english
ardam
using_evidence3.pdf
In co
rp o
ra tin
g E
v id
e n
ce In
to Y
o u
r E ssa
y
W
h e
n S
h o
u ld
Y o
u In
co rp
o ra
te E
v id
e n
ce ?
O n
ce y o
u h
av e fo
rm u
lated y
o u
r claim , y
o u
r th esis (see th
e W
T S
p am
p h
let, “H o
w to
W rite a T
h esis S
tatem en
t,” fo r
id eas an
d tip
s), y o
u sh
o u
ld u
se ev id
en ce to
h elp
stren g
th en
y
o u
r th esis an
d an
y assertio
n y
o u
m ak
e th at relates to
y o
u r
th esis. H
ere are so m
e w ay
s to w
o rk
ev id
en ce in
to y
o u
r w
ritin g
: •
O ffer ev
id en
ce th at ag
rees w ith
y o
u r stan
ce u p
to a
p o
in t, th
en ad
d to
it w ith
id eas o
f y o
u r o
w n
. •
P resen
t ev id
en ce th
at co n
trad icts y
o u
r stan ce, an
d th
en
arg u
e ag ain
st (refu te) th
at ev id
en ce an
d th
erefo re
stren g
th en
y o
u r p
o sitio
n .
•
U se so
u rces ag
ain st each
o th
er, as if th ey
w ere exp
erts o
n a p
an el d
iscu ssin
g y
o u
r p ro
p o
sitio n
. •
U se q
u o
tatio n
s to su
p p
o rt y
o u
r assertio n
, n o
t m erely
to
state o r restate y
o u
r claim .
W
e a
k a
n d
S tro
n g
U se
s o f E
v id
e n
ce In
o rd
er to u
se ev id
en ce effectiv
ely , y
o u
n eed
to in
teg rate it
sm o
o th
ly in
to y
o u
r essay b
y fo
llo w
in g
th is p
attern :
•
S tate y
o u
r claim .
•
G iv
e y o
u r ev
id en
ce, rem em
b erin
g to
relate it to th
e claim
. •
C o
m m
en t o
n th
e ev id
en ce to
sh o
w h
o w
it su p
p o
rts th e
claim .
T o
see th e d
ifferen ces b
etw een
stro n
g an
d w
eak u
ses o f
ev id
en ce, h
ere are tw o
p arag
rap h
s.
W e
a k
u se
o f e
v id
e n
ce
T o d a y , w e a r e t o o s e l f - c e n t e r e d . M o s t
f a m i l i e s n o l o n g e r s i t d o w n t o e a t
t o g e t h e r , p r e f e r r i n g i n s t e a d t o e a t o n
t h e g o w h i l e r u s h i n g t o t h e n e x t
a p p o i n t m e n t ( G l e i c k 1 4 8 ) . E v e r y t h i n g
i s a b o u t w h a t w e w a n t .
T
h is is a w
e a
k exam
p le o
f ev id
en ce b
ecau se th
e ev
id en
ce is n o
t related to
th e claim
. W h
at d o
es th e claim
ab
o u
t self-cen tered
n ess h
av e to
d o
w ith
fam ilies eatin
g
to g
eth er? T
h e w
riter d o
esn ’t exp
lain th
e co n
n ectio
n .
T h
e sam e ev
id en
ce can b
e u sed
to su
p p
o rt th
e sam e
claim , b
u t o
n ly
w ith
th e ad
d itio
n o
f a clear co n
n ectio
n
b etw
een claim
an d
ev id
en ce, an
d so
m e an
aly sis o
f th e
ev id
en ce cited
. S
tro n
g e
r u se
o f e
v id
e n
ce
T o d a y , A m e r i c a n s a r e t o o s e l f -
c e n t e r e d . E v e n o u r f a m i l i e s d o n ' t
m a t t e r a s m u c h a n y m o r e a s t h e y o n c e
d i d . O t h e r p e o p l e a n d a c t i v i t i e s t a k e
p r e c e d e n c e . I n f a c t , t h e e v i d e n c e
s h o w s t h a t m o s t A m e r i c a n f a m i l i e s n o
l o n g e r e a t t o g e t h e r , p r e f e r r i n g
i n s t e a d t o e a t o n t h e g o w h i l e r u s h i n g
t o t h e n e x t a p p o i n t m e n t ( G l e i c k 1 4 8 ) .
