Thesis Claims and Finding Evidence

What is the second step in finding evidence in a text?

Closely read the text to find the answer

Strong Claims

Compelling, debatable, defensible.

Inference

Deriving meaning from clues, hints, or evidence.

What do you need to do if a point doesn't support or relate to your thesis statement?

Discard

What is a similarity between an overly detailed thesis statement and a vague thesis statement?

In both cases, the thesis statement would make it more difficult for the reader to follow your arguments.

How do inferences support finding evidence?

Inferences based on text evidence can support an interpretation or analysis as powerfully as explicitly stated evidence.

How does a well-written thesis statement help the reader?

It introduces the points to be made in the essay.

You can make use of ideas that you generated during prewriting/brainstorming _____.

to draft the because clause in your thesis statement

Why is evidence important?

to support the author's claim or idea

Writer is trying to prove that something is true

Fact

How are finding evidence and inference connected?

Most texts require readers to interpret the text evidence to understand intent, meaning or context.

Should / Should Not

Policy claim key words

Determine the best text evidence

Not all textual evidence has weight; examine all evidence to determine its validity.

What is the third step in finding evidence in a text?

Note inferences and quotations from the passage that support the answer or claim

These claims are more complex

Nuanced

Numbers help with Logos claims

Statistics refers to the study of the collection, analysis, interpretation, presentation, and organization of data and can provide important textual evidence.

What Makes Strong Evidence?

Supporting evidence is strong when it clearly connects to the question and the answer

Inference statement

A general statement or concept obtained by inference after examining specific cases. Analyze this kind of text evidence closely to determine whether the generalization or inference is valid.

Generalization

A statement that applies to a group of people or things, based on some examples.

What is the fourth step in finding evidence in a text?

Analyze the evidence

Why is evidence important?

Evidence is essential to an author creating a strong argument or claim

What does your thesis statement accomplish?

It is the central point of the essay that everything else revolves around and supports

Why is a thesis statement the most important component of an essay?

It tells the main point of the essay as well as the writer's position.

How to expand your thinking about text evidence.

Make inferences by looking at several aspects of an informational text or by examining characters, setting, and plot events in a literary work: Look for a series of facts or events in a text that are related.

What must a reader do to strengthen evidence for their claim?

Make multiple inferences throughout an informational or literary text.

Claim

A position that can be argued.

What is the fifth step in finding evidence in a text?

Cite the evidence by including quotations of the excerpted text or by transitional phrases

Major types of claims

Fact, Value, Policy

May acknowledge other perspectives or limit the claim by setting boundaries.

Nuanced claims

Writer is trying to change the way things are

Policy

Requires writer to share or establish criteria

Value

Better or Best /. More or Less / Worse or Worst / --iest or -ier words

Value claim key words

What to do to infer meaning.

Think about any prior knowledge related to facts or events. Combine prior knowledge with evidence directly stated in the text. Infer a new understanding of a topic that can be used as textual evidence to support an analysis.

First, test to make sure that each one is a CLAIM (takes a position) rather than just a fact or research finding from an article. Next, test to make sure the claim is debatable, defensible, and compelling; specific; other-directed. Finally, check the list to make sure there are options for a variety of opinions.

Tips for developing a strong claim

What does your best argumentative thesis statement need?

a because clause

A should ... because format for thesis statements in persuasive essays _____.

allows you to state your position clearly as well as your reasoning for that position

A nonfiction author may include all these types of evidence EXCEPT _____

dialogue

Quotations and paraphrases are examples of _____, or examples from a text that support main and sub points in an essay.

evidence

What does finding evidence in fiction involve?

finding supporting dialogue and interactions between characters to support ideas

Is or Is Not / Are or Are. Not

Fact claim key words

Because of ______, we should ______. or Because of ______, we should not ______. Although ________, we should ______. or Although ________, we should not ______.

Frames to create a nuanced claim

What is the first step in finding evidence in a text?

Read and understand the question or claim

How do you begin developing a thesis statement?

Read the prompt refer to your prewriting, and make a PRO and CON list

What is a thesis statement?

The main point of an essay that expresses the writer's position

What makes evidence strong?

its connection to the question and answer