Using and Evaluating Textual Evidence

You have supported opinions with clues. A claim is your point. Textual evidence is a relevant quotation, fact, event or detail from the source. You can quote it or describe it accurately. Mae smiles and rereads a welcome note. Together, these actions may suggest pleasure. This is an inference, not certainty; check other clues.

Strong evidence supports the particular claim. Bending branches support wind more directly than a fence's color. Several actions can help: Jo puts on a raincoat and opens an umbrella, suggesting preparation for rain. Choose source actions, not a repeated claim. When comparing details, explain each one's connection. Details about the same topic can support different claims.

Embed exact source words in your own sentence. If the source says "sprinted," quoting "ran" changes it. A short quotation may use an unchanged phrase: "closed the wooden box" includes "wooden." Compare words one by one. A paraphrase uses your wording but keeps the source meaning, without quotation marks. Here, use American punctuation: commas and sentence periods go inside closing quotation marks when no citation follows.

Build a response with a claim, relevant evidence and an explanation. Source: "The canoe took in water through a crack." Response: The canoe needed repair because it "took in water through a crack." The crack lets water enter, linking the detail to the claim. "Because" links the parts; the quoted action is evidence. Repair vague support by selecting a specific source action and explaining its connection, without inventing earlier events.

Keep your claim within the evidence's limits. Mara's call cuts off, and her phone needs restarting. This shows a problem then, not when it began or whether it happened before. Rowan solves one puzzle; this does not show success on every puzzle, a favorite activity or faster work than others. A condition can support a claim without establishing its duration.

Check both the claim and the quotation. Returning a borrowed book on the promised date may support reliability, but does not show enjoyment of reading. An exact quotation attached to an unsupported or opposing claim still needs repair. An accurate paraphrase can supply evidence, but cannot meet a request for an exact embedded quotation. Preserve what the source states when explaining the connection.

Read quotations in context. Asking to repeat a hike challenges a claim of dislike. Do not invent hidden motives. Test each claim-and-quote pair separately and consider other explanations. An unrelated detail neither supports nor rules out a feeling. Length alone does not determine strength: a short relevant quotation can beat a long unrelated one. Explain how the quoted action fits the claim.

Several actions can support one inference: restarting a broken model and working on it the next day both suggest persistence. Evidence can support compatible claims: giving a spare coat to a cold visitor suggests sharing and concern. For regular care, look for repeated maintenance. Checking bicycle tires each week shows a routine; one check shows care on that occasion. Storage location shows neither care nor frequency.