Lect 5 Opinion evidence and supporting claims

Opinion, Opinion, evidence and evidence and supporting supporting

claims with the claims with the work of otherswork of othersLecturer: Colette RhodingLecturer: Colette Rhoding

Summary SlideSummary Slide Personal opinion versus researched Personal opinion versus researched informationinformation

Providing evidenceProviding evidence Putting together claims and evidencePutting together claims and evidence The essentials of a well-formed argumentThe essentials of a well-formed argument

Personal Opinion vs Personal Opinion vs researched informationresearched information

Personal opinion:Personal opinion: ‘‘I think/believe…’ statementsI think/believe…’ statements These statements must be supported by good These statements must be supported by good arguments and evidencearguments and evidence

Researched information (fact)Researched information (fact) ‘‘Research shows…’Research shows…’ Contemporary researchers believe…’Contemporary researchers believe…’ These statements must be backed up by evidence!These statements must be backed up by evidence!

Time and place for your opinionTime and place for your opinion Position papersPosition papers Sometimes in the conclusion of other types of Sometimes in the conclusion of other types of essaysessays

When your lecturer requires itWhen your lecturer requires it

Providing evidence and supporting statements

When do we need to provide evidence?Big Picture Report/essay/article

Fine Details Individual Paragraphs

Claims are present in both the big picture and fine details

Every claim needs evidence to support it

Putting together claims and evidence to create an

argument The main claimThe main claim

Supporting claimSupporting claim EvidenceEvidence EvidenceEvidence ConclusionConclusion

Supporting claimSupporting claim EvidenceEvidence EvidenceEvidence ConclusionConclusion

The main claim restated as a The main claim restated as a conclusion conclusion

Putting together claims and evidence to create an

argumentBig Picture Report/essay/article

Fine Details Individual Paragraphs

The essentials of developing a well-formed

argument1. Make a clear claim 2. Support that claim with evidence3. Logically structure your

argument and the supporting evidence

4. Critically examine the logic of your argument (because that’s what your readers will be doing!)

1) Make a clear claim Big Picture = thesis, statement of hypothesis, conclusion in abstract/concluding paragraph

Finer details = majority of paragraphs should have a claim Usually the sentence which tells what the paragraph is going to be about

Exception would be explanatory paragraphs, expanding on previous text

2) Support the claim with evidence

Every claim must have sufficient evidence to support it

Some evidence takes the form of ‘reasons’ ie, Foxes reduce juvenile kangaroo numbers (claim) because they prey upon them (reason).

Reason statements require the support of evidence, just as claims do

Taking apart claims and evidence to analyse an

argumentBig Picture Report/essay/article

Fine Details Individual Paragraphs

Taking apart claims and evidence to analyse an

argument Determine which claim(s) is/are Determine which claim(s) is/are being madebeing made

Determine that each claim is Determine that each claim is sufficiently supported by sufficiently supported by evidenceevidence

Act like a 3 year oldAct like a 3 year old Find a claim and ask, “Why should I Find a claim and ask, “Why should I believe that?” believe that?”

Look at the rest of the passage and see Look at the rest of the passage and see if you can find anything that looks if you can find anything that looks like an answer to the why question. like an answer to the why question.

If you find an answer, then that is an If you find an answer, then that is an evidence or reason statement. evidence or reason statement. Remember that reason statements require the Remember that reason statements require the support of evidence too!support of evidence too!

Then act like a uni Then act like a uni studentstudent

Now ask, ‘Is the evidence or Now ask, ‘Is the evidence or reason statement founded on good reason statement founded on good research? Is there a reference research? Is there a reference to the source?’to the source?’

If you cannot find well-founded If you cannot find well-founded evidence for each and every claim evidence for each and every claim (and every reason statement!), (and every reason statement!), you do not have a good argumentyou do not have a good argument

Claims, reasons and evidence

‘Australian higher education should review its ‘hand-off’ policy toward student drinking off campus, because high-risk binge drinking has become a common and dangerous form of behaviour. Injuries and deaths from binge drinking have increased 13% over the last 3 years (Everitt, 2008)(Everitt, 2008).

