The evidence makes your writing many times more credible as they act as proof to your claim. However, evidence from student feedback surveys finds that students value this feedback more than any other learning experience in their courses (Jackson & Peters, 2015) (counter evidence to support your opposing position). Being able to define supporting details is not enough. Authoritative Opinions: Experts in the field about which you are writing provide supporting details and evidence for your thesis statement. All Rights Reserved. Documentary evidence can be wide-ranging and includes any documents or written records that help prove or defend a claim. This type of evidence can exonerate a defendant in a – usually criminal – case. 9. In essence, any kind of facts or information can be regarded … Exculpatory Evidence. Don’t put information in your essay that comes from the recesses of your mind without finding an authority to support your statements, Don’t use authorities that have no academic credibility (e.g. Clarifying Examples: Examples that clarify your points and support your thesis statement make great evidence. In an effort to make this lesson plan more user friendly, I’ve included example pieces of evidence. Put your most important reasons first. 8.3 Types of Evidence in Academic Arguments Robin Jeffrey and Yvonne Bruce. This evidence will: add substance to your own ideas; allow the reader to see what has informed your thinking and how your ideas fit in with, and differ from, others' in your field To convey meaning, students must punctuate their work correctly. Here are a few different types to choose from. Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence Julie M. Farrar defines two kinds of evidence in "Evidence: Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition," from 2006. You can use your own examples or mine (listed below).Using topics that interest your students is most effective. Reproducing a photograph, a drawing, a painting, or a diagram can save you a lot of space in an essay. INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPHS have a special function. facts, figures, diagrams). (Anecdote), Lebron James went to Akron St. Vincent St. Mary’s High School (Not Evidence), My friend Tony says, “LeBron James is one bad mamma jamma.” (Not Evidence; Bob is not an authoritative source), Mark Stein of ESPN says, “James has become the best player in basketball, hands down.” (Quotable Comment), Lebron James rebounded the ball, dribbled from one end of the floor to another, and dunked over two players while being fouled by the third. How about those Trident chewing gum commercials that say “4 out of 5 dentists recommend chewing sugarless gum”? Instruct students to exchange papers and evaluate each piece of evidence by labeling it as one of the types already discussed. explanations, arguments, examples). Quotable Comments: quotable comments provide support for your argument but should not be overused. A number of researchers have noted that assignment tasks help students to learn the language of their subject (your statement). 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English courses typically rely on MLA standards when using quotations in papers. Facts include names, dates, or specific events. Discuss the above information.Best results occur when you compare their preconceived ideas of evidence (think lawyers, detectives, scientists.). (about 90% of essay word count). In its research project, the Literacy Foundation (2014, p. 167) argues that “common punctuation errors cause problems with meaning-making in student writing”. For every claim you make in your writing, you will be required to prove your point. If your prof is a stickler for word count and you have 1,996 out of a required 2,000 words, it won’t hurt to add a few words to your I turned in a paper about the mating habits of South African snipe. Supporting evidence is a crucial part in body paragraphs and it is important to be discerning in the evidence chosen. I then went home and asked my roommate to define supporting details and clarify how to use evidence in an essay. Copyright © 2020 Bright Hub Education. Most commonly considered to be written forms of proof, such as letters or wills, documentary evidence can also include other types of media, such as images, video or audio recordings, etc. Types of supporting details There are a number of ways you can support your claims in writing by using information/evidence from the work of (significant) writers and researchers. Facts: The most frequent type of evidence in an essay is facts. The levels of evidence pyramid provides a way to visualize both the quality of evidence and the amount of evidence available. Statements that you use to do this can follow a simple pattern: Read a 'supporting' argument For example, if you are working on Law subjects, you will draw much of your evidence from legal cases and legislation. Have students identify the type of evidence. Different subjects will require you to draw on a variety of sources for evidence in your essay. Those supporting details may come from a number of different types of sources. (clarifying example), Basketball aficionado, Trent Lapsodoo, calls James the best player since Wilt Chamberlain. Evidence is not simply “quotes”. Essay Writing Guide – Different Kinds of Evidence. It’s better to get more than one opinion. Specific examples. Write 10-15 pieces of evidence on the board. However, different writing tasks in different fields require different types of evidence. Supporting Argument The following are three of the most common techniques: Quotations (e.g. Quotations (e.g. Facts can come from your reading, observation, or For example, fossils and bones are evidence to support the accepted theory that dinosaurs once walked the earth. In addition to supporting your argument, anecdotes can liven up an otherwise boring academic paper. Academic writing must be supported by evidence such as data, facts, quotations, arguments, statistics, research, and theories. Regardless of the type used, all evidence serves the same general function: it bolsters a writer’s argument. Unless you intend to finish your conclusion with a final dramatic statement from a