TEN STEPS TO ADVANCED READING John Langan 2009

TEN STEPS TO ADVANCED READING John Langan © 2009 Townsend Press

Chapter Two: Supporting Details In the cartoon, the man who is being evaluated at heaven’s gate admits that “I never prayed a day in my life. ” This is strong support for the main idea—”It was not going well. ”

WHAT ARE SUPPORTING DETAILS? Supporting details are reasons, examples, facts, steps, or other kinds of evidence that explain a main idea.

WHAT ARE SUPPORTING DETAILS? Eight million more women than men are of voting age, and more women than men vote in U. S. national elections. However, men greatly outnumber women in political office. Since 1789, over 1, 800 men have served in the U. S. Senate, but only 13 women have served. Women are underrepresented in U. S. politics for a number of reasons. First, women are still underrepresented in law and business, the careers from which most politicians emerge. In addition, most women find that the irregular hours kept by those who run for office are incompatible with their role as mother. Fathers, in contrast, whose ordinary roles are more likely to take them away from home, are less likely to feel this conflict. Last, preferring to hold on to their positions of power, men have been reluctant to incorporate women into centers of decision-making or to present them as viable candidates. What are three major details that should be added to complete the basic outline of the paragraph? Main idea: Women are underrepresented in U. S. politics. Supporting detail: 1. Supporting detail: 2. Supporting detail: 3.

WHAT ARE SUPPORTING DETAILS? Eight million more women than men are of voting age, and more women than men vote in U. S. national elections. However, men greatly outnumber women in political office. Since 1789, over 1, 800 men have served in the U. S. Senate, but only 13 women have served. Women are underrepresented in U. S. politics for a number of reasons. [ main idea] First, women are still underrepresented in law and business, the careers from which most politicians emerge. [ supporting detail] In addition, most women find that the irregular hours kept by those who run for office are incompatible with their role as mother. [ supporting detail] Fathers, in contrast, whose ordinary roles are more likely to take them away from home, are less likely to feel this conflict. Last, preferring to hold on to their positions of power, men have been reluctant to incorporate women into centers of decision-making or to present them as viable candidates. [ supporting detail] The three reasons given help you fully understand the main idea. Main idea: Women are underrepresented in U. S. politics. Supporting detail: 1. Women are still underrepresented in law and business, the usual starting places for politicians. Supporting detail: 2. A politician’s hours are incompatible with a mother’s role. Supporting detail: 3. Men have been reluctant to give women power.

WHAT ARE SUPPORTING DETAILS? In the paragraph about women being underrepresented in U. S. politics, the supporting details are reasons. • Page 65 in the textbook shows you a paragraph in which the supporting details are facts. • Pages 65 and 66 show you a paragraph in which the supporting details are in the form of an extended example.

OUTLINING Outlines start with the main idea, followed by supporting details. • Major details explain and develop the main idea. • Minor details help fill out the major details and make them clear. Outlining is a useful note-taking strategy.

OUTLINING Social psychologists have found that almost everyone gossips. Male or female, young or old, blue-collar or professional, humans love to talk about one another. All too often, such gossip is viewed as a frivolous waste of time. However, it actually serves several important functions in the human community. For one thing, gossip is a form of networking. Talking with our friends and coworkers about each other is our most effective means of keeping track of the ever-changing social dynamic. It tells us who is in, who is out, and who can help us climb the social or professional ladder. A second function of gossip is the building of influence. When we engage in gossip, we are able to shape people’s opinions of ourselves. We tell stories that show ourselves in a good light—wise, compassionate, insightful, clever. Above is part of the paragraph from Chapter 1 on gossip. Reread it and pick out the two major supporting details.

OUTLINING What information is needed to complete the outline of this passage? Social psychologists have found that almost everyone gossips. Male or female, young or old, blue-collar or professional, humans love to talk about one another. All too often, such gossip is viewed as a frivolous waste of time. However, it actually serves several important functions in the human community. [ main idea] For one thing, gossip is a form of networking. [ major supporting detail] Talking with our friends and coworkers about each other is our most effective means of keeping track of the ever-changing social dynamic. It tells us who is in, who is out, and who can help us climb the social or professional ladder. A second function of gossip is the building of influence. [ major supporting detail] When we engage in gossip, we are able to shape people’s opinions of ourselves. We tell stories that show ourselves in a good light—wise, compassionate, insightful, clever. Main idea: Gossip serves several important functions in the human community. Major detail: 1. Minor details: Gossiping is the best way to know who’s out, who’s in, and who can help us socially or professionally. Major detail: 2. Minor details:

OUTLINING Social psychologists have found that almost everyone gossips. Male or female, young or old, blue-collar or professional, humans love to talk about one another. All too often, such gossip is viewed as a frivolous waste of time. However, it actually serves several important functions in the human community. [ main idea] For one thing, gossip is a form of networking. [ major supporting detail] Talking with our friends and coworkers about each other is our most effective means of keeping track of the ever-changing social dynamic. It tells us who is in, who is out, and who can help us climb the social or professional ladder. A second function of gossip is the building of influence. [ major supporting detail] When we engage in gossip, we are able to shape people’s opinions of ourselves. We tell stories that show ourselves in a good light—wise, compassionate, insightful, clever. Main idea: Gossip serves several important functions in the human community. Major detail: 1. Form of networking Minor details: Gossiping is the best way to know who’s out, who’s in, and who can help us socially or professionally. Major detail: 2. Building of influence Minor details: By gossiping we can impress others as clever and compassionate.

