Claims, evidence and assumptions
Learn to separate a conclusion from the evidence and assumptions used to support it.
Covered in this guide
- Identify the exact claim being advanced.
- Classify information as evidence, context or assumption.
- State what further evidence would change a conclusion.
An argument is easier to evaluate when it is reduced to three parts: the claim, the evidence and the reasoning that connects them. Background facts can be relevant without proving the claim.
Split the claim from what supports it
An argument is easier to evaluate when it is reduced to three parts: the claim, the evidence and the reasoning that connects them. Background facts can be relevant without proving the claim.
An argument that treated a guess as a fact
A faculty reports that attendance rose after recorded lectures were introduced and concludes that recordings caused the improvement. The timing is relevant, but timetable changes, assessment deadlines or changes in the student group could also explain the result.
Try this
Rewrite the conclusion so that it matches the evidence, then name one piece of information that would help distinguish between the competing explanations.
Review answer guidance
A proportionate conclusion is that attendance increased after the recordings were introduced, but causation has not been established. Useful evidence could include comparable attendance before and after the change while controlling for timetable, cohort and assessment-period differences.
How reasoning items are marked
Underline the claim, list the evidence, and name one assumption. If an option jumps from evidence to a larger claim, reject it.