Evaluating Evidence


The ability to evaluate evidence is essential both to assessing the merits of others' arguments and to developing a convincing argument of one's own.

Evaluating evidence - Portland Community College
A one-page handout from a college writing course that suggests ways of interrogating the evidence an author offers in support of a claim

A one-page handout from a college writing course that suggests ways of interrogating evidence from different sources - personal experience, the experiences of others, and academic research

How to read a scientific paper - University of Arizona
A detailed handout for students with special attention to evaluating the quality, relevance, and significance of evidence in a scientific research paper. Though prepared for a course in biochemisty, the principles are generalizable

Evaluating evidence - Environmental Literacy Council
A succinct list of common shortcomings to watch for in evaluating the evidence offered in support of a claim. Though designed to support citizen understanding of environmental issues, the list is readily generalizable to other areas of knowledge