S i t - d o w n m e a l s a r e a t i m e t o s h a r e a n d
c o n n e c t w i t h o t h e r s ; h o w e v e r , t h a t
c o n n e c t i o n h a s b e c o m e l e s s v a l u e d , a s
f a m i l i e s b e g i n t o p r i z e i n d i v i d u a l
a c t i v i t i e s o v e r s h a r e d t i m e , p r o m o t i n g
s e l f - c e n t e r e d n e s s o v e r g r o u p i d e n t i t y .
T
h is is a far b
etter exam p
le, as th e ev
id en
ce is m o
re sm
o o
th ly
in teg
rated in
to th
e text, th e lin
k b
etw een
th e
claim an
d th
e ev id
en ce is stren
g th
en ed
, an d
th e
ev id
en ce itself is an
aly zed
to p
ro v
id e su
p p
o rt fo
r th e
claim .
U sin
g Q
u o
ta tio
n s: A
S p
e cia
l T y
p e
o f
E v
id e
n ce
O
n e effectiv
e w ay
to su
p p
o rt y
o u
r claim is to
u se
q u
o tatio
n s. H
o w
ev er, b
ecau se q
u o
tatio n
s in v
o lv
e so
m eo
n e else’s w
o rd
s, y o
u n
eed to
tak e sp
ecial care to
in teg
rate th is k
in d
o f ev
id en
ce in to
y o
u r essay
. H ere are
tw o
exam p
les u sin
g q
u o
tatio n
s, o n
e less effectiv e an
d
o n
e m o
re so .
In
e ffe
ctiv e
U se
o f Q
u o
ta tio
n
T o d a y , w e a r e t o o s e l f - c e n t e r e d . “ W e
a r e c o n s u m e r s - o n - t h e - r u n . . . t h e v e r y
n o t i o n o f t h e f a m i l y m e a l a s a s i t - d o w n
o c c a s i o n i s v a n i s h i n g . A d u l t s a n d
c h i l d r e n a l i k e e a t . . . o n t h e w a y t o
t h e i r n e x t a c t i v i t y ” ( G l e i c k 1 4 8 ) .
E v e r y t h i n g i s a b o u t w h a t w e w a n t .
T
h is exam
p le is in
e ffe
ctiv e b
ecau se th
e q u
o tatio
n is n
o t
in teg
rated w
ith th
e w riter’s id
eas. N o
tice h o
w th
e w riter
h as d
ro p
p ed
th e q
u o
tatio n
in to
th e p
arag rap
h w
ith o
u t
m ak
in g
an y
co n
n ectio
n b
etw een
it an d
th e claim
. F
u rth
erm o
re, sh e h
as n o
t d iscu
ssed th
e q u
o tatio
n ’s
sig n
ifican ce, w
h ich
m ak
es it d ifficu
lt fo r th
e read er to
see th
e relatio n
sh ip
b etw
een th
e ev id
en ce an
d th
e w riter’s
p o
in t.
A
M o
re E
ffe ctiv
e U
se o
f Q u
o ta
tio n
T o d a y , A m e r i c a n s a r e t o o s e l f - c e n t e r e d .
E v e n o u r f a m i l i e s d o n ' t m a t t e r a s m u c h
a n y m o r e a s t h e y o n c e d i d . O t h e r p e o p l e
a n d a c t i v i t i e s t a k e p r e c e d e n c e , a s
J a m e s G l e i c k s a y s i n h i s b o o k , F a s t e r .
