Analyzing evidence
and writing up an
analysis
ENGL203
Analyzing the Evidence or Support
of a Central Argument
• Analysis is the breaking down of something into its parts.
• First, determine what the author supplies as evidence (statistics, expert
opinion/advice/study, anecdotes, personal experiences, etc.);
• Second, determine how effectively that evidence supports the central
argument. In other words – why did the author choose to support her
central argument in this way? (purpose/audience??)
• In order to do this, you MUST have identified the overarching central
argument. All evidence must be linked to that central argument.
According to Dyer (2006) there are six aspects to good
evidence:
• 1. Accuracy - Can this data be validated by independent sources? Are there
other cues or clues in the document that lead you to question the accuracy of
the data?
• 2. Precision - Low precision is often indicated by terms such as “high growth”,
“high probability” or “the market is growing” (precise, specific numbers or
evaluations are not given).
• 3. Sufficiency - The evidence provided must be enough to support the
claim/central argument.
• 4. Representativeness - The evidence must be representative of the population
to which the claim is related.
• 5. Authority - What is the credibility and authority of the individual making the
claim? Are they scholars? Experienced in or with the topic? Is their experience
related to the claim they are making? Is a claim being made based on popular
opinion?
• 6. Clarity of expression - Is the author explaining the importance or significance
What is the significance of the evidence you have
identified? Make the connection to the central
argument of the article. Questions to consider:
• Why is this evidence interesting or effective?
• Eg: The multiple references to the UN study on X are effective in
highlighting/stressing/emphasizing…
• What are the consequences or implications of this evidence?
• Eg: By citing these statistics, the authors encourage the reader to conclude that…
• Why is this information important?
• Eg: This particular study is important support for the claim that…
• This evidence points to a result of an experiment or study, can I explain why these
results are important or what caused them?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence presented?
• Does the author use multiple types of data – if so, why? Is this effective, or
enriching to the message of the article?
• This characteristic of employing multiple types of evidence can be highlighted in the topic
sentence and/or the concluding sentence
Writing an analysis paragraph. This formula can be
used for any analysis paragraph. TEECL stands for:
• Topic sentence - Offer a thesis or topic sentence indicating a basic
observation or assertion about the text or passage.
• Explain – explain what you mean by the topic sentence in a bit more detail
• Evidence – provide examples from the text to support your topic sentence
• Comment - Consider the strengths and limitations of the evidence and
examples that you have presented. Explain how this evidence supports your topic
sentence/your analysis of its effectiveness.
• Linking sentence – summarize the main idea of the paragraph or
state in a different way. Wrap up.
Examples, Examples, Examples!
•An analysis is only as good as the quality of the examples you provide, and the
explanation you give of those examples
•After you make a claim about the precision/sufficiency/accuracy/etc. of the evidence,
you must provide an example from the text.
For example:
To support the author’s purpose to prompt consumers to make better choices, she references a significant
number of studies and quotes environmental experts. The clear presentation of this kind of authoritative
evidence assures the readers that they can trust the information that is being provided.
The author refers as well to the work of an environmental scientist, Alicia Mateos-Cárdenas, with the
purpose of showing the real catastrophe caused by microplastics from the point of view of an expert in
plastic pollution. Mateos-Cardenas explains that “microplastics block digestive tracts, diminish the urge to
eat, and alter feeding behavior, all of which reduce growth and reproductive output” (para. 5). In fact, the
author quotes extensively from the various experts she cites rather than paraphrase their words so that the
audience can receive the full impact of what the scientists are expressing, and this contributes to the clarity
of the evidence.
Topic Sentences
• You will be comparing the evidence used in two separate articles, so
your topic sentence for the evidence analysis paragraph should reflect
that.
• Examples:
• While Parker provides precise and representative evidence to
highlight the problem of racism in the MENA region, Nasser supports
his central argument with authoritative evidence to assure credibility.
• Both authors cite accurate and sufficient evidence, however Johnson’s
presentation of evidence is expressed more clearly.
