RECOGNIZING SUPPORTING DETAILS

Supporting details are those facts and ideas that prove or explain the main idea
of a paragraph. While all the details in a paragraph do support the main idea, not all
details are equally important. As you read, try to identify and pay attention to the
most important details. Pay less attention to details of lesser importance. The key
details directly explain the main idea. Other details may provide additional
information, offer an example, or further explain one of the key details

The following diagram shows how details relate to the main idea and how details
range in degree of importance. In the diagram, more important details are placed
toward the left; less important details are closer to the right.

Most importance – Least importance

MAIN IDEA

DETAIL

DETAIL

DETAIL

Read the following paragraph and study the diagram that follows:

The skin of human body has several functions. First, it serves as a

protective covering. In doing so, it accounts for 17 percents of the body weight. Skin
also protects the organs within the body from damage or harm. The skin serves as
regulator of body functions. It controls body temperature and water loss. Finally, the
skin serves as a receiver. It is sensitive to touch and temperature.
Skin Has Several Function

Protective Covering

17 percent of body weight

Protects organs

Regulates body function

Temperature

Water loss

Reciever

Touch

Temperature

From this diagram you can see that the details that state the three functions of skin are
the key details. Other details such as “protect organ” provide further information and
are at a lower level of importance.

Read this paragraph and try to pick out the more important details.
 Women and racial minorities have legal protection against job
discrimination. Two laws protect them: the Title VII Civil Rights Act and the
Equal Pay Act. Title VII prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion,
sex, or national origin. Employers are not allowed to question job applicants
about these topics. The Equal Pay Act basically says, “Equal pay for equal work.”
It guarantees that regardless of sex or race, employees doing the same job must
receive the same pay. If you encounter racial or sexual discrimination, you can
report it as a violation of federal law. The Equal Opportunity Commission will
handle your complaint and offer advice

The paragraph could be diagrammed as follows ( key details only ).

Woman and minorities have legal protection

Title VII Civil Rights Act

Equal Pay Act

Reporting through Equal Opportunity Commission

Exercise:

Direction: Read each of the following paragraphs and underline only the most
important details
1. In recent decades, cities have grown so large that now about 50% of the Earth’s
population lives in urban areas. There are several reasons for this occurrence. First,
the increasing industrialization of the nineteenth century resulted in the creation of
many factory jobs, which tended to be located in cities. These jobs, with their
promise of a better material, attracted many people from rural areas. Second, there
were many schools established to educate the children of the new factory laborers.
The promise of a better education persuaded many families to leave farming
 communities and move to the cities. Finally, as the cities grew, people established
places of leisure, entertainment, and culture, such as sports stadium, theaters, and
museums. For many people, these facilities made city life appear more interesting
than life on the farm, and therefore drew them away from rural communities.

2. There are many different ways to make a friend. One way to make a friend is to be a
friend. If someone needs you, be there. Second, remember that everyone is a
different person. Respect the way other people are, and get to know them. They will
respect you, and want to get to know you too. Another thing you can do is always to
be kind to everyone. You’d be surprised now how many great friends are waiting for
you.

3. Men can be categorized by the way they treat women while dating into three groups:
a social addict, a content lover, or a keeper. The first type, a social addict, is the type
of man who is constantly late and everything is on his time. Social addicts are
particularly self-absorbed. For your birthday this type of dater will give you a gift
such as a necklace, so that everybody can notice it. When it comes down to emotions
and feelings, a social addict will say whatever he assume you want to hear at any
given moment. The second type of dater, a content lover, is a guy who will come and
go as he pleases. These men just seem to be in attendance but not involved. When
he is with you, he will not open up and share his thoughts. A content lover will forget
your birthday all together. Lastly there is keeper who will not keep you waiting; in
fact, he always plans ahead and involves you in the decision making. To them, your
birthday is tremendously important. They will give you time for your friends and
family; in addition, they always make unique plans for the two of you later that
evening. Unlike the other types of dater, the keeper will attempt to be 100% in touch
with their feelings towards you and are willing to talk about them. Men’s dating styles
differ; nonetheless, it all comes down to what behavior you are in the mood for.

