Using Evidence - GCC/RCC

Using Your Sources Wisely

Questions to Consider

What are the most significant & useful quotations from this source? Find them and circle/highlight/underline ALL of them.

Writing with Sources: A Process

Which of these significant quotations can I use to support my ideas? Write out the select few on a separate sheet of paper.

After establishing your argument and supporting claims, look for the BEST evidence to prove your ideas...

Why am I using each quotation? What will each quotation help to prove? How? Write your response under each piece of evidence you chose.

Exploring Sources

Share your sources with your group:

• How did you find them? What search terms did you use? Where did you find them?

• What is each source about? Is each source credible? How can you tell?

• How will you use your sources? What will the information in them help to prove?

If you have no sources, pull out your technology and start researching!

Feel free to work together & help each other out on this.

Understand the Assignment

Establish Your Argument

Before collecting any evidence, you must first understand the assignment:

• Write out a “working thesis”
• How would you respond to the prompt?

Try it!

Make a Claim

Provide Specific Evidence

Questions to Consider

• Create a list of supporting claims (topic sentences)
• How will you support your thesis?

What is this assignment asking me to do?

Expand & Explain

Interpret (So what?)

What key words/phrases/ideas should I use in my thesis and essay to be sure I am responding directly to the assignment?

• Create a list of evidence & examples you would need to support those claims
• This list will help you focus your ideas

Evaluating Evidence

Work through the process to support & prove the claim below:

What questions do I have about this assignment?

Teenagers' addiction to technology negatively affects their communication skills.

Reviewing and/or Exploring Your Ideas

If you have your outline, with a partner DISCUSS the following:

• Read over your ideas, especially your thesis
• Determine whether you are responding directly to the assignment.
• Discuss the evidence and how it helps to support the thesis
• Make any necessary revisions or start a new brainstorm!

If you do not have your outline, OR if you wish to explore new ideas:

• Brainstorm using any method you choose, or even multiple methods!

• Read through your brainstorm to discover your most promising ideas
• Highlight and/or underline

• Narrow your focus to determine a possible working thesis
• Consult with a classmate and/or with me

Focus on one outline at a time, one claim at a time:

As a group, DISCUSS the following:

• Has the writer included relevant evidence (and enough of it)?
• What other evidence could the writer include?
• Has the writer included clear explanations and descriptions of that evidence?
• Do you understand the evidence?
• What else do you want to know about the evidence?
• Has the writer sufficiently analyzed that evidence and connected it back to the claim (addressing the "so what?")
• What does this evidence prove?
• How / Why does it prove that?

Using Evidence to Prove a Point!

Apple - ication

Step ONE: Begin by revising your outline, if needed.

Your tasks:

• Argue how/why your red card is the best match for the green card.

• Use specific evidence to support your point. Explain how/why your evidence supports your claim (why is your card is the best match? Prove it!)

STEP TWO: Next, consider the type of evidence you would need to prove these claims.

• Under each supporting claim, list a piece of evidence you would like to find: statistics about ___ , news story about ___ , first-hand account of someone who has _____ , etc.

• The Judge of the round may pose follow up questions or challenges about your card and argument (How? Why? So What?)

If you have not consulted with a partner yet, you may want to do so as you work on step #3 or after you finish step #3

• The Judge of the round will decide who wins based on who made the best ARGUMENT, not necessarily who had the best card.

Take note of the BEST or MOST CREATIVE ARGUMENTS

STEP THREE: Write out (or discuss) the justification for that evidence:

• How / Why will that evidence help to prove your CLAIM?
• How / Why will that evidence help to prove your THESIS?

REMINDER:

Using Evidence: A Process...

Sharing Sources.

The Process in Action

THESIS: OJ Simpson is innocent

Explain & Describe

According to police, a blood-soaked glove believed to be used in the murders was found at Simpson's house in Brentwood, CA. During the trial, Simpson tried on the gloves to verify whether they fit him. Simpson demonstrated great difficulties making the gloves fit onto his hands. It appeared that the gloves were too tight for his fingers.

• What is your response to the question?
• What does the quotation mean? Put the quotation in your own words.
• How does the quotation help support your argument (your response to the question)?
• Provide a specific real life example of how Lammot's statement is true.

CLAIM: The physical evidence presented in the case was not consistent with Simpson as the killer.

For the next class, bring:

• 2 hard copies of your essay
• Your Hacker book &
• Your sources to class next Friday

Interpretation: So What?

Connections: Topic Sentence --> Thesis Statement

EVIDENCE: The bloody glove

If this physical evidence of the bloody gloves were in fact the killer's, as the prosecution claimed, then the gloves would need to fit the killer. However, Simpson demonstrated that the gloves did not fit him comfortably, or at all. These bloody gloves found at the crime scene, could have been the killer's, but since they do not fit Simpson, he is not that killer. Therefore...

Discuss the question and feedback provided on your first draft of this activity. How can you clarify and elaborate on your ideas?

"If it does not fit, you must acquit"