Reading and Writing Skills

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600

Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 7 – RW Subject Teacher:

DETERMINING TEXTUAL EVIDENCE

At the end of this module, the student will be able to:

a. define textual evidence;
b. enumerate different types or examples of textual evidence; and
c. determine textual evidence.

In the previous module, we have learned about evaluative statements. This time, we now
proceed to textual evidence. How will you be able to determine textual evidence?

Let us discuss first different concepts that will help you understand the lesson more.

ISSUE, THESIS STATEMENT, ARGUMENTATIVE STATEMENT, STAND, CLAIMS, EVIDENCE

 Issue: It compels readers to make arguments concerning the matter.

 Thesis Statement: It is the main idea of discourse like an essay.
 Argumentative Statement: It is a thesis statement that contains the issue, stand of the author on
the issue, and his or her claims.
 Stand: It is the position that the author has on a certain issue.
 Claims: These are the reasons for the stand.
 Evidence: These are the proofs for the claims.

Example:

Thesis Statement/ Cycling as a mode of transport should be promoted since it has several
Argumentative health benefits, can help save non-renewable resources, and can be
Statement financially rewarding.
Issue Cycling for commuting to work or school

Stand In favor
Claims health benefits, environmentally friendly, saves money
Evidences A Danish study conducted over 14 years with 30,000 people aged 20 to 93
years found that regular cycling protected people from heart disease.

Cycling requires no gasoline and, therefore, no harmful vehicle emissions

or smog are released into the air when a person is riding his or her bicycle.
Opting to use your bicycle a few times a week, instead of your car, is one
of the simplest ways to lower your environmental footprint (Tara, 2018)

Bikes are good for your wealth. Let’s start with the bare minimum: any
mileage you put on your bike instead of your car saves you about 50 cents
per mile in gas, depreciation, and wear and maintenance. From this
savings alone, doing a couple of bike errands per day (4 miles) in place of
car errands will add up to $10,752 over ten years.

Okay, now that we are set with the basic concepts related to this lesson, let us now focus on
TEXTUAL EVIDENCE.
 Reading and Writing Skills
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 7 – RW Subject Teacher:

TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
To better evaluate the author’s argument, you should be able to determine the evidence from the
text. This will allow you to validate the assertions of the author and your own counterclaims as a
response to reading.
Textual evidence is evidence gathered from the original source or other texts that support an
argument or thesis. Such evidence can be found in the form of a quotation, paraphrased material,
and descriptions of the text, and more.
Furthermore, evidence is defined as the details given by the author to support his/her claim. The
evidence provided by the writer substantiates the text. It reveals and builds on the position of the
writer and makes the reading more interesting. Evidence is crucial in swaying the reader to your side.
A jury or judge, for example, relies on the evidence presented by a lawyer before making a decision
regarding a case.

Evidence can include the following:

 facts and statistics (objectively validated information on your subject);
 opinion from experts (leading authorities on a topic, such as researchers or academics); and
 personal anecdotes (generalizable, relevant, and objectively considered).

The following are the characteristics of good evidence:

1. unified;
2. relevant to the central point;
3. specific and concrete;
4. accurate; and
5. representative or typical.
The following are some questions to help you determine evidence from the text:
 What questions can you ask about the claims?
 Which details in the text answer your questions?
 What are the most important details in the paragraph?
 What is each one’s relationship to the claim?
 How does the given detail reinforce the claim?
 What details do you find interesting? Why?
 What are some claims that do not seem to have support? What kinds of support could they be
provided with?

The following are ways on how to generate textual evidence:

1. Quotation- It is copying the information from the source word-for-word using quotation marks.
This is used when certain words or sentences from the text are important, such as taking the
direct and exact statement of an eyewitness to a crime.
Example: The witness mentioned, “The criminal had a red or an orange cap.”

2. Paraphrasing- It is expressing an information in one’s own words, not copying word-for-word. It

is best if it is about the same length as the original text.
Example:
ORIGINAL: The witness mentioned, “The criminal had a red or an orange cap.”
PARAPHASE: The witness said that the perpetrator was wearing a red or an orange cap.

3. Summarizing- It is shortening a text by stating only the main idea.

 Reading and Writing Skills
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 7 – RW Subject Teacher:

ACTIVITY 1
ONLINE AND DISTANCE LEARNING MODALITIES: Read the essay and then answer the following
questions (3 items, 5 points each).

As online learning becomes more common and more and more resources are converted to
digital form, some people have suggested that public libraries should be shut down and, in
their place, everyone should be given an iPad with an e-reader subscription.

