SUPPORTINGDETAILS

Providingevidenceforyourcase.

WHATARESUPPORTINGDETAILS?
Supportingdetailsarespecificfacts,evidence,orideasusedtodevelop,expand,andsupportthemore
generalmainpointofaparagraph.Youshouldprovideenoughsupportingdetailinyourparagraphsso
thereadercaneasilyunderstandwhatyouaretryingtocommunicate.

WHYARESUPPORTINGDETAILSIMPORTANT?
Supportingdetailsareimportanttodevelopandsupportthemainideaoftheparagraph,makingyour
argumentstronger,moreinteresting,andeasiertounderstand.Supportingdetailswillpaintaclearerand
morecompletepictureofwhatitisyouaretryingtodescribeorexplaintothereader.

WHEREDOSUPPORTINGDETAILSFITIN?
Ingeneral,aparagraphstartswithamainideafollowedbysupportingdetailsthatmakeupthebodyof
theparagraph.Paragraphsshouldbestructuredinthefollowingway:
1) MainIdea(statesthemainpointoftheparagraph)
2) SupportingDetails(reasons/examplestosupportthemainidea)
3) ClosingSentence(restatesthemainpointoftheparagraph)
Thinkofaparagraphasahousethemainideaistheroof,thesupportingdetailsarethewallsthat
supporttheroof,andtheclosingsentenceisthefoundationofthehouse.

DIFFERENTTYPESOFDETAILS:
MAJOR(PRIMARY)DETAILS:Thesetypesofdetailsdirectlyexplainorsupportthemainideaof
theparagraph.
MINOR(SECONDARY)DETAILS:Thesetypesofdetailsexplainotherdetailsintheparagraph.
Example:
MainIdea: TherearethreereasonswhyMexicoisapopularvacationspot.
MajorDetail: First,theweatherisextremelywarm.
MinorDetail: ThisisattractivetovacationingCanadianslookingtoescapethesnow.
Letslookatsomesampleparagraphsandbreakthingsdown:
TheunderlinedsentenceistheMAINPOINToftheparagraph
TheboldedsentencesareMAJORSUPPORTINGDETAILS
TheitalicizedsentencesareMINORSUPPORTINGDETAILS
EXAMPLE1:
Therearemanyfactorsthatcontributetostudentsuccessincollege.Thefirstfactorforsuccessis
havingagoalinmindbeforeestablishingacourseofstudy.Thegoalmaybeasgeneralaswanting
tobettereducateoneselfforthefuture.Amorespecificgoalwouldbetoearnateachingcredential.
Asecondfactorrelatedtostudentsuccessisselfmotivationandcommitment.Astudentwho
wantstosucceedandworkstowardthatdesirewillfindsuccesseasilyasacollegestudent.Athird
factorlinkedtostudentsuccessisusingcollegeservices.Mostbeginningcollegestudentsfailto
realizehowimportantitcanbetoseeacounsellororconsultwithalibrarianorfinancialaidofficer.
EXAMPLE2:
There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world.
First,
Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access to
medical
services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard of
education.
Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged to continue
studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and efficiently

managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for people to live.
As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.
Reference:
http://faculty.riohondo.edu/dkaller/readingtips/majordet.htm
http://www2.actden.com/WRIT_DEN/tips/paragrap/support.htm
http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/fwalters/para.html

Developedby:TheCommunicationsCentre/ChristopherMarco/January2008