How to Properly Use Evidence and Arguments in an Essay

Many types of college papers require you to prove your point of view. This should be done through evidence and arguments, knowledge, facts, and proof, which should support your claims and thesis statement. But how can they be used most effectively? How do you make your essay strong and properly supported? The following blog post will not only help you analyze your mistakes while using evidence in an essay but also empower you to do it right. Let’s find out how to use evidence and arguments in an essay correctly, and take control of your academic writing.

The Importance of Evidence and Proof

In order to build a house, you need to start with a foundation. In order to write an essay, the same method applies, and your foundation would be your arguments that support your point. Finding the most suitable and strong arguments might be a time-consuming and tough process. However, it always pays back.

Supporting evidence and arguments have the potential to transform your academic piece completely. Moreover, you might even prove the wrong point and completely change the mind of your reader if you have strong evidence on hand. This is the power of well-utilized evidence and arguments in your writing.

Surely, simply having evidence is not enough. That is because you need to provide them and use them in the right way throughout your essay. Only by having them in the perfect order and in the right form can you evaluate your thoughts and make your paper stand out.

The Types of Evidence

Not everyone knows that there are actually a few types of evidence that are used in academic pieces. Picking the right type that suits your narrative, the topic of your paper, and its type is the first step to making a strong statement supported by evidence. Here are the types of evidence that you might use:

• Statistical Data. Numbers and stats are crucial when it comes to supporting your point. If you have access to numbers on your topic that would prove your arguments, you can instantly elevate your piece. For example, the results of surveys and polls can boost your claims on a social topic. Be sure to use the most relevant and accurate numbers – it’s better to double-check the source and the date of research before you put it in your essay.
• Expert testimony. Another valuable piece of evidence is an expert testimony. When a person has their place in the niche and has obtained specific valuable experience, they can be called an expert. Their views can be quoted to add more value to your statement.
• Examples and case studies. An important part of any research is gathering examples that you can rely on. If you have case studies on hand that are relative to the topic, you should surely use their results as supporting evidence for your paper.
• Personal anecdotes. Sometimes, the topic of your essay might require adding some personal experience to support your point. It can be a story from your life or your friend or some experience from the past that you were a witness to. In this case, add a personal anecdote to make your piece more detailed and vibrant.

These types of evidence can often be used in academic papers to prove the point, highlight some particular elements of the idea, or add credibility to your statements. Be sure to analyze your assignment and decide on which type of evidence is most suitable for your paper.

Tips on Using Evidence Properly

Any evidence, even the best and most powerful one, would not add much to a piece if it’s not used properly. For example, you might miss some details when addressing the case study, thus ruining its importance in a particular situation. Be sure to remember the following tips and implement them when writing your essay:

1. Think through your thesis statement. You cannot always come up with the perfect thesis statement when you are just starting your paper. Sometimes, during the editing, you might find that your statement requires improvement as it’s not specific enough in the context of the evidence you have. Be sure to come back to your thesis statement once you are done writing. Check if all of your arguments and evidence are aligned with and support your thesis.
2. Conduct thorough research. Researching is one of the key steps of writing an essay. A good and successful research might give you a better understanding of the topic and provide you with key evidence that you can use in your essay. Search for the most relevant and up-to-date information. Pay attention to the names that occur here and there to later find out if there are case studies or findings made by these experts. You can also write down a few quotes that you find suitable for your piece.
3. Evaluate the quality of evidence. Once you have your list of evidence, it’s time to look through it and rate your evidence. Analyze how relevant each piece of proof is and how strong. Consider factors like relevance, credibility, currency, details, etc. Avoid using evidence from biased or outdated sources. Make sure you check the dates or facts before putting them in your essay.
4. Provide context. The significance of evidence often lies in the context you present. Your reader should be able to understand the connections between the evidence and the point you make. Otherwise, the argument will not be valuable enough for the topic. Be sure to evaluate your thoughts when using particular evidence and tie it to your thesis statement.
5. Use signal phrases. In order to highlight the evidence, you might introduce them by using signal phrases like “According to X magazine…” or “The results of the cases study by Dr. X in 2019 show…” This will add to the credibility and also will align with the professional tone of your academic piece.
6. Analyze and interpret evidence. It’s important to accompany your evidence with context, interpretation, and proper analysis. For example, if you present statistical data, you need to explain how the numbers are relevant to your thesis statement, what they mean, and their significance to the topic.
7. Anticipate counterarguments. High-quality papers can work with counterarguments and use them in order to prove their point one more time. Don’t avoid alternative points, but rather address them in your paper and provide an explanation of why you think they are wrong.
8. Maintain balance. It’s important to be wise about using evidence and proof in your paper, specifically how many you choose to include in your piece. Don’t overuse them, as they need to support your arguments, not overshadow them.
9. Conclude strongly. Summarize your main arguments and finish your paper with a strong reaffirmation of your thesis statement and main ideas.

Be sure to use these simple rules and tips when you are working on your next essay. Or you might simply send us your request, and we will do the rest of the work for you. Our team has vast experience and can find extraordinary information for your essay, as well as the most suitable evidence to use in the process.

Conclusion

Using evidence, proof, facts, data, and live examples might be not that easy. Especially if your topic requires you to be witty and find something very interesting and unique to support your claims. However, we are sure that our tips will help you with your essay. Wish you luck with your studies.

Karen Palmer

I am an only child (and not spoiled, really) who spent twelve years in Catholic schools and seven more off-and-on years in college, but my education largely took place at the Cahuenga Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library. Decades later, not much has changed. I again live in L.A. and I still spend a lot of time at the library — if I had to choose between reading and eating, I’d be dead in a week.