Supporting
Evidence:
a.k.a.
“Concrete Details”
Writing Series
Training #4
What is supporting evidence?
• Supporting evidence is the proof you need
to support your thesis
• Facts, examples, evidence,
reasons, quotations, etc.
• Could use the transition “for example”
What is supporting evidence?
An illustration
• If you told your parents you need
money, they will ask, “Why?”
• The reasons you give them are
your supporting evidence
• Note: They probably won’t give
you money unless you give them
factual proof that you need it
• What reasons would you give
your parents to convince them to
give you money?
What is supporting evidence?
An illustration
•Which of the following lists of supporting evidence
will probably get more money from your parents?
•Why is that list better?
List A:
• I need it.
• It will make me happier.
• I will help more around
the house.
List B:
• School lunches cost 50
cents more this year.
• My teachers have been
very helpful and I would
like to buy them each a
little gift.
• I would like to go to a
movie with my friends.
What is supporting evidence?
A metaphor
• Before lawyers go to court, they have to
gather supporting evidence to prove that
their client is telling the truth
• The jury will most likely believe the lawyer
with the best supporting evidence
• As a writer, you have to gather the
best supporting evidence so that
your readers will believe your thesis
Is Austin a good
place to live?
Position: Austin rocks!
Thesis: Families and
singles should move to
Austin because of the
outstanding University
of Texas, beautiful Lady
Bird Lake, and delicious
Mexican food.
Road map: UT, Lady
Bird Lake, Chuy’s
Position: Austin stinks!
Thesis: It is surprising that
anyone ever chooses to
live in Austin because of
its terrible traffic, dying
malls, and high summer
temperatures.
Road map: IH-35 at rush
hour, Highland Mall, any
large parking lot at noon in
August
Question: Is Austin a good place to live?
Thesis: Families and singles should move to
Austin because of the outstanding university,
beautiful Lady Bird Lake, and delicious Mexican
food.
Topic #1: University of Texas
Supporting Evidence:
• Has $400 million for research every year
• Library system is one of the top 10 research
libraries in the nation
• In 2002, Sports Illustrated ranked UT #1 of the
nation’s athletic programs
Question: Is Austin a good place to live?
Thesis: It is surprising that anyone ever chooses to
live in Austin because of its terrible traffic, dying
malls, and high summer temperatures.
Topic #1: terrible traffic
Supporting
Evidence:
• 21.9 average commute time – ranked 39th in the
U.S. (U.S. Census Bureau)
• IH-35 in downtown Austin is the busiest six-lane
section of highway in the state
What is supporting evidence?
Thesis: Although the deserts of the world have many
similarities, they are vastly different in terms of
temperature, vegetation, and size.
The 3 topics for the body paragraphs will be:
– Temperature
– Vegetation
– Size
What kind of supporting evidence would you need for a
body paragraph on the difference in temperature in
deserts around the world?
What is supporting evidence?
Thesis: Columbus was the world’s first imperialist as he
claimed political, cultural and economic control in the
Americas.
The topics for the 3 body paragraphs will be:
– Columbus claimed political control
– Columbus claimed cultural control
– Columbus claimed economic control
Where would you find supporting evidence?
– Letters between Columbus and the king and queen
– Columbus’s journal
– Letters from explorers after Columbus
What is supporting evidence?
Thesis: While both Northerners and Southerners believed
they fought against tyranny and oppression, Northerners
focused on the oppression of slaves while Southerners
defended their own right to self-government.
Where would you find supporting evidence to support this
thesis?
– Newspapers in the North, newspapers in the South
– Lincoln’s letters and speeches
– Davis’s letters and speeches
– Other politicians’ letters and speeches
– Laws made in the South, laws made in the North
– Soldiers’ letters
Strategy #1
• Each group will receive mixed-up sentences
from one body paragraph
• Identify sentences that include supporting
evidence (facts, not opinions)
• Put the paragraph into the best order: topic
sentence, evidence and commentary,
clincher sentence
• Share out as a class and put the paragraphs
in the best order
Strategy #2
• In groups, score each of the 4 paragraphs
you have been given using the
“Supporting Paragraph Scoring
Guidelines”
• As a class, discuss the strengths and
weaknesses of each paragraph
• As individuals, score paragraph #5
according to the rubric
Strategy #3
• As a class, we’re going to brainstorm the thesis, including 3 topics, for an
essay
• In groups of 3-4, you will be assigned one
of the 3 topics (a body paragraph)
• As a group, list factual, supporting
evidence for your assigned topic
• After 10 minutes, groups will trade topics
and add more supporting evidence
Strategy #4
• Using the lists from
Strategy #3, choose one
topic (body paragraph)
and 2-3 pieces of
supporting evidence
• Write a paragraph with a
topic sentence and
supporting evidence
Strategy #5
• As a class, we will
brainstorm a thesis with 3
topics (body paragraphs)
• The class will divide into 3
groups and get a sheet of
butcher paper
• Each group will need to
write a topic sentence on
top of their sheet of paper
• Each group should list
supporting evidence under
the topic sentence
Strategy #6
• The following 2 slides include
brainstorming for 2 different essays
• In groups, pairs, or as individuals, students
could write out body paragraphs using the
provided supporting evidence or their own
• Note: Students could compete to come up
with the best body paragraph
Thesis and Body Paragraphs
• Body Paragraph #1—Equipment and cost
– Football = Expensive (lots of equipment and people)
– Basketball = Inexpensive (not much equipment)
• Body Paragraph #2—Brings people together
– Football = All day event with hundreds of thousands
– Basketball = Shorter, more frequent events
• Body Paragraph #3—Players and Rules
– Football = Large and aggressive; tackling and plays
– Basketball = Tall and agile players; jump shots and
dribbling
Thesis: Football and basketball both reflect the U.S.’s
need to be bigger, more powerful, and wealthier than
the rest of the world even as they differ in what is
needed to play the games, how they bring people
together, and how the games are played.
Thesis and Body Paragraphs
• Body Paragraph #1—Economic
– 1950s = chalkboards and paper
– Today = projectors, computers, interactive boards
• Body Paragraph #2—Social
– 1950s = Memorization of facts, paddling, parent support
– Today = Creativity, schools take on parental roles
• Body Paragraph #3—Political
– 1950s = Segregated, failure is student’s responsibility
– Today = Desegregated, IDEA, NCLB, failure is school’s
responsibility
Thesis: Since the 1950s, schools in the U.S. have
become more inclusive and more responsible for
preparing all students for success in tomorrow’s
world.