1. Major and Minor Details
An introduction

2. Supporting Details
There are two types of supporting details in a text:
Major Details
Minor Details
Not all texts have both major and minor details.

3. Major Details Minor Details
General ideas that support the main idea of the text.
Reasons
Points in an argument
Points of a comparison
Further elaboration of a main idea
Specifics that illustrate or support the major details of a text.
Examples
Specific Details
Specific Instances
Statistics

4. Key Questions Who or what is the passage about? (Topic)
What is the author trying to convey about the topic? (Main Idea)
What reasons or points support the main idea about the topic? (Major Details)
What examples, details, or statistics illustrate the ideas in the text? (Minor Details)

5. Signal Words Major Details First, Second, Third One Another
Furthermore
Moreover
Next
Also
Finally
Minor Details
For example
An example is
For instance
To be specific
That is
This means
Case in point
To illustrate

6. 1One writer spent nine hundred hours over the course of eight years watching the action in cats and learning about male-female relationships. 2Although male cats think of themselves as the aggressors, says this writer, it is really the female cat which make the decisions when a courtship is beginning. 3He has observed that female cats are the ones who pick a potential mate out of the crowd. 4They position themselves near the male cat they have selected and, with a glance or a hint, invite him to make contact. 5Similarly as conversation begins, the she-cat initiates each increasingly intimate stage. 6Her continuing eye contact, moving closer, and touching the male cat all signal her permission for him to make further advances. 7In most cases, the she-cat’s signals are so subtle that the he-cat is only subconsciously aware of them.

7. Outline
Preparing an outline shows a relationship between the main idea and the supporting details.
Outlines start with a main idea followed by supporting details: Major and Minor

8. Outlining Tips Common List Words: Several kinds A number of
Four steps
Various causes
A series of
Among the results
A few reasons
Three factors
Several advantages
Look for words that tell you a list of details is coming.

9. Tip: Look for words that signal Major Details
One
First (of all)
Second(ly)
Third(ly)
To begin with
For one thing
Also
Another
Next
In addition
Moreover
Further
Furthermore
Last(ly)
Final(ly)

10. Topic Main Idea
Although male cats think of themselves as the aggressors, says this writer, it is really the she cats which make the decisions when a courtship is beginning.
Cat Male-Female Relationships

11. Major Details
He has observed that she-cats are the ones who pick a potential mate out of the crowd.
Similarly as conversation begins, the she-cat initiates each increasingly intimate stage.
Locate the final major detail

12. Minor Details
They position themselves near the he-cat they have selected and, with a glance, invite him to make contact.
Locate the final minor detail