“ W e a r e c o n s u m e r s - o n - t h e - r u n . . . t h e
v e r y n o t i o n o f t h e f a m i l y m e a l a s a
s i t - d o w n o c c a s i o n i s v a n i s h i n g .
A d u l t s
a n d c h i l d r e n a l i k e e a t . . . o n t h e w a y
t o t h e i r n e x t a c t i v i t y ” ( 1 4 8 ) . S i t - d o w n
m e a l s a r e a t i m e t o s h a r e a n d c o n n e c t
w i t h o t h e r s ; h o w e v e r , t h a t c o n n e c t i o n
h a s b e c o m e l e s s v a l u e d , a s f a m i l i e s b e g i n
t o p r i z e i n d i v i d u a l a c t i v i t i e s o v e r
s h a r e d t i m e , p r o m o t i n g s e l f - c e n t e r e d n e s s
o v e r g r o u p i d e n t i t y .
T
h e seco
n d
exam p
le is m o
re e ffe
ctiv e b
ecau se it fo
llo w
s th
e g u
id elin
es fo r in
co rp
o ratin
g ev
id en
ce in to
an essay
. N
o tice, to
o , th
at it u ses a lead
-in p
h rase (“. . . as Jam
es G
leick say
s in h
is b o
o k
, F aster”) to
in tro
d u
ce th e d
irect q
u o
tatio n
. T h
is lead -in
p h
rase h elp
s to in
teg rate th
e q
u o
tatio n
w ith
th e w
riter’s id eas. A
lso n
o tice th
at th e
w riter d
iscu sses an
d co
m m
en ts u
p o
n th
e q u
o tatio
n
im m
ed iately
afterw ard
s, w h
ich allo
w s th
e read er to
see th e
q u
o tatio
n ’s co
n n
ectio n
to th
e w riter’s p
o in
t. R
E M
E M
B E
R : D
iscu ssin
g th
e sig
n ifica
n ce
o f y
o u
r e
v id
e n
ce d
e v
e lo
p s a
n d
e x
p a
n d
s y o
u r p
a p
e r!
C itin
g Y
o u
r S o
u rce
s E
v id
en ce ap
p ears in
essay s in
th e fo
rm o
f q u
o tatio
n s an
d
p arap
h rasin
g . B
o th
fo rm
s o f ev
id en
ce m u
st b e cited
in y
o u
r text. C
itin g
ev id
en ce m
ean s d
istin g
u ish
in g
o th
er w riters’
in fo
rm atio
n fro
m y
o u
r o w
n id
eas an d
g iv
in g
cred it to
y o
u r
so u
rces. T h
ere are p len
ty o
f g en
eral w ay
s to d
o citatio
n s.
N o
te b o
th th
e lead -in
p h
rases an d
th e p
u n
ctu atio
n (excep
t th
e b rack
ets) in th
e fo llo
w in
g exam
p les:
•
Q u
o tin
g : A c c o r d i n g t o S o u r c e X , “ [ d i r e c t
q u o t a t i o n ] ” ( [ d a t e o r p a g e # ] ) .
•
P a
ra p
h ra
sin g
: A l t h o u g h S o u r c e Z a r g u e s t h a t
[ h i s / h e r p o i n t i n y o u r o w n w o r d s ] , a
b e t t e r w a y t o v i e w t h e i s s u e i s [ y o u r o w n
p o i n t ] ( [ c i t a t i o n ] ) .
•
S u
m m
a riz
in g
: I n h e r b o o k , S o u r c e P ’ s m a i n
p o i n t s a r e Q , R , a n d S [ c i t a t i o n ] .
Y
o u
r jo b
d u
rin g
th e co
u rse o
f y o
u r essay
is to p
ersu ad
e y
o u
r read ers th
at y o
u r claim
s are feasib le an
d are th
e m o
st effectiv
e w ay
o f in
terp retin
g th
e ev id
en ce.