powerful source, avoid using references in your conclusions. One type of historical evidence should reinforce other types. I received an F. The teacher noted that no such animal existed and questioned the validity of my evidence. Often, a combination of different types of evidence is required in order to adequately support and develop a point. In academic writing, paragraphs tend to be longer, while in less formal or less complex writing, such as in a newspaper, paragraphs tend to be much shorter. There are two types of testimony: 1) the account of an eyewitness, and 2) the judgment of an expert who has had the chance to examine and interpret the facts. For instance, Smith and Jones (2014, p. 27) find that students who do assignments demonstrate a better use of the terminology of their subject when they write in their exams than students who do only exam assessment (evidence to support your statement). However, different writing tasks in different fields require different types of evidence. The following are three of the most common techniques: Check the following sentence to see if you can identify quotations, examples and statistics: Many student writers have difficulty with some aspects of punctuation. When writing an essay it's not enough to simply make claims; you need to support your claims with evidence. There are a number of ways you can support your claims in writing by using information/evidence from the work of (significant) writers and researchers. Many students seek assistance with their writing skills at university. (Fact), Cavalier fans spewed venomous insults toward Brazilian power forward Anderson Varajao for an ill advised shot at the end of game six. (about 5% of essay word count). The types of evidence might vary dramatically, but most of the time when making a claim that others will dispute, people need evidence. Allow students to replace or rewrite their evidence, if they choose to. A number of researchers have noted that assignment tasks help students to learn the language of their subject (your statement). For example, if you are writing a paper on animal rights, presenting factual information about puppy mills, it … Unless you are referencing a definition or an important introductory fact, avoid using references in your introductions. The final type of evidence used in writing a convincing argument is Testimony. Types of Evidence in Persuasive/Argument Papers Support your position or thesis with evidence. When writing about literature, evidence takes the form of plot summaries or specific quotations. direct quotes, paraphrases, summaries), Examples (e.g. Supporting evidence can take many forms, but it often comes in the form of embedded quotations. Generally, though, it will fall under one (or more) of these five general types of supporting statements. Evidence is not simply “facts”. These different types of evidence include—but are not limited to—quotes, paraphrases, summaries, anecdotes, and hypothetical examples. No evidence should be considered perfectly accurate, however, as all evidence is subject to human choices, unconscious bias, and changes. In addition, instruct students to identify whether or not the evidence has been used correctly. While many students are aware that they need… One could as easily distinguish two types, or five, or ten, depending on the criteria used. Here’s what he told me: Evidence consists of facts, expert opinions, quotable comments, clarifying examples, anecdotes, or illustrations that support your thesis statement. Your opinions and generalisations will need factual detail (evidence) to support them. Hey, did you know that ever since 1969, NASA has been secretly staffed by aliens who hitched a ride back from the moon on Apollo 11? I thought that most mothers used canes and needed other peoples help to go up and down stairs. Some writing handbooks or resources suggest that a paragraph should be at least three or four sentences; others suggest that 100 to 200 words is a good target to shoot for. I then told him my thesis statement, which argued against the South African snipe’s right to birth octuplets, was clearly brought out by my evidence and supporting details. The auditor can obtain different types of audit evidence, and it includes Physical Examination, documentation, analytical procedure, observations, confirmations, inquiries, etc. Writing academic paragraphs is the most important skill in academic writing. Visual images are frequently used as evidence. 10) finds that more than 60% of the students who were assessed on their literacy scale made errors in their punctuation. The definition of evidence that we’ve given is quite broad. (Fact), NBA expert and ESPN.com columnist Bill Simmons asserts Lebron James has no ceiling. Supporting Your Ideas Even the most well-organized, audience-centered, goal-oriented of essays can lack pizzazz. 1. For example, systematic reviews are at the top of the pyramid, meaning they are both the highest level of evidence and the least common. Types of Evidence. Thesis statement: Lebron James is the best player in the NBA, Lebron James averages 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists per game. You will need to use a number of references in almost every paragraph to support your claims. EVIDENCE The term ‘evidence’ is used in crime dramas, in personal disputes, in courts of law, and in academic writing. Probably not - and you probably wouldn't believe that (Authoritative Opinion), Lebron has taken a moribund 19-win franchise to a perennial NBA title contender. The primary purpose of persuasive writing is to give an opinion and try toinfluence the reader's way of thinking with supporting evidence. He ridiculed my essay in front of the class, claiming the writer could not tell what are supporting details, main ideas, or credible sources. write the reasons/evidence you have showing how your position is better (a number of sentences). Instruct students to copy down the different types of evidence. Examples are among the most popular supporting statements for essays, as they provide a tangible account that the reader can imagine, making your assertions more “real” in their minds. 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