Thesis and Finding Evidence

Have you ever written an essay about a story, only to realize that you are not sure how to support claims being made about the text? A claim or argument about any idea in the text should have supporting evidence. Evidence is essential to an author creating a strong argument or claim. All texts, or reading passages, contain evidence. There are many types of evidence, too. Evidence can be found in both fiction texts--such as novels, poems, or short stories--as well as in non-fiction texts like biographies or scientific articles.

Why is evidence important?

• Evidence is essential because it summarizes the text

• Evidence is essential to an author creating a strong argument or claim

• Evidence is essential because it helps a reader understand the plot

• Evidence is essential because it is the main idea

A nonfiction author might include statistical data, expert opinions, or specialized knowledge to support claims, while finding evidence in fiction involves finding supporting dialogue and interactions between characters to support ideas. Good readers are able to cite evidence by including a quotation, or exact sentences from the text, or paraphrasing the author's words or ideas.

What does finding evidence in fiction involve?

• finding supporting dialogue and interactions between characters to support ideas

• looking for quotes that support the main idea

• finding quotes that support the plot

• finding quotes that explain character

An important strategy in finding evidence in a reading passage is understanding what makes the evidence 'strong.' Supporting evidence is strong when it clearly connects to the question and the answer. When reading a passage and selecting specific evidence, ask yourself 'How does this quotation support the question and answer?' The same piece of evidence may also be used to support other claims as well. Text is rich, so it is important to read closely and analyze both the question and the answer carefully before concluding that the evidence is supportive and strong.

What Makes Strong Evidence?

• Supporting evidence is strong when it is more than one sentence

• Supporting evidence is strong when it provides an answer

• Supporting evidence is strong when it is rich

• Supporting evidence is strong when it clearly connects to the question and the answer

What is the first step in finding evidence in a text?

• Closely read the text to find the answer

• Note inferences and quotations from the passage that support the answer or claim

• Read and understand the question or claim

• Analyze the evidence

What is the second step in finding evidence in a text?

• Cite the evidence by including quotations of the excerpted text or by transitional phrases

• Note inferences and quotations from the passage that support the answer or claim

• Analyze the evidence

• Closely read the text to find the answer

What is the third step in finding evidence in a text?

• Note inferences and quotations from the passage that support the answer or claim

• Cite the evidence by including quotations of the excerpted text or by transitional phrases

• Analyze the evidence

• Note inferences and quotations from the passage that support the answer or claim

What is the fifth step in finding evidence in a text?

• Note inferences and quotations from the passage that support the answer or claim

• Cite the evidence by including quotations of the excerpted text or by transitional phrases

• Summarize the text

• Note inferences and quotations from the passage that support the answer or claim

What is the fourth step in finding evidence in a text?

• Cite the evidence by including quotations of the excerpted text or by transitional phrases

• Note inferences and quotations from the passage that support the answer or claim

• Analyze the evidence

• Note inferences and quotations from the passage that support the answer or claim

Which quotations would NOT help support your argument about understanding the knowledge of the past in The Giver? ''The man shook his head. 'No, no,' he said. 'I'm not being clear. It's not my past, my childhood that I must transmit to you.' He leaned back, resting his head against the back of the upholstered chair. 'It's the memories of the whole world,' he said with a sigh. 'Before you, before me, before the previous Receiver, and generations before him.'''

• ''' . . .before the previous Receiver, and generations before him.'''

• '''It's not my past...that I must transmit to you.'''

• '''I'm not being clear.'''

• '''It's the memories of the whole world'''

A nonfiction author may include all these types of evidence EXCEPT _____

• statistical data

• specialized knowledge

• dialogue

• expert opinions