ValIDitY Of

evIDenCE
 MotIVatIoNAl aCtIVitY:
ClUe!

woRd
huNt
WorD huNt
1. Audience
2. Authority
3. Evidence
4. Sources
5. Validity
LesSOn oBjECtiVEs:

a Define validity of evidence.

b Determine ways on how to evaluate

information and sources.

c Take a stand on critical issues brought up

in the material viewed.
 vaLIdiTy
● the quality of being logically or factually
sound
● the state of being acceptable
● result or a piece of information is whether it
can be trusted or believed.
 evIDenCE
● anything that can be used to prove something
● tends to prove or disprove something
● anything that you see, experience, read, or are
told that causes you to believe that something
is true or has really happened.
TyPes OF evIDenCE
TyPes OF evIDenCE in WriTInG anD foRmAL arGUmeNtS

● Statistical Evidence
- The strongest type of evidence in formal
writing is statistical evidence.
This ranges from true, hard data presented
as a percentage or number to survey-type
data.
TyPes OF evIDenCE in WriTInG anD foRmAL arGUmeNtS

● Testimonial Evidence
- use of celebrities as credibility evidence
can be considered testimonial in nature.
- also be collected from experts and
authorities in a given field.
TyPes OF evIDenCE in WriTInG anD foRmAL arGUmeNtS
● Anecdotal Evidence
- When storytelling is involved as evidence,
anecdotal evidence is being used.
- can include quite a bit of opinion, thus
making it less objective.
- objective nature = not strong evidence
TyPes OF evIDenCE in WriTInG anD foRmAL arGUmeNtS
● Analogical Evidence
- When information is insufficient about
something and little is known, it is used to
increase the credibility of the proof.
- pulls in known factors about a similar
phenomenon to show ways to provide proof
Imagine your teacher has just assigned
your class a fun project.
You get to research your favorite topic
and then share what you learn with the
class!
You hop online and type your topic
into a search engine.
As you read article after article, you
WONDER . . . how do you know when a
source is valid?
neWsPA
peR
GoOd SoUrCe
 ThiNgS to COnSidER wHetHEr The SOurCE is GOod:
● Validity
- the soundness and strength of argument.
● Audience
- the people who have read or will read a particular
text, or publication, considered collectively.
● Authority
- the power to inspire belief or weight of testimony.
GoOd SoUrCe = vaLId eVIdeNcE
QuEsTiOnS to HElP in EValUaTInG soURceS/InForMAtiON:

● Who is the author?

- What are his/her credentials?
- Is he/she a recognized expert in the field
QuEsTiOnS to HElP in EValUaTInG soURceS/InForMAtiON:
● How did the source get the information?
- If the source includes references, look at a
few of the references – do they look like a
reliable source of information?
- Does it look like the author is citing the
sources correctly?
QuEsTiOnS to HElP in EValUaTInG soURceS/InForMAtiON:

● What if the source you’ve found doesn’t have

references?
- If the source doesn't include references,
see if you can fact-check the information in
other ways.
ClUe!

LEt’S wATcH
GUidE QuEsTiOnS:
● Who is the speaker in material viewed/listened to?
● What is the speech all about?
● Does the speaker have the power to inspire belief or
the weight of testimony (authority)? How do you
say so?
● After watching the video, did he/she convince you
to believe on what he or she is saying? Why? Why
not?
ClUe!

Is iT tRuE
or FAlSe?
Directions: Write TRUE if the statement is
correct, and if the statement is false, change the
underlined word or phrase that makes it false
and write the correct word or phrase on a piece
of paper.
1. Validity refers to the power to inspire belief or weight
testimony.
2. Good source comes from unreliable and credible sources
such as academic journals, books, experts, etc.
3. The credentials of a person are important in determining
the validity of evidence.
4. Audience are the people who have read or will read a
particular text, or publication, considered collectively.
5. When the source is bad, we can say that it is valid
evidence.
ClUe!

EValUaTInG
SOurCEs
● Instructions: Read the text “Why You Should
Drink More Water” by Dr. John Smith, and
answer the questions that follow. Choose the
best answer for each question.
1. Who is the author of the article?
a. Dr. John Smith
b. The Mayo Clinic
c. HealthTips.com
d. An anonymous writer
2. What are the author’s credentials?
a. He is a recognized expert in the field of health and
wellness.
b. He is a journalist who writes about health topics.
c. He is a doctor who specializes in hydration and
nutrition.
d. He is a blogger who shares his personal opinions
on health issues.
3. How did the author get the information for the article?
a. He conducted his research and experiments on water
intake and health outcomes.
b. He reviewed the scientific literature and cited
reputable sources, such as the Mayo Clinic.
c. He interviewed other experts and professionals in the
field of health and hydration.
d. He used his own experience and common sense to
write about the benefits of water.
3. How did the author get the information for the article?
a. He conducted his research and experiments on water
intake and health outcomes.
b. He reviewed the scientific literature and cited
reputable sources, such as the Mayo Clinic.
c. He interviewed other experts and professionals in the
field of health and hydration.
d. He used his own experience and common sense to
write about the benefits of water.
4. Does the article include references?
a. Yes, it includes a list of references at the end of the
article.
b. Yes, it includes in-text citations within the article.
c. No, it does not include any references or citations.
d. No, it only mentions the name of one source, the
Mayo Clinic, without providing any details
5. If the article did not include references, how could you
fact-check the information in other ways?
a. You could search for the author’s name and see
what other information you can find on him or her.
b. You could search for the website’s name and see
what other information you can find on it.
c. You could search for the topic of the article and see
what other sources say about it.
d. All of the above.