Different Kinds of Supporting Details

1
Different Kinds of Supporting Details
Facts and Statistics
Sensory Details
Reasons
Supporting Details
Anecdotes
Examples
2
Review

• Topic what a piece of nonfiction writing is
  about the subject matter
• Main idea the most important idea in a paragraph
• Topic sentence a sentence that states the main
  idea of a paragraph

3
Supporting Detail

• Words, phrases, or sentences that tell more about
  the main idea or the topic sentence

4
Who are you talking to?

• When you write, you have a specific audience in
  mind.
• So you want to use certain types of supporting
  details that speak to this audience.
• Think about
• who is reading your work
• what you want them to know and understand

5
Whats your point?
Each time you write, you are writing for a
specific reason. You have ideas you want to
convey through your writing.

• You may be
• making an argument for or against something
• comparing/contrasting two or more things
• trying to persuade or move someone to action
• helping someone learn about something

There are several types of supporting details you
can use to accomplish any of these goals.
6
The 5 Types of Supporting Details

• Facts and Statistics
• 2. Sensory Details
• 3. Examples
• 4. Anecdotes (personal experiences and
  observations)
• Reasons

7
Facts and Statistics

• Facts are statements from reliable sources about
  real things.

• Example Your topic sentence claims that
  cheetahs are the fastest animals on land.
• Fact Cheetahs have a sprinting speed of up to
  71 mph.
• Fact Loose hip and shoulder joints help the
  cheetah extend its reach
• while running, enabling short bursts of high
  speed.
• Statistics are facts expressed in numbers
• Example Your topic sentence claims that the
  Chinese are big users of the Internet.
• Statistic A study in 2010 counted Chinese users
  at over 440 million, second only to English users
  who number about 537 million.

8
Sensory Details

• Details that appeal to one or more of the five
  senses

Upon entering the grocery store, I headed
directly for the flower department, where I
spotted yellow tulips. As I tenderly rested the
tulips in my rusty shopping cart, I caught a
whiff of minty dried eucalyptus, so I added the
fragrant forest green bouquet of eucalyptus to my
cart.
sight, sound, taste, smell, touch
9
Examples

• Examples are ways of illustrating your point so
  that it is better understood.

Your topic sentence claims that exponential
growth can lead to astronomical numbers very
quickly. Example If you put a grain of rice on
one square of a chessboard, then for every square
beyond it you got double the amount you had from
the square before, you would end up with a pile
of rice larger than Mt. Everest. Example Some
previously unknown Youtube videos get thousands
of hits after a week on the Internet, because
Facebook users can post a link for hundreds of
friends to see, who can each share it with their
hundreds of friends.
10
Reasons

• Details that tell why an opinion is valid or an
  event occurs
• 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.

11
Anecdotes/Personal Observations and Experiences
Brief stories about a character or an event

• Personal experience When I was single I would
  frown at mothers who couldnt control their
  screaming youngsters at a mall now, I smile and
  nod to let them know I feel their pain.
• Observation I saw a father pushing twins in a
  stroller who was obviously in a hurry, but he
  stopped in front of a store to allow a woman with
  her child to go in ahead of him.

12
Examples of Supporting Details
13
What kind of supporting detail is being used?

• Annie Oakley toured the country as a
  sharp-shooting sensation. She could shoot a dime
  out of her husbands hand. Sometimes, with her
  back to the target and her gun over her shoulder,
  she used a mirror to aim.

• Example?
• Sensory details?
• Facts and statistics?
• Reasons?
• Anecdote?

14
What kind of supporting detail is being used?

• Heads of true Bibb lettuce are exquisitely small.
  The vivid green and yellow leaves are beautiful.
  Bibb crunchiness gently complements its subtle
  flavor. More than any other salad green, Bibb
  lettuce will refresh, beautify, and add texture
  to your menu.

• Example?
• Sensory details?
• Facts and statistics?
• Reasons?
• Anecdotes?

15
What kind of supporting detail is being used?

• In the late 1880s, Alexandre-Gustav Eiffel
  methodically built the Eiffel Tower. The French
  designer created 5,300 drawings to show his plan.
  Then he forged more than 18,000 wrought-iron
  components work crews used 2.5 million rivets to
  fasten them.

• Example?
• Sensory details?
• Facts and statistics?
• Reasons?
• Anecdotes?

16
What kind of supporting detail is being used?

• Although an American ideal, a lush green lawn is
  energy-intensive, wasteful, and non-productive.
  Fertilizers and pesticides pollute groundwater.
  Lawn owners exterminate insects and rodents that
  play a role in the balance of nature. Constant
  watering is another strain on resources.

• Example?
• Sensory details?
• Facts and statistics?
• Reasons?
• Anecdotes?

17
What kind of supporting detail is being used?

• Mark Twain was one of Americas funniest writers.
  One day he visited a barbershop. The barber
  said that Mark Twain would be performing in town
  that night. Twain, not letting on who he was,
  asked if tickets were available. The barber said
  only standing room was left. Just my luck,
  sighed Twain. I always have to stand whenever
  that fellow gives a lecture

• Example?
• Sensory details?
• Facts and statistics?
• Reasons?
• Anecdotes?