English 10 / Unit 8: Writing Arguments
8.2 Types of Evidence
Notes
Arguments need strong, varied support.
- Statistics: numerical data ("68 percent of students...").
- Expert testimony: quotations from qualified authorities.
- Examples: specific cases that illustrate a point.
- Anecdotes: short personal stories; vivid, but weak alone because they are single cases.
- Research findings: results from studies.
- Always explain how evidence supports the claim, and cite its source.
Practice
"Dr. Lena Park, a pediatric sleep specialist, states that teens need eight to ten hours of sleep." This is:
It quotes a qualified expert.
Why is an anecdote weak as an argument's only evidence?
One story does not prove a general pattern.
A writer argues for a later school start and cites a study where attendance rose 10 percent after a district shifted to 8:30 a.m. The best next step is to:
Evidence needs commentary that connects it to the claim.
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