Hovedtanken

Hovedtanken is a Norwegian term that refers to the main idea or central concept in a text, speech, or argument. It denotes the primary point that the author or speaker intends to communicate, around which supporting details are organized. The concept is widely used in education, rhetoric, and writing guidance to help students and writers achieve clarity and coherence.

In practice, hovedtanken serves as a guiding statement for structure. Writers are often encouraged to identify the hovedtanken early, sometimes in a topic sentence, and to ensure that subsequent sentences and paragraphs directly support or illustrate this central idea. Distinguishing the hovedtanken from subsidiary points helps readers follow the argument and assess its focus and relevance.

Variants and related notions include hovedpoeng or sentralt budskap, which can refer to the main point in a broader context such as a speech, article, or message. The concept is also used in language manuals and examinations as a criterion for evaluating coherence, focus, and logical progression.

Etymology-wise, hovedtanken combines hoved (main) and tanken (the thought or idea). As a pedagogical and linguistic concept, it emphasizes clarity of purpose and unity of argument, rather than a specific text or source. See also: topic sentence, thesis, main idea. The article describes a general linguistic and instructional concept rather than a particular organization or publication named Hovedtanken.