Identifying Main Ideas and Supporting Details

When you read a text, it helps to identify the main idea as well as the supporting details. The main idea is the argument that the writer puts forward. Supporting details take the form of examples. explanations and evidence. Being able to identify each element makes it easier for you to evaluate the text and decide whether the argument is convincing.

Read this excerpt from a text and the explanatory notes to learn how the writer states the main idea and then supports it with details.

Canadians use active transport modes less than Europeans. so there is room for improvement Bicycling offers the greatest opportunity for change. The percentage of trips via cycling in Canada (less than 2 per­ cent) is very low in comparison to many northern European countries with similar climates and demographics. Cycling rates are five times higher in Finland, Germany and Sweden. and ten or more times higher in Denmark and the Netherlands (Pucher & Buehler 2008}. ln addition, cycling offers an efficient transportation mode for short-distance trips not easily made on foot

The first sentence Is the main idea, it Is usually general but may include a reference.

The second sentence is an example of an “active transport mode” that represents an “improvement”

The text in parenthesis “less than 2 per cent” is an explanation of what very low means

Statistical evidence is presented and referenced

Task

5.1 – Sentences	5.2 – Main idea	5.3 – Example	5.4 – Explanation	5.5 – Evidence
In the last decade. there has been a new interest in promoting cycling as a mode of transportation in  North America (Mapes, 2009)
Two of the largest cities in the United States, New York and Chicago. hove set aggressive targets for Increased cycling and. to meet them. have launched programs to construct connected networks of bicycle infrastructure [Pucher, & Buehler, 2008)
Vancouver began installing separate lanes on major streets in its downtown core in  2009 as a complement to a system of designated bike routes elsewhere in the city.
In the public health realm, active transportation” (physically active travel modes such as walking and cycling) has become a focus of attention.
A recent review and other emerging evidence show bicycle-specific   facilities (e.g., cycle tracks, residential street bike routes. on-road marked bike lanes and off-road bike paths) reduce crashes and injuries to cyclists