Supporting Details
Learning Objective: - Identify supporting details in a reading.
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LESSON
In this lesson, you will learn how to identify the supporting detailsStatements within a reading that tie directly to major details that support the main idea. These can be provided in examples, statistics, anecdotes, definitions, descriptions, or comparisons within the work. of a readingA piece of writing to be read. A reading can either be a full work (i.e., a book) or partial (i.e., a passage).. Writers use supporting details to give readers more information about their topicsThe subject of a reading. and main ideasThe most important or central thought of a reading selection. It also includes what the author wants the reader to understand about the topic he or she has chosen to write about.. Supporting details help readers answer questions they have about the topic or main idea. A writer may use examples, statistics, anecdotesA brief, interesting story that writers often use to demonstrate a point within a work. (short, interesting stories), definitions, comparisons, or other forms of support to explain a reading's topic or main idea. There are two types of supporting details: major and minor. Major supporting detailsStatements within a reading that tie directly to the work's main idea. These can be provided in examples, statistics, anecdotes, definitions, descriptions, or comparisons within the work. are directly tied to the main idea. Minor supporting detailsSmaller statements within a reading that tie directly to major details. are directly tied to major details.
For example, if you are reading about tornadoes (the main idea), a major detail might be that certain locations on the planet help create tornadoes, and a minor detail would be that "tornado alley," found on the plains of the United States, is where the most tornadoes form.
Supporting Details Process
Use a three-step process to identify supporting details.
Step 1: Identify the topic. To identify the topic of a reading, ask yourself, "What is this about?" The answer provides the topic of the reading. It does not need to be a complete sentence, and it is usually no longer than two or three words.
Step 2: Identify what the author is saying about the topic. To identify what the author is saying about the topic, ask yourself, "What does the author want me to know about the topic?" Again, this does not need to be a sentence and is generally five to seven words long.
Step 3: Identify details that support or explain the main idea. To find the main idea, first take your answer from Step 1, add it to your answer from Step 2, and then find a phraseA set of words that express an idea. A phrase may or may not form a complete sentence. or sentence in the first part of the reading that most closely matches your answers. This will be the main idea of the reading. To identify major supporting details that support that main idea, ask yourself, "What else in the reading helps me to understand the author’s main idea?" To identify minor supporting details, ask of each major detail, "What else in the paragraph helps me to understand this major supporting detail?" Be aware that not all major details require further explanation, so they will not all have minor details supporting them.
+ PRACTICAL APPLICATIONLearning how to identify supporting details will enable you to more easily uncover the main idea of a text, be it a reading or an advertisement on television. This will help you understand exactly what the author or advertiser is trying to say.
+ EXAMPLERead the following passageA short portion of a writing taken from a larger source, such as a book, article, speech, or poem. and see how the Supporting Details Process identifies the supporting details.
Finding meaningful work requires a thorough job search. There are three main ways to search for such a job. In today's technological world, most people start their job search on the Internet. Many websites are available with job postings, descriptions, and contact information for job seekers. Another way to find a job is to talk to people in the field of interest. This allows a job seeker to ask questions, gain information, and discuss opportunities. Finally, a person looking for a meaningful job might first take an internship or apprenticeship in the field in which they are interested. This allows job seekers to get hands-on experience. By searching the Internet, talking to people in the field, or taking an internship, job seekers can find meaningful, fulfilling work.
Step 1: Identify the topic.
Job searching
Step 2: Identify what the author is saying about the topic.
The author wants me to know about ways to search for a meaningful job.
Step 3: Identify details that support or explain the main idea.
Combining Step 1 with Step 2 and looking back to the reading provides the main idea: There are three main ways to search for a meaningful job.
This main idea statement generates the question: What are the three ways to search for a job? The answers to the question provide the supporting details of the paragraph.
Major Detail: Job search on the Internet
Minor Detail: Many websites with job postings, descriptions, and contact information
Major Detail: Talk to people in the field of interest
Minor Detail: Ask questions, gain information, and discuss opportunities
Major Detail: Take an internship or apprenticeship
Minor Detail: Get hands-on experience
+ YOUR TURNRead the following paragraph and use the Supporting Details Process to identify the major and minor supporting details of the paragraph.
Deciding to go to college is a big step for most people. One of the most important decisions to consider is choosing between an online education and a traditional education. An online education happens wherever the student has Internet access, offers a flexible arrangement that can fit with work schedules, and often allows students to work at their own pace. A major disadvantage is that it requires access to technology and a reliable Internet connection. A traditional, classroom-based education provides students face-to-face access to their instructor, the ability to work with peers, and a structured class meeting schedule. Of course, it also requires specific time out of every week, which can be difficult for people with a varied work schedule. It is important for students to consider all aspects of both types of education and how each fits their personality and educational needs before deciding which format is best for them.
Step 1: Identify the topic.
What is the topic?
online education vs. traditional education
Step 2: Identify what the author is saying about the topic.
What does the author want you to know about this topic?
The author wants me to know about the differences between online education and traditional education.
Step 3: Identify details that support or explain the main idea.
What is the main idea of the reading?
There are important decisions to consider when choosing between an online education and a traditional education.
What are the major and minor details that support the main idea?
Major Detail: An online education happens wherever a student has Internet access, offers a flexible arrangement that can fit with work schedules, and often allows students to work at their own pace.
Minor Detail: It requires access to technology and a reliable Internet connection.
Major Detail: A traditional education offers students face-to-face access to their instructor, the ability to work with peers, and a structured class meeting schedule.
Minor Detail: It requires specific time out of every week.
+ METACOGNITIVE QUESTIONSNow that you can identify supporting details in a reading, how will understanding major and minor details help with your writing?
Knowing about major and minor details will help me organize my writing so that minor details are linked to the major details and the major details are linked to the main idea.
What type of advertisements on television try to get you to ignore the major and minor details of the ad?
Car commercials always talk quickly through the details of their offers, making them seem like much better deals than they actually are.
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