Strong Claims

Recognizing Strong Evidence

Essay Body Paragraphs

What is Strong Evidence?

• When you support your claims with strong evidence, it makes your writing more convincing .

Strong evidence must be :

• A fact

• A fact that comes from a credible source

• A fact that supports the claim.

Here is an example of strong evidence.

Claim: Video games teach players valuable academic skills.

Strong Evidence:

A 2013 study published in the journal "Current Biology" found that action video games teach players how to focus their attention and read more rapidly.

Why would the evidence in the previous slide be considered strong evidence?

• This piece of evidence is a fact and can be proven true or false

• The evidence comes from a credible source. A science journal.

• The evidence supports the claim

Examples of weak evidence

• Any game that makes players solve puzzles should make them smarter too.

• My friend said that playing video games improved her reading skills.

• According to researchers at Kent State University, video games that require movement can be beneficial to player's health.

Why are these examples of weak evidence?

Any game that makes players solve puzzles should make them smarter too. (This is not a fact but an opinion)

My friend said that playing video games improved her reading skills. (Not from a credible source)

According to researchers at Kent State University, video games that require movement can be beneficial to player's health.

(Doesn't support the claim)

Multiple Choice

Claim: Song Lyrics can be a more effective tool than novels

Evidence: Wouldn't you be more interested in listening to a song than reading a stuffy old novel.

• Strong

• Weak: Not a fact

• Weak: doesn't support the claim

• Weak: Not from a credible source

Multiple Choice

Claim: Participating in sports programs helps students build confidence.

Evidence: one study published in the Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that children who played sports were significantly more likely to report high levels of self-confidence than those who did not.

• Strong Evidence

• Weak: not a credible source

• Weak: doesn't support the claim

• weak: not a fact

Multiple Choice

Claim: The hardships that Olympic host cities face before and during the games outweigh the benefits.

Evidence: An article by the Harvard International Review points out that the preparation required to host the Olympics is "Inordinately expensive" for the cities.

• Strong

• weak; not a fact

• weak: doesn't support the claim

• weak:not from a credible source.

Multiple Choice

Claim: Self-driving cars are ultimately more cost-efficient than traditional cars.

Evidence: Jeff Zients, former director of the National Economic Council, estimates that self-driving cars will save Americans billions of dollars in fuel and gasoline costs.

• Strong

• Weak: not a fact

• Weak: not from a credible source

• Weak: doesn't support the claim.