Proponents of this idea state that it will save local cities and towns money because libraries
are expensive to maintain. They also believe it will encourage more people to read because
they won’t have to travel to a library to get a book; they can simply click on what they want
to read and read it from wherever they are. They could also access more materials because
libraries won’t have to buy physical copies of books; they can simply rent out as many digital
copies as they need.

However, it would be a serious mistake to replace libraries with tablets. First, digital books and
resources are associated with less learning and more problems than print resources. A study
done on tablet vs book reading found that people read 20-30% slower on tablets, retain 20%
less information, and understand 10% less of what they read compared to people who read
the same information in print. Additionally, staring too long at a screen has been shown to
cause numerous health problems, including blurred vision, dizziness, dry eyes, headaches, and
eye strain, at much higher instances than reading print does. People who use tablets and
mobile devices excessively also have a higher incidence of more serious health issues such as
fibromyalgia, shoulder and back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and muscle strain. I know that
whenever I read from my e-reader for too long, my eyes begin to feel tired and my neck hurts.
We should not add to these problems by giving people, especially young people, more
reasons to look at screens.

Second, it is incredibly narrow-minded to assume that the only service libraries offer is book
lending. Libraries have a multitude of benefits, and many are only available if the library has a
physical location. Some of these benefits include acting as a quiet study space, giving people
a way to converse with their neighbors, holding classes on a variety of topics, providing jobs,
answering patron questions, and keeping the community connected. One neighborhood
found that, after a local library instituted community events such as play times for toddlers and
parents, job fairs for teenagers, and meeting spaces for senior citizens, over a third of residents
reported feeling more connected to their community. Similarly, a Pew survey conducted in
2015 found that nearly two-thirds of American adults feel that closing their local library would
have a major impact on their community. People see libraries as a way to connect with others
and get their questions answered, benefits tablets can’t offer nearly as well or as easily.

While replacing libraries with tablets may seem like a simple solution, it would encourage
people to spend even more time looking at digital screens, despite the myriad issues
surrounding them. It would also end access to many of the benefits of libraries that people
have come to rely on. In many areas, libraries are such an important part of the community
network that they could never be replaced by a simple object.

QUESTIONS:

1. What is the author’s stand on the issue?

2. What are the claims?
3. What are the evidences given?
 Reading and Writing Skills
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 7 – RW Subject Teacher:

ACTIVITY 2 (WRITTEN WORK)

ONLINE LEARNING MODALITY: Answer the quiz published in Canvas.

DISTANCE LEARNING MODALITY: Read and understand each question and then choose the best
answer. Write the letter of your answer on the space provided (20 items, 1 point each).

___ 1. What is a complete sentence that contains the main idea and will provide the road map for
the entire essay?
A. argumentative statement
B. the issue
C. thesis statement
D. topic sentence

___ 2. What is a statement that contains the issue, the stand of the author on the issue, and his or her
claims?
A. argumentative statement
B. the issue
C. thesis statement
D. topic sentence

___ 3. What is the position that the author has on a certain issue called?
A. argument
B. claim
C. evidence
D. stand

___ 4. What is a ground or explanation of an author for taking a stand?

A. argument
B. claim
C. issue
D. stand

___ 5. What is a matter that drives a person to make an argument about a topic?
A. argument
B. claim
C. issue
D. stand

___ 6. What is the corroboration for a claim made by an author?

A. argument
B. claim
C. evidence
D. stand

___ 7. Which term refers to any proof of an argument, a claim, a counterclaim, a contention, or an
assertion cited in a text leading to a conclusion?
A. context clue
B. evaluative statement
C. textual evidence
D. thesis statement

___ 8. What is a way of generating textual evidence by copying and pasting the original text?
A. describing
B. paraphrasing
C. summarizing
D. quoting
___ 9. What is a way of generating textual evidence by restating the meaning of a text in another
form?
A. describing
B. paraphrasing
C. summarizing
D. quoting

___ 10. What is a way of generating textual evidence by stating only the main points of a source?
A. describing
B. paraphrasing
C. summarizing
D. quoting

Text for items 11, 12, &13:

Similarly, a Pew survey conducted in 2015 found that nearly two-thirds of American adults feel
that closing their local library would have a major impact on their community. People see
libraries as a way to connect with others and get their questions answered, benefits tablets
can’t offer nearly as well or as easily.

