What Are Claims and Evidence?
When authors write arguments, they make claims - statements they want readers to believe. To support these claims, they provide evidence - facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions that serve as proof. Sixth graders learn to identify claims and evaluate whether the evidence is strong enough to support them. This is a critical thinking skill that applies to everything from advertisements to news articles to social media posts.
On Florida's FAST assessment, students must identify claims, recognize different types of evidence, and evaluate evidence quality.
Key Vocabulary
Claim: An arguable statement that needs evidence to support it (the main point of an argument)
Evidence: Facts, data, or information used to prove a claim (statistics, examples, expert quotes)
Reasoning: The logical explanation of how evidence supports the claim
Credible: From a trustworthy, reliable source
The R.S.C. Test for Evidence Quality
R - Relevant
Does it connect to the claim?
S - Sufficient
Is there enough evidence?
C - Credible
Is the source trustworthy?
Activities to Try at Home
📺 Commercial Court
Watch commercials together and put their claims "on trial":
- What claim is the ad making? ("This product will make you happier/healthier/cooler")
- What evidence do they provide? (Celebrity endorsement? Statistics? Before/after photos?)
- Is the evidence relevant, sufficient, and credible?
- Verdict: Would this evidence convince a jury?
📰 News Detective
Read news articles or opinion pieces together:
- Help your child find the main claim (What is the author arguing?)
- Identify the evidence (What proof do they give?)
- Ask: "Do they cite their sources? Are the sources named and credible?"
- Compare how different sources cover the same topic - do they use the same evidence?
🏠 Family Debates
Practice making claims and supporting them with evidence:
- Pick a fun family topic: "We should get a pet" or "Bedtime should be later"
- Each person must make a claim and support it with at least TWO pieces of evidence
- Challenge each other: "Is that evidence relevant? Is it from a credible source?"
- This makes critical thinking fun while practicing the skill
📱 Social Media Fact Check
When you see claims on social media:
- Ask: "What evidence supports this claim?"
- "Where did this information come from? Can we verify it?"
- "Is this a fact, an opinion, or a claim?"
- Look up claims together using reliable fact-checking sites
This builds media literacy skills they'll use their whole lives!
Questions to Ask While Reading
- "What is the author trying to convince you to believe?" (claim)
- "What proof does the author give?" (evidence)
- "Where does this evidence come from? Is it a reliable source?"
- "Is one personal story enough to prove this point?"
- "Is this a fact (can be proven) or an opinion (someone's belief)?"
- "What evidence would make this argument stronger?"
Parent Tip: Quality Over Quantity
Help your child understand that strong evidence matters more than lots of weak evidence. One well-designed study from a reputable university is worth more than ten "I heard that..." statements. Teach them to ask:
- "Who said this?" - Is it an expert or just "someone online"?
- "How do they know?" - Was there research or is it just a guess?
- "Could this be biased?" - Does the source have a reason to say this?
Types of Evidence (Strongest to Weakest)
| Type |
Example |
Strength |
| Research/Statistics |
"A Harvard study found that 78% of..." |
Strong |
| Expert Testimony |
"Dr. Smith, a nutritionist, states..." |
Strong |
| Specific Examples |
"Lincoln School implemented this and saw..." |
Moderate |
| Personal Anecdotes |
"My friend tried this and..." |
Weak (alone) |
| Vague References |
"I read somewhere that..." "Everyone knows..." |
Very Weak |
Informacion para Padres (Spanish Summary)
Que son las afirmaciones y la evidencia? Las afirmaciones son declaraciones que los autores quieren que los lectores crean. La evidencia es la prueba que proporcionan para apoyar esas afirmaciones. Evaluar la evidencia es una habilidad de pensamiento critico.
La prueba R.S.C. para evaluar evidencia:
- R - Relevante: Se conecta con la afirmacion?
- S - Suficiente: Hay suficiente evidencia?
- C - Creible: La fuente es confiable?
Actividades en casa:
- Analicen comerciales juntos - que afirmaciones hacen y que evidencia dan?
- Lean articulos de noticias e identifiquen las afirmaciones y la evidencia
- Practiquen debates familiares donde cada persona debe dar evidencia para sus opiniones
- Pregunten: "De donde viene esta informacion? Es una fuente confiable?"
Consejo: Una evidencia fuerte (estudios, expertos) es mejor que muchas evidencias debiles (historias personales, "lei en algun lugar").