OUTLINING Outlining Tips Tip 1 Look for words that tell you a list of details is coming. List Words several kinds of a number of four steps various causes a series of among the results a few reasons three factors several advantages Examples • However, it [gossip] actually serves several important functions in the human community. • Women are underrepresented in U. S. politics for a number of reasons.

OUTLINING Outlining Tips Tip 2 Look for words that signal major details. Such words are called addition words. Addition Words one first (of all) second(ly) third(ly) to begin with for one thing other another also in addition next moreover furthermore last (of all) final(ly) Examples Social psychologists have found that almost everyone gossips. Male or female, young or old, blue-collar or professional, humans love to talk about one another. All too often, such gossip is viewed as a frivolous waste of time. However, it actually serves several important functions [ list words] in the human community. [addition words ] For one thing, gossip is a form of networking. Talking with our friends and coworkers about each other is our most effective means of keeping track of the ever-changing social dynamic. It tells us who is in, who is out, and who can help us climb the social or professional ladder. A [addition word ] second function of gossip is the building of influence.

OUTLINING Outlining Tips Tip 3 In your outline, put all supporting details of equal importance at the same distance from the margin. Example Main idea 1. Major detail a. Minor detail b. Minor detail 2. Major detail a. Minor detail b. Minor detail c. Minor detail 3. Major detail a. Minor detail b. Minor detail

MAPPING Maps, or diagrams, are visual outlines in which circles, boxes, or other shapes show the relationship between main ideas and supporting details. Mapping, like outlining, is a useful note-taking strategy.

MAPPING Below is a map of part of the paragraph on gossip. Social psychologists have found that almost everyone gossips. Male or female, young or old, blue-collar or professional, humans love to talk about one another. All too often, such gossip is viewed as a frivolous waste of time. However, it actually serves several important functions in the human community. [ main idea] For one thing, gossip is a form of networking. [ major supporting detail] Talking with our friends and coworkers about each other is our most effective means of keeping track of the ever-changing social dynamic. It tells us who is in, who is out, and who can help us climb the social or professional ladder. A second function of gossip is the building of influence. [ major supporting detail] When we engage in gossip, we are able to shape people’s opinions of ourselves. We tell stories that show ourselves in a good light—wise, compassionate, insightful, clever. Gossip serves in Certain basic several fears areimportant part of ourfunctions lives. the human community Form of networking Building of influence Gossiping is the best way to know who’s out, who’s in, and who can help us socially or professionally. By gossiping we can impress others as clever and compassionate.

MAPPING Read the following paragraph. Notice the list words and the addition words that signal the four major details. With the possible exception of very small, isolated, primitive groups, every human society has had some sort of class system. In ancient Rome, there were four major social classes. To begin with, at the top of the heap were the aristocrats, called “patricians. ” This term derived from the word for father—pater—and is still sometimes used today; it also survives in the name Patricia. Second, as a practical matter if not in principle, were the soldiers, an enormously powerful group. One Roman emperor, on his deathbed, advised his son: “Enrich the soldiers; nothing else matters. ” Next came the common people, called the plebeians. (This term too survives today: a freshman at a military academy is called a plebe. ) The plebeians were artisans, shopkeepers, and laborers. Fourth, at the bottom, were slaves. They could work as domestic servants, manual laborers, and so on; but some slaves were educated and served as teachers. 1. What words signals the first major detail? 2. What word signals the second major detail? 3. What word signals the third major detail? 4. What word signals the last major detail?

MAPPING Read the following paragraph. Notice the list words and the addition words that signal the four major details. With the possible exception of very small, isolated, primitive groups, every human society has had some sort of class system. In ancient Rome, there were four major social classes. To begin with, at the top of the heap were the aristocrats, called “patricians. ” This term derived from the word for father— pater—and is still sometimes used today; it also survives in the name Patricia. Second, as a practical matter if not in principle, were the soldiers, an enormously powerful group. One Roman emperor, on his deathbed, advised his son: “Enrich the soldiers; nothing else matters. ” Next came the common people, called the plebeians. (This term too survives today: a freshman at a military academy is called a plebe. ) The plebeians were artisans, shopkeepers, and laborers. Fourth, at the bottom, were slaves. They could work as domestic servants, manual laborers, and so on; but some slaves were educated and served as teachers. To begin with 2. What word signals the second major detail? Second 3. What word signals the third major detail? Next 4. What word signals the last major detail? Fourth 1. What words signals the first major detail?