___ 11. What is the correct direct quotation for the text above?
A. According to the researcher, “a Pew survey conducted in 2015 found that nearly two-
thirds of American adults feel that closing their local library would have a major impact
on their community. People see libraries as a way to connect with others and get their
questions answered, benefits tablets can’t offer nearly as well or as easily.”
B. “The researcher said, similarly, a Pew survey conducted in 2015 found that nearly two-
thirds of American adults feel that closing their local library would have a major impact
on their community. People see libraries as a way to connect with others and get their
questions answered, benefits tablets can’t offer nearly as well or as easily.”

___ 12. What is the best paraphrase for the text above?
A. In a survey done in 2015 by Pew, nearly 67% of the adults in America believe that
closing their local libraries will greatly affect their community. Americans consider their
local libraries as not only sources of information, but also places to build relationships.
And these are benefits that a tablet may not easily give.
B. In the same way, a Pew survey conducted in 2015 resulted that nearly two-thirds of
American adults think that closing their local library would have a big impact on their
community. People see libraries as a means to connect with other people and have
their questions answered, benefits tablets cannot offer nearly as well or as easily.

___ 13. What is the best summary for the text above?
A. A Pew survey conducted in 2015 found that people use the community library as a way
to make connections.
B. A 2015 Pew survey shows that majority of American adults disagree with closing the
libraries because a tablet cannot easier and better develop human interaction and
pursuit of knowledge than a library can.

Text for items 14, 15, &16:

One neighborhood found that after a local library instituted community events such as play
times for toddlers and parents, job fairs for teenagers, and meeting spaces for senior citizens,
over a third of residents reported feeling more connected to their community.

___ 14. What is the best paraphrase for the text above?
A. A neighborhood found out that over a third of residents reported feeling more
connected to their community after a local library instituted community events.
B. A neighborhood discovered that the local library’s initiative to hold community events
like toddlers-parents play time, job fairs for teenagers, and senior citizens meetings,
effected a feeling of connection to the community to more than one-third of the
residents.
___ 15. What is the best summary for the text above?
A. One neighborhood realized the importance of establishing a local library in the
community.
B. A feeling of connection to the community was observed after the local library set up
community events for parents and children, teenagers, and senior citizens.

___ 16. What is the correct direct quotation for the text above?
A. One neighborhood found that “after a local library instituted community events such as
play times for toddlers and parents, job fairs for teenagers, and meeting spaces for senior
citizens, over a third of residents reported feeling more connected to their community.”
B. The text says that, “one neighborhood found that after a local library instituted community
events such as play times for toddlers and parents, job fairs for teenagers, and meeting
spaces for senior citizens, over a third of residents reported feeling more connected to their
community.”

Text for items 17, 18, &19:

A study done on tablet versus book reading found that people read 20-30% slower on tablets,
retain 20% less information, and understand 10% less of what they read compared to people
who read the same information in print.

___ 17. What is the best paraphrase for the text above?
A. A study has proven that people who read from a tablet are 20-30% slower, retain 20%less
information, and have10% less comprehension compared to those who read from print
media.
B. A study done on tablet versus book reading found that people read twenty to thirty
percent slower on tablets, retain twenty percent less information, and understand ten
percent less of what they read compared to people who read the same information in
print.

___ 18. What is the best summary for the text above?
A. People should not read using a tablet.
B. A research found that reading a tablet results to slow reading and lesser retention and
comprehension compared with reading a book.

___ 19. What is the correct direct quotation for the text above?
A. A research found that, “ reading found that people read 20-30% slower on tablets, retain
20% less information, and understand 10% less of what they read compared to people who
read the same information in print.”
B. A research found that, “ reading found that people read 20-30% slower on tablets, retain
20% less information, and understand 10% less of what they read compared to people who
read the same information in print”.

___ 20. What is the correct direct quotation for the following statement?
In many areas, libraries are such an important part of the community network that they could
never be replaced by a simple object.
A. The author stressed that, “in many areas, libraries are such an important part of the
community network that they could never be replaced by a simple object”.
B. “The author stressed that, in many areas, libraries are such an important part of the
community network that they could never be replaced by a simple object”.
C. The author stressed that, “in many areas, libraries are such an important part of the
community network that they could never be replaced by a simple object.”
D. The author stressed that, “in many areas, libraries are such an important part of the
community network that they could never be replaced by a simple object”
Pre-recorded audio-video lecture – Module 7: Determining Textual Evidence

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ptions%20of%20the%20text.

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Sarikas, C. (2019). 3 Strong Argumentative Essays analyzed. Retrieved from

https://blog.prepscholar.com/argumentative-essay-examples.

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https://www.elcomblus.com/determining-textual-evidence/