what are key details

Key details are pieces of information that support the main idea or central topic of a text. They can be words or phrases that help answer a question, give important information about an event, provide clues about the meaning of an unfamiliar word, or help make sense of what is being read. In literature, key details relate to story grammar elements such as character, setting, problem, major events, and resolution, and how they interact. Key details can also describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text. In order to identify the main topic or main idea of a text, students should recall the key details or important facts from the text. Supporting details help us to better understand the main idea and give us the most important information to explain the big idea or topic of the text.