Supporting details are pieces of information that clarify, prove, or explain the main idea or thesis in greater detail, demonstrating the validity of the main idea. They can be any kind of facts that help to develop or support the main idea, such as reasons, examples, statistics, studies, descriptions, vocabulary, proof, voices, explanation, and importance. Supporting details can be major or minor, with major details being more specific than the main idea and providing examples, reasons, statistics, and studies that help make the main idea clear and convincing. Minor details, on the other hand, explain a major detail, are even more specific than major details, repeat key points, and add colorful detail. Supporting details can appear in a sentence or a paragraph and often begin with words such as "for example," "for instance," "in addition," "another," "in fact," "furthermore," "moreover," "therefore," or "as a result". Supporting details are crucial in many types of writing, as they help to clarify the main idea and bring it into clear focus for the reader or listener.