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Discover how to use facts, examples, and expert quotes to support your opinions.
Imagine you're trying to convince your parents to let you stay up an hour later. If you just say 'Please!', they'll probably say 'No.' But what if you had a secret weapon that made your argument impossible to ignore?
In writing, your main argument is called a thesis statement. To make people believe your thesis, you need reasons and evidence. Think of your thesis as a tabletop. A tabletop cannot float in the air by itself! It needs legs to hold it up.
A reason tells the reader why they should believe your claim. It is an idea. Evidence is the 'proof' that shows your reason is true. Evidence is made of hard facts, specific examples, or quotes from experts. If you have a reason but no evidence, your 'table' will fall over because it has no legs to stand on!
Let's look at a simple argument: 1. Thesis (Tabletop): Every student should learn to play a musical instrument. 2. Reason (Leg 1): It helps your brain work better. 3. Evidence (The Support): A study by scientists showed that kids who play piano scored higher on math tests than kids who didn't.
Quick Check
What is the main difference between a 'reason' and 'evidence'?
Answer
A reason is an explanation of 'why' you believe something, while evidence is the specific proof (like a fact or statistic) that shows the reason is true.
To build a strong argument, you can use three main types of evidence. First are Facts, which are statements that can be proven true (like 'The Earth orbits the Sun'). Second are Examples, which are specific instances that illustrate your point. Third are Expert Quotes. An expert is someone who knows a lot about a topic, like a doctor talking about health or a coach talking about sports.
When you use these tools, you move from just having an opinion to having a supported claim. Using a mix of these makes your writing much more convincing to your reader.
Thesis: Schools should have longer recess periods. 1. Fact: Most elementary students only get minutes of movement a day. 2. Expert Quote: Dr. Smith, a child psychologist, says, 'Play is essential for brain development.' 3. Example: At Lincoln Elementary, students who had minutes of recess had fewer behavior problems in class.
Quick Check
If you use a quote from a professional basketball player to talk about the best type of sneakers, what kind of evidence are you using?
Answer
An Expert Quote.
The most important part of using evidence is making sure it actually supports your thesis. This is called 'connecting back.' Sometimes, writers find a really cool fact, but it doesn't actually prove their point.
To make sure your evidence works, ask yourself: 'So what?' If your thesis is that 'Dogs are the best pets,' and your evidence is 'Dogs come in many colors,' does that really prove they are the best? Not really. Your evidence must act like a bridge that leads the reader directly back to your main argument. If the bridge doesn't reach the other side, your argument is lost.
Thesis: We must protect the honeybee population. 1. Reason: Honeybees are vital for our food supply. 2. Evidence A: Bees pollinate of the food we eat, including apples and almonds. 3. Evidence B: Bees are usually yellow and black and live in hives.
Analysis: Evidence A passes the 'So What?' test because it proves they are vital for food. Evidence B is a fact, but it doesn't support the thesis that we need to protect them.
Which of these is a piece of evidence, rather than just a reason?
If your thesis is 'Video games can improve hand-eye coordination,' which evidence is the strongest?
Every fact you find about a topic is good evidence for your argument, even if it doesn't relate to your thesis.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to remember the three 'tools' of evidence (Facts, Examples, and Quotes) and the 'Table Analogy'.
Practice Activity
Find an opinion article in a magazine or online. Highlight the main claim in one color and the evidence used to support it in another color.