Shareholder Fees (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2011
Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund | Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund | Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund | Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund | Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Energy Index Fund | Vanguard Energy Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Energy Index Fund | Vanguard Energy Index Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund | Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund | Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund - Institutional Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	0.25%
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund | Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund - Institutional Plus Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	0.25%
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Financials Index Fund | Vanguard Financials Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Financials Index Fund | Vanguard Financials Index Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund | Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund - Investor Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund | Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund - Institutional Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Health Care Index Fund | Vanguard Health Care Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Health Care Index Fund | Vanguard Health Care Index Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Industrials Index Fund | Vanguard Industrials Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Industrials Index Fund | Vanguard Industrials Index Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund | Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund | Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard International Growth Fund | Vanguard International Growth Fund - Investor Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard International Growth Fund | Vanguard International Growth Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Materials Index Fund | Vanguard Materials Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Materials Index Fund | Vanguard Materials Index Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Growth Index Fund | Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Growth Index Fund - Institutional Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Growth Index Fund | Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Growth Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Index Fund | Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Index Fund - Institutional Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Index Fund | Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Value Index Fund | Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Value Index Fund - Institutional Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Value Index Fund | Vanguard Mega Cap 300 Value Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Telecommunication Services Index Fund | Vanguard Telecommunication Services Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Telecommunication Services Index Fund | Vanguard Telecommunication Services Index Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund | Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund - Investor Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund | Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund | Vanguard Utilities Index Fund - ETF Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	0
Transaction Fee On Purchases and Sales	0
Transaction Fee On Reinvested Dividends	0
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund | Vanguard Utilities Index Fund - Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Sales charge (load) imposed on purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales charge (load) imposed on reinvested dividends	none
Redemption Fee	(2.00%)
Account Service Fee (for fund account balances below $10,000)	20
Institutional | Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Purchase Fee Parenthetical	(other than on reinvested dividends and capital gains)
Participant | Vanguard International Growth Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than two months)
Participant: | Vanguard International Growth Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than two months)
Retail | Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than one year)
Retail | Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than one year)
Retail | Vanguard Energy Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than one year)
Retail | Vanguard Financials Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than one year)
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than one year)
Retail | Vanguard Industrials Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than one year)
Retail | Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than one year)
Retail | Vanguard International Growth Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than two months)
Retail | Vanguard Materials Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than one year)
Retail | Vanguard Telecommunication Services Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than one year)
Retail | Vanguard Utilities Index Fund
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment]
Redemption Fee Parenthetical	(on shares held less than one year)