Notes on Argument and Evidence

An argument is expressing a point of view on a subject and supporting it with evidence.
It is usually the main idea, often called a “claim” or “thesis statement,” backed up with evidence that supports the idea.
An argument should develop a point of view on or interpretation of the material and provide evidence for your position.
It should stake out a position and prove why it is a good position for a thinking person to hold.
When starting to write a paper, ask yourself, “What is my point?” (Source: Page 2)

Instructors usually look for two things:
- Proof that you understand the material.
- A demonstration of your ability to use or apply the material in ways that go beyond what you have read or heard.
You can critique the material, apply it to something else, or explain it in a different way.
To succeed at the second step, you must have a particular point to argue. (Source: Page 3)

Arguments in academic writing are usually complex and take time to develop; your argument should be more than a simple or obvious statement. (Source: Page 4)
Critical reading is a big part of understanding argument.
Do not fall under the spell of the printed word as authority; the author of every text has an agenda and wants you to believe something. This is normal, but you should be aware of it. (Source: Page 4)

When you read, ask yourself questions like:
- “What is the author trying to prove?”
- “What is the author assuming I will agree with?”
- “Do you agree with the author?”
- “Does the author adequately defend her argument?”
- “What kind of proof does she use?”
- “Is there something she leaves out that you would put in? Would including it hurt her argument?”
As you read critically, you’ll start to see sometimes hidden agendas of other writers, and you can use this skill to improve your own ability to craft effective arguments. (Source: Page 5)

It’s important to use the right kind of evidence, to use it effectively, and to have an appropriate amount of it.
Kinds of Evidence:
- graphs, charts, statistics, and other quantitative data;
- books, journals, websites, newspapers, magazines, and documentary films;
- passages from a novel, examples of recurring symbols, or discussions of characterization.
Primary sources include original documents, photographs, interviews, and so forth.
Secondary sources present information that has already been processed or interpreted by someone else. (Source: Page 6)

After you introduce evidence into your writing, you must say why and how this evidence supports your argument.
You have to explain the significance of the evidence and its function in your paper.
What turns a fact or piece of information into evidence is the connection it has with a larger claim or argument: evidence is always evidence for or against something, and you have to make that link clear. (Source: Page 7)

Readers may be familiar with many ideas, but they don’t know what you are trying to do with those ideas unless you provide explanations, organization, transitions, and so forth.
Spell out the connections you were making in your mind when you chose your evidence, decided where to place it in your paper, and draw conclusions based on it.
You can always cut prose later if you decide that you are stating the obvious. (Source: Page 8)

It’s usually wise to think of your audience as someone who is perfectly smart but may not initially agree with you.
You are not merely expressing your opinion in an argument; the audience will know something about the subject, so you need sturdy proof.
Do not think of your audience as capable of reading your mind.
You have to state both your claim and your evidence clearly.
Do not assume that because the instructor knows the material, he or she understands what part you are using, what you think about it, and why you have taken the position you’ve chosen.
Your argument and evidence will change depending on who your audience is. (Source: Page 10)