Claims, reasons and evidence

‘Australian higher education should review its ‘hand-off’ policy toward student drinking off campus [claim], because high-risk binge drinking has become a common and dangerous form of behaviour [reason]. Injuries and deaths from binge drinking have increased 13% over the last 3 years (Everitt, (Everitt, 2008)2008).[evidence]

How do I include evidence How do I include evidence my writing?my writing?

All claims need evidenceAll claims need evidence All evidence needs to be All evidence needs to be accurately referenced.accurately referenced.

Three ways to present evidence: Three ways to present evidence: direct quotation, summary, direct quotation, summary, paraphrase.paraphrase.

Remember to make use of the Remember to make use of the Library web page for referencing Library web page for referencing support.support.

Introducing the work of Introducing the work of others into my essayothers into my essay

According to Black (2001) ...According to Black (2001) ... Smith, Brown and Ellis (2010) argue Smith, Brown and Ellis (2010) argue that...that...

In their review of the literature, Smart In their review of the literature, Smart and French (2000) point out that...and French (2000) point out that...

In light of the evidence presented by In light of the evidence presented by Shore (2002) it could be argued that...Shore (2002) it could be argued that...

Children from isolated areas are less Children from isolated areas are less likely to have weight issues later in likely to have weight issues later in life than children from heavily life than children from heavily populated areas (Green, 1999).populated areas (Green, 1999).

How to summariseHow to summarise Read the text several times. If you Read the text several times. If you don’t know the meanings of words, look don’t know the meanings of words, look them up.them up.

Ask yourself ‘what are the important Ask yourself ‘what are the important ideas?’ Jot down a few words for each ideas?’ Jot down a few words for each idea.idea.

Put the text to one side, and write your Put the text to one side, and write your summary from your notes.summary from your notes.

Compare your summary to the text. Have Compare your summary to the text. Have you changed the meaning?you changed the meaning?

Add an in-text citation at the end of the Add an in-text citation at the end of the summary.summary.

How to paraphraseHow to paraphrase Read the text several times. If there are Read the text several times. If there are words you don’t understand, look them up.words you don’t understand, look them up.

Make notes. Try to use different Make notes. Try to use different vocabulary from that used in the text.vocabulary from that used in the text.

Write your paraphrase from your notes. Write your paraphrase from your notes. This will ensure you use different This will ensure you use different vocabulary and sentence structure from the vocabulary and sentence structure from the text.text.

Re-read your paraphrase to make sure you Re-read your paraphrase to make sure you have not changed the meaning of the text. have not changed the meaning of the text. Also check that your paraphrase is not too Also check that your paraphrase is not too similar to the text.similar to the text.

Add an in-text citation.Add an in-text citation.

Your turnYour turn Read the sample essay and mark:Read the sample essay and mark:

The thesis statement with THThe thesis statement with TH All other claims with CAll other claims with C All evidence with EAll evidence with E

Or use different colour Or use different colour highlighters for each, if you highlighters for each, if you preferprefer

Final Comment on essay Final Comment on essay skillsskills

Remember: Writing is a set of skills and Remember: Writing is a set of skills and processes which can be learned and processes which can be learned and practicedpracticed

Being better at writing will –Being better at writing will – save you timesave you time reduce stressreduce stress produce dramatically better marksproduce dramatically better marks enable you to focus on the real business of enable you to focus on the real business of learninglearning

Writing is a foundation skillWriting is a foundation skill Aim to get better at it, as quickly as you canAim to get better at it, as quickly as you can Don’t waste writing opportunities Don’t waste writing opportunities

Especially in the first yearEspecially in the first year Ensure you sign outEnsure you sign out