Seventh Grade · Writing · week 2

Strong Evidence vs. Weak Evidence

Evaluate potential evidence for relevance and credibility, and select the strongest evidence to support a claim and to address a counterclaim.

Not all evidence carries the same weight. Strong evidence for an argument essay is specific, credible -- it comes from real expertise, data, or research -- and directly relevant to your exact claim, not just loosely related to the general topic. Weak evidence is a single personal story, an unnamed "some people say," or a source that has something to gain from you believing it.

Use a simple two-question check on any possible evidence: who says this, and why should I trust them? Then: does this actually prove MY specific claim, or just something nearby? A strong essay usually rests on two or three solid pieces of evidence rather than one shaky one, and rather than ten weak ones piled together.

📋 For the teacher
Teach it (10–15 min):
  • Practice the two-question check together out loud on a few examples before your child evaluates evidence alone: who says this, and does it actually prove the claim?
  • Point out bias using something close to home, like an advertisement, so "who benefits from this claim" becomes a natural habit of mind.
  • Research at this stage can come from a trusted encyclopedia, a library book, or a well-known organization's website -- perfect academic sourcing is not the goal yet, healthy skepticism is.
  • Help your child resist grabbing the first five search results -- a few strong pieces of evidence beat a pile of weak ones.
Talk about it:
  • What two questions can you ask to test whether evidence is strong?
  • Why might a source with something to gain be less trustworthy?
  • Which piece of evidence you found this week do you trust the most, and why?

Mastery looks like: They sort potential evidence into strong and weak, explaining credibility and relevance for each choice.

Common stumbles: Accepting any evidence that agrees with their claim without checking the source; confusing "related to the topic" with "actually proves this specific claim."

Homework for this lessonType it, write it with a stylus, or print it for pencil & paper.open →
Records attendance + 15 min of Writing for this learner.
← Back to todayAll coursesYear planner