent for the inner Boston core is now more than $2,800” (Bologna).

Answers vary--check the chat! 

300

What date does Term 3 end? 

Friday, April 16

400

A __________ is the general subject a text is about. Police, housing, and income are all examples of this. 

topic 

400

Name a type of text whose primary purpose is to inform. 

newspaper, infographic, etc. 


400

In the chat, paraphrase the following quote: 

“Just 1 percent of Boston youth are gang-involved, but they have an outsized impact on our city. They commit 50 percent of the city’s homicides, which take place on just 5 percent of city street corners, where 70 percent of Boston’s violent crimes take place” (Chamberlain).

Answers vary--check the chat! 

400

How many benchmarks do you need to earn to finish Investigative Writing with a BC? 

13 

500

The following is a main idea sentence for Ibram X. Kendi's excerpt "How to be an Antiracist." Is it competent? 

The main idea of Dr. Kendi's excerpt is how policies can be either racist or antiracist. He wants us to know that policies help create racism. 

This is NOT competent because: 

- starts with "The main idea..." 

- uses "how" to start the main idea

- is 2 sentences 

500

Name a type of text whose primary purpose is to compare. 

product reviews, venn diagram, pro/con lists, etc. 

500

In the chat, paraphrase the following quote: 

"Police do fight crime, to be sure — but they are mainly called upon to be social workers, conflict mediators, traffic directors, mental health counselors, detailed report writers, neighborhood patrollers, and low-level law enforcers, sometimes all in the span of a single shift. In fact, the overwhelming majority of officers spend only a small fraction of their time responding to violent crime" (Karma).

Answers can vary--check chat! 

500

How many benchmarks are covered in Investigative Writing? 

18