03: Using a Rubric to Evaluate Evidence Choice in Analytical Writing
Why Focus on Evidence?
If your paragraph is a house, the evidence is the foundation of your analytical paragraph. You can have a strong idea and a solid claim — but without well-chosen evidence, your argument won’t hold up.
In English class, the best evidence:
- Lets you draw strong inferences
- Often includes rich or figurative language
- Is directly relevant to your claim or thesis
- Is focused and specific (not just plot summary!)
Levels of Evidence
Think of evidence like levels in a video game:
- 🟢 Beginner: A direct quote from the text — “If there’s one thing I hate, it’s the movies.”
- 🔵 Intermediate: A short phrase or specific word that holds rich meaning — “prostitute” or “killed me.”
- 🟣 Advanced: A description of technique or pattern — e.g., how Salinger illustrates Holden's sarcasm in different moments, or how he creates tone