Facts and Details

The first sentence of a serious newspaper article is called the lead. Reporters usually place the important facts here.

What are facts and details?

Reporters discover the facts of a story by asking who, what, where, when, why, and how. The answers to these questions are called “facts.”

Newspaper and magazine writers rely on facts to support their statements. Facts can include information such as examples, reasons, statistics, causes, and effects. In fictional material, details include information about the characters, plot, or setting. Finally, in descriptive writing, details include information about looks, feelings, sounds, or smells. Recognizing facts and details are important.

Finding facts is important when the main idea is not stated. You will need to use facts to make inferences. Missing details or misreading details may lead to an incorrect assumption about the main idea.

How do I find facts and details?

Ask questions like who, what, where, when, why, and how. Once you find a fact, evaluate its sources and value. For example, a writer might state that the average family size today is seven people. If the writer based this idea on statistics from 1962, the facts and statement are useless. They don’t apply to today’s world.

What can I do to remember facts and details?

You will remember facts and details if you underline, highlight, or note facts and details as you read. Try to produce a mental image as you read. Add detail to the mental image as you learn new facts or details. Organizing the facts or details you discover will help. You might try making lists, drawing diagrams, or using concept maps.