Identifying Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning

Is the following sentence an example of a claim or evidence?

According to the American Health Association, peanut butter is a great source of protein.

• Claim

• Evidence

Which piece of evidence could be used to BEST support this claim:

High school students should be required to wear uniforms.

• When adding everything up, a school uniform could end up costing more than $200.

• A student reported, "Allowing us to wear our own clothes gives us a chance to show our unique style and independence."

• At one school that recently required students to wear uniforms, attendance rates went up, and behavior incidents went down.

• School uniforms can be ordered online .

The following sentence is an example of...?

More school districts should wake up to the benefits of starting school later in the morning.

• Reasoning

• Evidence

• Claim

• Opinion

Is the following sentence an example of a claim or evidence?

Two out of three high school students fail to get enough sleep.

• Claim

• Evidence

What is the claim in the following argument?

In our experiment, the blocks had different masses: 20 g., 30 g., 44 g., 123 g. and 142 g. but the time for all five blocks to fall was about the same. It took between 1.5 and 1.8 seconds for them to fall. No, mass does not affect how quickly an object falls because all of the blocks had different masses but took about the same time. I know that mass does not affect how quickly something falls.

• In our experiment, the blocks had different masses, 20 g., 30 g., 44 g., 123 g and 142 g but the time for all five blocks to fall was about the same. It took between 1.5 and 1.8 seconds for them to fall.

• No, mass does not affect how quickly an object falls because all of the blocks had different masses but took about the same time.

• All of the blocks had different masses but took about the same time, I know that mass does not affect how quickly something falls.

What is the evidence in the following argument?

In our experiment, the blocks had different masses: 20 g., 30 g., 44 g., 123 g. and 142 g. but the time for all five blocks to fall was about the same. It took between 1.5 and 1.8 seconds for them to fall. No, mass does not affect how quickly an object falls because all of the blocks had different masses but took about the same time. I know that mass does not affect how quickly something falls.

• In our experiment, the blocks had different masses, 20 g., 30 g., 44 g., 123 g. and 142 g. but the time for all five blocks to fall was about the same. It took between 1.5 and 1.8 seconds for them to fall.

• No, mass does not affect how quickly an object falls because all of the blocks had different masses but took about the same time.

• I know that mass does not affect how quickly something falls.

Evidence is ___________________

• a statement or conclusion that answers a question

• information that tends to prove or disprove a claim

• a justification that connects the claim to the evidence

• Not vital when using an argument

A claim is ______________________________.

• examples, data, facts, and information.

• a fact.

• a debatable statement that can be supported with evidence.

• an answer to a question.

Reasoning is __________________.

• A statement of conclusion that answers the original question/problem.

• Scientific data that supports the claim

• Explains why and how the evidence actually connects and supports the claim.

• Empirical Evidence

Which of the following is NOT a claim?

• California is the best state in the USA.

• Twinkies taste better than other snack cakes because of their texture, their creamy filling, and their golden appearance.

• The school year began on August 18 and will end on June 4.

• Christmas is the best holiday of the year because it is winter time, I get gifts, and spend a lot of time with my family.