Why? Because identifying an author's supporting points will allow you to more swiftly and accurately separate the major ideas from the minor ideas in a document. Consequently, it will save you time in reading your books, articles, Web sites, etc. Looking at other authors' ideas will probably also stimulate you to think of ideas to add to your List of Main Points, as well as to locate useful evidence to record for your own paper (see "Recording Relevant and Credible Information").

For example, you may recall the student who went searching in Phase 4 for an article related to the following research question: "Why do communities permit violent gangs to inhabit their neighborhoods?" She located the article by Ruth Horowitz entitled, "Community Tolerance of Gang Violence," published in the journal Social Problems in 1987. After skimming the article to identify the author's thesis, she found it highly relevant to her question. In fact, it was Horowitz's article that first introduced her to the idea of "tolerance" of gang violence by community and family members. After analyzing the source, the student determined the source was also highly credible. By that point, the student had developed her own thesis statement, greatly narrowed from her question and "inspired" by Horowitz's article.

Now, in developing main points in support of her thesis, the student turns to Horowitz's article to see how the author has developed her thesis. First, here is Horowitz's thesis:

[C]ommunity members are generally able to tolerate [violent gang] conduct that outsiders condemn as senseless acts of violence.

Horowitz's article contains several main points in support of the thesis. You may skim a section of the article along with the student, this time examining one of Horowitz's main points in support of the thesis, as well as Horowitz's subpoints, and evidence. Explore the article by selecting each link below.

Identifying an Author's Main Points

A "main point" in an argumentative paper is a reason that supports the author's thesis. (Not all sources are argumentative, of course, so some "main points" may simply be the major subdivisions of the document.) "Main points" may range in length from one paragraph to several paragraphs.

In most books, articles, Web sites, etc., you will find the main points in the "body" of the document. These pages are often marked by subheadings that clearly indicate the major subdivisions of the article. Look at the following subheading in Horowitz's article: "The Family: Negative Toleration." This subheading marks the beginning of one of Horowitz's points--that it requires much effort on the part of both parents and gang members to win parents' tolerance of their children's involvement in gang violence. This point is fully stated in the first sentence of the section.

Identifying an Author's Subpoints

A subpoint in an argumentative paper is another statement that helps explain the main point. Look for subpoints immediately after a main point. Many subpoints may be required to explain a main point, as in Horowitz's article.

Identifying an Author's Evidence

Evidence consists of facts, statistics, examples, quotations, summaries, etc. that an author uses to support his or her subpoints. Look for evidence immediately after a subpoint. In a paragraph containing several subpoints, the evidence will be sandwiched between subpoints, as it usually is in Horowitz's article. NOTE: Not all subpoints need to be supported by evidence.

How can the student use Horowitz's article help generate her own List of Main Points? After all, it's true that Horowitz's thesis is NOT the student's thesis. Consequently, most of Horowitz's main points will NOT directly relate to the student's main points. However, the student is in luck, because in exploring Horowitz's main point, "The Family: Negative Toleration" (the main point you just examined), she has been inspired to think of another main point of her own. To support her thesis, "Parents should not tolerate their children's involvement in violent gangs," the student will now argue, "By tolerating their children's involvement in violent gangs, parents are exposing their children to serious bodily harm and possible death."