MAPPING What major details should be added to the map below? With the possible exception of very small, isolated, primitive groups, every human society has had some sort of class system. In ancient Rome, there were four major social classes. To begin with, at the top of the heap were the aristocrats, called “patricians. ” This term derived from the word for father— pater—and is still sometimes used today; it also survives in the name Patricia. Second, as a practical matter if not in principle, were the soldiers, an enormously powerful group. One Roman emperor, on his deathbed, advised his son: “Enrich the soldiers; nothing else matters. ” Next came the common people, called the plebeians. (This term too survives today: a freshman at a military academy is called a plebe. ) The plebeians were artisans, shopkeepers, and laborers. Fourth, at the bottom, were slaves. They could work as domestic servants, manual laborers, and so on; but some slaves were educated and served as teachers. There were four major social classes in Rome.

MAPPING With the possible exception of very small, isolated, primitive groups, every human society has had some sort of class system. In ancient Rome, there were four major social classes. To begin with, at the top of the heap were the aristocrats, called “patricians. ” This term derived from the word for father— pater—and is still sometimes used today; it also survives in the name Patricia. Second, as a practical matter if not in principle, were the soldiers, an enormously powerful group. One Roman emperor, on his deathbed, advised his son: “Enrich the soldiers; nothing else matters. ” Next came the common people, called the plebeians. (This term too survives today: a freshman at a military academy is called a plebe. ) The plebeians were artisans, shopkeepers, and laborers. Fourth, at the bottom, were slaves. They could work as domestic servants, manual laborers, and so on; but some slaves were educated and served as teachers. Patricians Soldiers There were four major social classes in Rome. Common people (Plebeians) Slaves

SUMMARIZING A summary is the reduction of a large amount of information to its most important points. Like outlining and mapping, summarizing is a useful note-taking strategy.

SUMMARIZING Read the textbook passage below. Then read the summary that follows it. Habituation is the tendency to ignore environmental factors that remain constant. The brain seems “prewired” to pay more attention to changes in the environment than to stimuli that remain constant. Have you ever gotten a new clock and thought it had a very loud tick, but in a short time you realized you weren’t aware of its ticking at all? This happens because you become habituated to the regularity of the sound. If the sound changed every few minutes, you would notice every change because you would not have enough time to become habituated each time. High-end car security systems take advantage of this. When activated, the security system begins with a siren, which then changes to honking, then back to a siren, and so forth, so that it is impossible to habituate to the noise and ignore the alarm. These types of alarms are annoying, but effective. Summary Habituation—the tendency to ignore environmental factors that remain constant. For example, you will lose awareness of the ticking of a new clock. • Notice that the definition is not summarized, but the supporting information is summarized.

SUMMARIZING Summarizing often involves two steps: • Select one example from several that might be given. • Condense the example if it’s not already very brief.

SUMMARIZING Read this textbook passage. Then answer the question that follows it. Soon after birth, some animals will follow and become attached to the first thing they see or hear that happens to move, a behavior known as imprinting. Ordinarily, the “thing” on which the animal imprints is its mother, but experience can dictate otherwise. When animal behaviorist Konrad Lorenz hatched young geese in an incubator, they imprinted on him, following him around and responding to his calls as if he were their mother. In the laboratory, ducklings have imprinted on decoys, rubber balls, and wooden blocks. Once imprinting has occurred, it is usually hard to reverse, even when the “mother” is an inanimate object that can offer neither food nor affection. These facts suggest that imprinting is a special type of perceptual learning that occurs because at a particular stage in development, the animal’s nervous system is geared to respond to a conspicuous moving object in a certain way. Which example below best completes the study notes? Imprinting—some animals soon after birth follow and become attached to the first moving they see or hear. Example— A. Imprinting is hard to reverse even if the “mother” is an inanimate object. B. An animal’s nervous system is geared to respond to a conspicuous moving object in a certain way. C. Young geese hatched in an incubator followed around and responded to an animal behaviorist as if he were their mother.

SUMMARIZING Useful study notes should include a clear example of the new term. Answers A and B give additional details about imprinting. Neither provides an example of the term. Answer C summarizes a specific example that helps us clearly understand the term. Imprinting—some animals soon after birth follow and become attached to the first moving they see or hear. Example— A. Imprinting is hard to reverse even if the “mother” is an inanimate object. B. An animal’s nervous system is geared to respond to a conspicuous moving object in a certain way. C. Young geese hatched in an incubator followed around and responded to an animal behaviorist as if he were their mother.

CHAPTER REVIEW In this chapter, you learned the following: • Major and minor details provide the added information you need to make sense of a main idea. • List phrases and addition words can help you to find major and minor supporting details. • Outlining, mapping, and summarizing are useful note-taking strategies. • Outlines show the relationship between the main idea, major details, and minor details of a passage. • Maps are very visual outlines. • Writing a definition and summarizing an example is a good way to take notes on a new term. The next chapter—Chapter 3—will show you how to find implied main ideas and central points.