Q u
e stio
n s to
A sk
Y o
u rse
lf W h
e n
R e
v isin
g
Y o
u r P
a p
e r
•
H av
e I o ffered
m y
read er ev
id en
ce to su
b stan
tiate each
assertio n
I m ak
e in m
y p
ap er?
•
D o
I th o
ro u
g h
ly exp
lain w
h y
/ h
o w
m y
ev id
en ce
b ack
s u p
m y
id eas?
•
D o
I av o
id g
en eralizin
g in
m y
p ap
er b y
sp ecifically
exp
lain in
g h
o w
m y
ev id
en ce is rep
resen tativ
e? •
D o
I p ro
v id
e ev id
en ce th
at n o
t o n
ly co
n firm
s b u
t also
q u
alifies m y
p ap
er’s m ain
claim s?
•
D o
I u se ev
id en
ce to test an
d ev
o lv
e m y
id eas,
rath er th
an to
ju st co
n firm
th em
? •
D o
I cite m y
so u
rces th o
ro u
g h
ly an
d co
rrectly ?
F o
r free h elp
at an y
stag e o
f th e w
ritin g
p ro
cess:
W ritin
g T
u to
ria l S
erv ices
W ells L
ib rary
In fo
rm atio
n C
o m
m o
n s
In d
ian a U
n iv
ersity
8 5
5 -6
7 3
8
w w
w .in
d ia
n a
.e d
u /~
w ts
/
S ee o
u r w
eb site fo
r h o
u rs, tim
es, an d
lo catio
n s
R
ev ised
08/ 11/
11
U
sin g
E
v id
e n
ce
L ik
e a law y
er in a ju
ry trial, a w
riter m u
st co n
v in
ce h er
au d
ien ce o
f th e v
alid ity
o f h
er arg u
m en
t b y
u sin
g
ev id
en ce effectiv
ely . A
s a w riter, y
o u
m u
st also u
se ev
id en
ce to p
ersu ad
e y o
u r read
ers to accep
t y o
u r claim
s. B
u t h
o w
d o
y o
u u
se ev id
en ce to
y o
u r ad
v an
tag e? B
y
lead in
g y
o u
r read er th
ro u
g h
y o
u r reaso
n in
g .
T h
e ty p
es o f ev
id en
ce y o
u u
se ch an
g e fro
m d
iscip lin
e to
d iscip
lin e—
y o
u m
ig h
t u se q
u o
tatio n
s fro m
a p o
em o
r a literary
critic, fo r exam
p le, in
a literatu re p
ap er; y
o u
m
ig h
t u se d
ata fro m
an exp
erim en
t in a lab
rep o
rt. T
h e p
ro cess o
f p u
ttin g
to g
eth er y
o u
r arg u
m en
t is called
an aly
sis— it in
terp rets ev
id en
ce in o
rd er to
su p
p o
rt, test, an
d /
o r refin
e a claim . T
h e ch
ief claim in
an an
aly tical
essay is called
th e th
esis. A th
esis p ro
v id
es th e
co n
tro llin
g id
ea fo r a p
ap er an
d sh
o u
ld b
e o rig
in al (th
at is, n
o t co
m p
letely o
b v
io u
s), assertiv e, an
d arg
u ab
le. A
stro n
g th
esis also req
u ires so
lid ev
id en
ce to su
p p
o rt an
d
d ev
elo p
it b ecau
se w ith
o u
t ev id
en ce, a claim
is m erely
an
u n
su b
stan tiated
id ea o
r o p
in io
n .
T h
is p am
p h
let w ill co
v er th
ese b asic issu
es:
•
In co
rp o
ratin g
ev id
en ce effectiv
ely .
•
In teg
ratin g
q u
o tatio
n s sm
o o
th ly
. •
C itin
g y
o u
r so u
rces.
