Different Kinds of Supporting Details Facts and Statistics

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

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

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

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

What’s 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.

The 5 Types of Supporting Details 1. Facts and Statistics 2. Sensory Details 3. Examples 4. Anecdotes (personal experiences and observations) 5. Reasons

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.

Sensory 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

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.

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.

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 couldn’t 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.

Examples of Supporting Details

What kind of supporting detail is being used? Annie Oakley toured the country as a sharpshooting sensation. She could shoot a dime out of her husband’s 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?

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?

What kind of supporting detail is being used? • In the late 1880’s, 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?

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?

What kind of supporting detail is being used? • Mark Twain was one of America’s 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?