Best Text Evidence - Part 1

Best Text Evidence - Part 1

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How to know what text evidence to choose

• To make an effective argument, be sure to provide evidence that your readers will find trustworthy and persuasive.

The strongest evidence to support a factual claim:

• Directly supports the claim

• Comes from a credible source, such as well-conducted research or an expert in the field;

• Is not merely anecdotal, or based on the personal experiences of just one person or a small group of people.

Multiple Choice

Consider this claim:

Soda in a glass bottle tastes better than soda in a plastic bottle.

Which piece of evidence better supports this claim?

• Evidence A: A taste researcher at a top college notes that exposure to light can alter the taste of soda. "Soda in an aluminum can may taste fresher than soda in a clear plastic bottle," she explains.

• Evidence B: According to the Institute of Food Technologists, soda's fizz leaks out of a plastic bottle faster than a glass bottle, making it go flat sooner. Unlike glass, plastic also tends to transfer an unpleasant taste into soda.

Multiple Choice

_{Review the claim and the two pieces of evidence.}

_{Soda in a glass bottle tastes better than soda in a plastic bottle.}

_{Evidence A: A taste researcher at a top college notes that exposure to light can alter the taste of soda. "Soda in an aluminum can may taste fresher than soda in a clear plastic bottle," she explains.}

_{Evidence B: According to the Institute of Food Technologists, soda's fizz leaks out of a plastic bottle faster than a glass bottle, making it go flat sooner. Unlike glass, plastic also tends to transfer an unpleasant taste into soda.}

_{Why is Evidence B stronger than Evidence A?}

• ^{Evidence A is anecdotal. The source is voicing a personal opinion about soda containers.}

• ^{Evidence A does not directly support the claim. It does not compare soda in glass bottles to soda in plastic bottles.}

Multiple Choice

Consider this claim:

Contrary to what many people think, granola is not actually a health food.

Which piece of evidence better supports this claim?

• Evidence A: A major newspaper reports that the government's dietary guidelines classify granola as a "grain-based dessert." The article also notes that many granolas are comparable to cake and ice cream in sugar content.

• Evidence B: In an email to the coach of a local soccer team, a parent who is an economist shared that granola was not the best choice for a wholesome post-game snack. He stated that granola seems too sweet to be a healthy snack.

Multiple Choice

Review the claim and the two pieces of evidence.

Contrary to what many people think, granola is not actually a health food.

Evidence A: A major newspaper reports that the government's dietary guidelines classify granola as a "grain-based dessert." The article also notes that many granolas are comparable to cake and ice cream in sugar content.

Evidence B: In an email to the coach of a local soccer team, a parent who is an economist shared that granola was not the best choice for a wholesome post-game snack. He stated that granola seems too sweet to be a healthy snack.

Why is Evidence A stronger than Evidence B?

• Evidence B does not directly support the claim. It does not mention whether granola is a healthy food.

• Evidence B does not come from a credible source. It is based on the opinion of one person who is not an expert on food or diet.

Multiple Choice

Consider this claim:

Your name could help determine your future profession.

Which piece of evidence better supports this claim?

• Evidence A: A psychologist asserted that people often gravitate to things connected to the self. He ran a series of studies that showed that people tend to make life choices that reflect their names. For example, people named Dennis or Denise are more likely than others to become dentists.

• Evidence B: A sports website published an article about Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, known for his speed and multiple Olympic records. Underneath, several people commented that with the name "Bolt," he was destined to become the fastest man in the world.

Multiple Choice

Review the claim and the two pieces of evidence.

Your name could help determine your future profession.

Evidence A: A psychologist asserted that people often gravitate to things connected to the self. He ran a series of studies that showed that people tend to make life choices that reflect their names. For example, people named Dennis or Denise are more likely than others to become dentists.

Evidence B: A sports website published an article about Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, known for his speed and multiple Olympic records. Underneath, several people commented that with the name "Bolt," he was destined to become the fastest man in the world.

Why is Evidence A stronger than Evidence B?

• Evidence B is anecdotal. It is based on the opinions of one group of people about a particular athlete's name.

• Evidence B does not directly support the claim. It does not say anything about how someone's name might be linked to his or her achievements.

Multiple Choice

Consider this claim:

Chewing gum can improve our alertness and lower our stress level.

Which piece of evidence better supports this claim?

• Evidence A: In a study of forty participants, those who chewed gum while performing stressful tasks had lower levels of anxiety and higher levels of alertness than those not chewing gum.

• Evidence B: During a class discussion, a student shared that he chewed gum throughout a recent chemistry test because he heard it would help him stay calm and alert. He believed that he did very well on the test as a result.

Multiple Choice

Review the claim and the two pieces of evidence.

Chewing gum can improve our alertness and lower our stress level.

Evidence A: In a study of forty participants, those who chewed gum while performing stressful tasks had lower levels of anxiety and higher levels of alertness than those not chewing gum.

Evidence B: During a class discussion, a student shared that he chewed gum throughout a recent chemistry test because he heard it would help him stay calm and alert. He believed that he did very well on the test as a result.

Why is Evidence A stronger than Evidence B?

• Evidence B does not come from a credible source. It is based on the opinion of one person who is not an expert and has not done research.

• Evidence B does not directly support the claim. It does not discuss whether chewing gum increases alertness and lowers stress.

Multiple Choice

Consider this claim:

First-born children make stronger leaders than their siblings do.

Which piece of evidence better supports this claim?

• Evidence A: A woman posted on a social media site, "Congrats to my big sis—class president, then founder of her own company, and now the chair of the finance department at a leading university! I always said you were a born leader!"

