Supporting Ideas and Evidence

A thesis is supported by more specific arguments and evidence that will support those arguments. For instance, you could support an argument about the value of distance learning by using the following ideas:

• Today's college students need access to education at times and places that are convenient to them, so distance learning may work better than traditional courses.
• Students need to work on school projects at different paces since their schedules are not steady. Distance learning can allow them to do this.
• Students who have already been in the work force are well prepared to work independently, and individualized education will work better for them.
• Distance learning could be more affordable for schools and students than traditional methods.

Each of these ideas would be supported by examples and evidence. Some of the evidence could be facts and statistics, but most arguments also need other kinds of supporting information. After all, if an issue could be resolved simply by looking at "the facts," people wouldn't be arguing about it. Usually, supporting evidence includes facts, ideas and quotes from experts, examples of cases related to your topic, and quotes from people who are affected by it. For example, the distance learning argument could be supported by information about what today's college students are like, descriptions of distance learning programs, quotes from reports/articles by educators and researchers, and quotes from students.

Evidence doesn't work by itself, though. A good argument will explain how each piece of evidence relates to the argument and why the evidence is valuable and credible. For each supporting idea in an argument, the following pieces should appear:

• Supporting idea (Distance learning allows students to fit college into their busy schedules).
• Explanation of the idea (Why are students' lives so busy? Why is it easier to fit distance learning into a busy schedule than it is to fit traditional courses?)
• Evidence (quotes from students about their schedules, statistics on the number of students working full-time, descriptions of how distance learning programs are set up).
• Explanation of the value of the evidence (information on the people you're quoting, comments about what the increasing number of non-traditional students means, explanation of how distance learning is more convenient).

Pay attention to how the articles and books you're reading make their arguments. Try to create an outline for the arguments you read, identifying their thesis and the main supporting ideas. Look closely at the supporting ideas and evidence, and ask yourself how well they work. Practicing with this can help you become more aware of how arguments work.

E-mail your comments and suggestions to the YSU Grant Team (cardcat@bgnet.bgsu.edu).