Using Evidence Weak and Strong Uses of Evidence

In order to use evidence effectively, you need to

This guide online: go.iu.edu/3LX7 integrate it smoothly into your essay by following this
pattern:
1. About • State your claim.
Like a lawyer in a jury trial, a writer must convince • Give your evidence, remembering to relate it to the
her audience of the validity of her argument by claim.
using evidence effectively. As a writer, you must also • Comment on the evidence to show how it supports
use evidence to persuade your readers to accept the claim.
your claims. But how do you use evidence to your
advantage? By leading your reader through your To see the differences between strong and weak uses
reasoning. of evidence, here are two paragraphs.

The types of evidence you use change from discipline Weak use of evidence
to discipline—you might use quotations from a poem
or a literary critic, for example, in a literature paper; Today, we are too self-centered. Most families no
you might use data from an experiment in a lab report. longer sit down to eat together, preferring instead to
eat on the go while rushing to the next appointment
The process of putting together your argument is (Gleick 148). Everything is about what we want.
called analysis—it interprets evidence in order to
support, test, and/or refine a claim. The chief claim This is a weak example of evidence because the
in an analytical essay is called the thesis. A thesis evidence is not related to the claim. What does the
provides the controlling idea for a paper and should claim about self-centeredness have to do with families
be original (that is, not completely obvious), assertive, eating together? The writer doesn’t explain the
and arguable. A strong thesis also requires solid connection.
evidence to support and develop it because without
evidence, a claim is merely an unsubstantiated idea or The same evidence can be used to support the same
opinion. claim, but only with the addition of a clear connection
between claim and evidence, and some analysis of the
This pamphlet will cover these basic issues: evidence cited.

• Incorporating evidence effectively. Stronger use of evidence

• Integrating quotations smoothly.
• Citing your sources. Today, Americans are too self-centered. Even our
families don’t matter as much anymore as they once
2. Incorporating Evidence Into Your Essay did. Other people and activities take precedence. In
fact, the evidence shows that most American families
When Should You Incorporate Evidence? no longer eat together, preferring instead to eat
Once you have formulated your claim, your thesis (see on the go while rushing to the next appointment
the WTS pamphlet, “How to Write a Thesis Statement,” (Gleick 148). Sit-down meals are a time to share
for ideas and tips), you should use evidence to help and connect with others; however, that connection
strengthen your thesis and any assertion you make has become less valued, as families begin to prize
that relates to your thesis. Here are some ways to work individual activities over shared time, promoting
evidence into your writing: self-centeredness over group identity.

• Offer evidence that agrees with your stance up to a This is a far better example, as the evidence is more
point, then add to it with ideas of your own. smoothly integrated into the text, the link between
• Present evidence that contradicts your stance, the claim and the evidence is strengthened, and the
and then argue against (refute) that evidence and evidence itself is analyzed to provide support for the
therefore strengthen your position. claim.
• Use sources against each other, as if they were
experts on a panel discussing your proposition. 3. Using Quotations: A Special Type of
• Use quotations to support your assertion, not Evidence
merely to state or restate your claim. One effective way to support your claim is to use
quotations. However, because quotations involve
someone else’s words, you need to take special care
to integrate this kind of evidence into your essay. Here
are two examples using quotations, one less effective
and one more so.
Ineffective Use of Quotation • Quoting: According to Source X, “[direct
quotation]” ([date or page #]).
Today, we are too self-centered. “We are consumers- • Paraphrasing: Although Source Z argues that [his/
on-the-run . . . the very notion of the family meal as a her point in your own words], a better way to view
sit-down occasion is vanishing. Adults and children the issue is [your own point] ([citation]).
alike eat . . . on the way to their next activity” (Gleick • Summarizing: In her book, Source P’s main points
148). Everything is about what we want. are Q, R, and S [citation].

This example is ineffective because the quotation Your job during the course of your essay is to persuade
is not integrated with the writer’s ideas. Notice your readers that your claims are feasible and are the
how the writer has dropped the quotation into the most effective way of interpreting the evidence.
paragraph without making any connection between
it and the claim. Furthermore, she has not discussed 5. Questions to Ask Yourself When Revising
the quotation’s significance, which makes it difficult Your Paper
for the reader to see the relationship between the
evidence and the writer’s point. • Have I offered my reader evidence to substantiate
each assertion I make in my paper?
More Effective Use of Quotation • Do I thoroughly explain why/how my evidence
backs up my ideas?
Today, Americans are too self-centered. Even our • Do I avoid generalizing in my paper by specifically
families don’t matter as much anymore as they once explaining how my evidence is representative?
did. Other people and activities take precedence, • Do I provide evidence that not only confirms but
as James Gleick says in his book, Faster. “We are also qualifies my paper’s main claims?
consumers-on-the-run . . . the very notion of the • Do I use evidence to test and evolve my ideas,
family meal as a sit-down occasion is vanishing. rather than to just confirm them?
Adults and children alike eat . . . on the way to • Do I cite my sources thoroughly and correctly?
their next activity” (148). Sit-down meals are a
time to share and connect with others; however,
that connection has become less valued, as families
begin to prize individual activities over shared time,
promoting self-centeredness over group identity.

The second example is more effective because it

follows the guidelines for incorporating evidence into
an essay. Notice, too, that it uses a lead-in phrase (“. . .
as James Gleick says in his book, Faster”) to introduce
the direct quotation. This lead-in phrase helps to
integrate the quotation with the writer’s ideas. Also
notice that the writer discusses and comments upon
the quotation immediately afterwards, which allows
the reader to see the quotation’s connection to the
writer’s point.

Remember: Discussing the significance of your

evidence develops and expands your paper!

4. Citing your sources For free help at any stage of the writing process,
Evidence appears in essays in the form of quotations contact us at the following address:
and paraphrasing. Both forms of evidence must
be cited in your text. Citing evidence means Writing Tutorial Services
distinguishing other writers’ information from your
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own ideas and giving credit to your sources. There
are plenty of general ways to do citations. Note both Indiana University
the lead-in phrases and the punctuation (except the Phone: (812) 855-6738
brackets) in the following examples: Website: go.iu.edu/3LYc
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