Evidence-Based Writing

When you read an article to learn about something, you do not just remember it. You go back and find the exact words that prove your idea. Here is how it works. First, read the whole article slowly. Second, ask yourself: what is the big idea I want to write about? Third, go back through the text and mark five sentences that connect to that idea. These sentences are your evidence. Now pick one sentence and write about it. Do not just copy it. Explain in about fifty words what the author means and why it matters. Say it in your own voice. For example, if you are writing that sea turtles need our help, find the sentence in the article that shows how many turtles are left. Then explain why that number surprised you or changed your mind. Good writers never say 'the article says so.' They point to the exact words and explain them.

Think of reading and writing like joining a conversation. Before you can add your own ideas, you have to listen to what others say. That means reading carefully first. Then you have three ways to share what you learned. You can summarize, which means putting the whole article into your own short words. You can quote, which means copying the exact words the author wrote and putting them in quotation marks. Or you can paraphrase, which means rewriting one idea in your own words, keeping the meaning but changing the words. Each way helps you in a different spot. A summary is great for telling what the whole text is about. A quote is great when the author's exact words are strong. A paraphrase is great when the idea is long or tricky but the exact words are not special. After you share the author's idea, add your own response. Say if you agree, disagree, or have a question.

Strong paragraphs are built one strong sentence at a time. These mini lessons and anchor charts show teachers and students how to practice sentences on their own before putting them into a full report. The big idea is simple: if you want to write a clear paragraph that uses evidence from a book or article, first practice writing one clear sentence about that evidence. Try turning a plain sentence into a more exact one. Instead of 'the animal is big,' write 'the leatherback sea turtle can weigh as much as a small car.' See how the second sentence gives a real fact you could trace back to a source? That is the habit evidence-based writers build. You learn to say exactly what you mean, with details someone could check. Start small. Write one sentence. Make it exact. Then write another. Soon you have a paragraph where every sentence carries a fact, and your reader trusts what you say.