4. There are three different types of rock music, alternative rock, classic rock, and hard
rock, also known as metal. Alternative rock features a steady bass drum laying down
 the beat, with easy flowing guitar riffs over the top. The bass line is toned town, and
the lyrics are sung with intensity an authority. Depending on the song, the guitars
can either be acoustic guitars or electric guitars. Classic rock combines a steady
driving bass drum sound, with high snare overtones, steady and often repeating
guitar riffs, and an intensive bass line. The guitars are more often than not all electric
guitars, and distortion is rarely used. The lyrics are sung with style an enthusiasm.
Hard rock, metal, feature a hard rolling bass drum with an abundant amount of
cymbal work. This style of rock uses several electric guitars with heavy distortion to
bring a very intense sound. A hard, intense, driving bass line rounds out the style.
The lyrics aren’t really sung so of rock music is unique on its own.

5. Even in today’s scientific age superstition is still widespread. Many tall buildings, for
example, do not have a floor numbered thirteen, because tenants consider this
number unlucky and will not rent apartments or offices on this floor. Like ancient
man, some people still carry good luck charms such as rabbit’s feet to protect them
from misfortune. Many people still shudder when a black cat crosses their path or are
absolutely terrified about opening an umbrella inside the house.

G. TRANSITIONS

Transitions are linking words or phrases that a writer uses to lead the reader
from one idea to another. If you get in the habit of recognizing transitions, you will see
that they often guide you through a paragraph, enabling you to read it more easily. In
the following paragraph, notice how the underlined transitions lead you from one
important detail to the next.

The principle of rhythm and line also contributes to the overall unity of the
landscape design. This principle is responsible for the sense of continuity
between different areas of the landscape. One way in which this continuity can
be developed is by extending planting beds from one area to another. For
example, shrub beds developed around the entrance to the house can be
continued around the sides and into the backyard. Such an arrangement helps to
 the front and rear areas of the property together. Another means by which
rhythm is given to a design is to repeat shapes, angles, or lines between various
areas and elements of the design.

Not all paragraphs contain such obvious transitions, and not all transitions serve as such
clear markers of major details. Transitions may be used to alert you to what will come
next in the paragraph. If you see the phrase for instance at the beginning of a
sentence, then you know that an example will follow. When you see the phrase on the
other hand, you can predict that a different, opposing idea will follow. The following
table lists some of the most common transitions used within a paragraph and indicates
what they tell you.

Types of Transition Example What They Tell the Reader

Time - Sequence first, later, next, finally The author is arranging ideas in
the order in which they happened

Example for example, for instance, An example will follow

to illustrate, such as

first, second, third, last, The author is marking for

Enumeration
another, next identifying each major point
(sometimes these may be used to
suggest order of importance)

also, in addition, and, The author is continuing with the

Continuation
further, another same idea and is going to provide
additional information
 on the other hand, in The author is switching to a
Contrast
contrast, however different, opposite, or contrasting
idea than previously discussed

Comparison like, likewise, similarity The writer will show how the
previous idea is similar to what
follows

Cause-Effect because, thus, therefore, The writer will show a connection

since, consequently between two or more things, how
one thing caused another, or how
something happened as a result
of something else.

SUMMARY

A paragraph is a group of related sentences about a single topic. It has four

essential parts.

1. Topic : the one thing the entire paragraph is about

2. Main idea: the most important idea the writer wants the reader to know about the
topic.

3. Details: facts and ideas that prove or explain the main idea.

4. Transitions: words and phrases that lead the reader from one idea to another.

A paragraph, then, provides explanation and support for a main idea about a
particular topic. The sentence that expresses this main idea is called the topic sentence.
A topic sentence may be located anywhere in a paragraph, but the most common
positions are first, last, in the middle, or both first and last.