• Evidence B: Three leading economists compiled data on a large number of Swedish men. Their study revealed that first-born boys show leadership and assume responsibility more often than their younger brothers do.

Multiple Choice

Consider this claim:

A meal is more satisfying if someone else cooks it.

Which piece of evidence better supports this claim?

• Evidence A: On a popular cooking show, one audience member pointed out how the same dish prepared by someone else seems to taste better than when he cooks it. Several other audience members clapped in agreement with her sentiment.

• Evidence B: Research has demonstrated that food becomes less desirable to us the more time we spend preparing it and thinking about it. Therefore, the same food prepared by someone else is more appealing.

Multiple Choice

Review the claim and the two pieces of evidence.

A meal is more satisfying if someone else cooks it.

Evidence A: On a popular cooking show, one audience member pointed out how the same dish prepared by someone else seems to taste better than when he cooks it. Several other audience members clapped in agreement with her sentiment.

Evidence B: Research has demonstrated that food becomes less desirable to us the more time we spend preparing it and thinking about it. Therefore, the same food prepared by someone else is more appealing.

Why is Evidence B stronger than Evidence A?

• Evidence A is anecdotal. It represents the experience of only a few people.

• Evidence A does not directly support the claim. It does not show that a meal can be more satisfying if someone else cooks it.

Multiple Choice

Consider this claim:

Most people should not bathe or shower every single day.

Which piece of evidence better supports this claim?

• Evidence A: A Cleveland Clinic doctor who specializes in skin conditions recommends showering every two or three days. More than that, she warns, can strip the average person's body of its protective oils and cause itchy, dry skin.

• Evidence B: An article in a medical journal questions the wisdom of taking only hot showers and instead advocates for cold showers. The article points out numerous benefits of cold showers, including increasing brain activity and reducing stress.

Multiple Choice

Review the claim and the two pieces of evidence.

Most people should not bathe or shower every single day.

Evidence A: A Cleveland Clinic doctor who specializes in skin conditions recommends showering every two or three days. More than that, she warns, can strip the average person's body of its protective oils and cause itchy, dry skin.

Evidence B: An article in a medical journal questions the wisdom of taking only hot showers and instead advocates for cold showers. The article points out numerous benefits of cold showers, including increasing brain activity and reducing stress.

Why is Evidence A stronger than Evidence B?

• Evidence B does not come from a credible source. The source is unreliable and cannot tell us anything about the effects of showering.

• Evidence B does not directly support the claim. It does not discuss how often people should bathe or shower.

Multiple Choice

Consider this claim:

Athletes who wear red are more likely to win competitions.

Which piece of evidence better supports this claim?

• Evidence A: Researchers analyzed certain Olympic Games events, like boxing and tae kwon do, where athletes were randomly assigned either blue or red uniforms. In games deemed evenly matched, competitors wearing red won sixty percent of the time.

• Evidence B: A study from a research institute in Japan revealed that color affects some people's perceptions of time. For example, participants who stared at a red screen thought more time had passed than participants who stared at a blue screen.

Multiple Choice

Review the claim and the two pieces of evidence.

Athletes who wear red are more likely to win competitions.

Evidence A: Researchers analyzed certain Olympic Games events, like boxing and tae kwon do, where athletes were randomly assigned either blue or red uniforms. In games deemed evenly matched, competitors wearing red won sixty percent of the time.

Evidence B: A study from a research institute in Japan revealed that color affects some people's perceptions of time. For example, participants who stared at a red screen thought more time had passed than participants who stared at a blue screen.

Why is Evidence A stronger than Evidence B?

• Evidence B does not directly support the claim. It does not show that athletes who wear red win more competitions.

• Evidence B is anecdotal. It is based on one person's personal feelings about the color red.

Multiple Choice

Consider this claim:

There is truth to the idea that "an apple a day" keeps you healthy.

Which piece of evidence better supports this claim?

• Evidence A: Two-thirds of the active senior citizens interviewed at Northbay Senior Center believed that a daily apple is essential for digestive health.

• Evidence B: An extensive study of nearly four thousand women found that women who ate at least one apple daily reduced their risk of heart disease by thirteen to twenty-two percent.

Multiple Choice

Consider this claim:

Learning a second language in early childhood offers many benefits.

Which piece of evidence better supports this claim?

• Evidence A: A Dartmouth College study revealed that the brain changes as we get older, and it suggested that these changes make it difficult for an adult to learn a second language.

• Evidence B: Several Harvard University studies confirm that learning a second language as a young child improves creativity, thinking skills, and the ability to mentally adjust to different tasks and ideas.

Multiple Choice

Review the claim and the two pieces of evidence.

Learning a second language in early childhood offers many benefits.

Evidence A: A Dartmouth College study revealed that the brain changes as we get older, and it suggested that these changes make it difficult for an adult to learn a second language.

Evidence B: Several Harvard University studies confirm that learning a second language as a young child improves creativity, thinking skills, and the ability to mentally adjust to different tasks and ideas.

Why is Evidence B stronger than Evidence A?

• Evidence A does not come from a credible source. The results of this study are unreliable and cannot tell us anything about language learning.

• Evidence A does not directly support the claim. It does not discuss the benefits of learning a second language at a young age.

Multiple Choice

The strongest evidence to support a factual claim

• Comes from a credible source, such as well-conducted research or an expert in the field;

• Directly supports the claim;

• Is not merely anecdotal, or based on the personal experiences of just one person or a small group of people.

• All of the above