Last Time, You Built Your Arguments
In Chapter 5, you learned how to write strong reason paragraphs using the reason–explanation–connection formula.
You practiced staying focused — one paragraph, one reason. You can now write body paragraphs that are clear, organized, and confident.
But here's the next challenge: How do you make a reader actually believe your arguments?
Saying something strongly is not the same as proving it. That's what this chapter is all about.
Here's the Problem
Imagine two students writing an editorial about the school's broken water fountain. Contrast these two styles:
"The school must fix the water fountain because students need water. Water is very important. Everyone knows that."
"The school must fix the water fountain immediately. According to the school clinic, more than 30 students complained of headaches last week — and the nurse linked most cases to dehydration. That is a health crisis the school has the power to prevent."
Both students made the same argument — students need water. But only Daisy made you feel the urgency. Daisy used evidence. JM used feelings. Evidence wins every time.
So What Is Evidence?
Evidence is information that proves your argument is true.
Think of evidence as your proof. It shows the reader that your argument is not just an opinion — it is backed by something real.
Three Forms of Evidence
In editorial writing, evidence comes in three main forms:
Example: "Last Tuesday, the canteen ran out of food by 11:15 AM — more than an hour before the last lunch period started."
Example: "Two weeks ago, a Grade 5 student fell during recess and waited in pain for 30 minutes because the clinic was empty."
Example: "The concrete is cracked in three places near the gate, flooding ankle-deep every time it rains."
6.4 Explaining Your Evidence Clearly
A common mistake is dropping evidence into a paragraph and walking away without explaining what it means. You must tell the reader what the evidence proves using a two-step move:
Step 1: Present evidence (e.g. "For example...") → Step 2: Explain proof (e.g. "This shows that...")
"For example, last month, more than 40 students from Grade 6 visited the clinic complaining of headaches during the first week of April. This shows that the extreme heat inside classrooms is already affecting student health — not just their comfort."
6.5 Always Say Where Your Facts Come From
Every time you use a fact or a number, tell the reader where it came from. This is called attributing your source — naming the person, record, or document that gave you the information. A fact with a named source is far more convincing:
Example: "According to the school nurse, stomach complaints increased by 40 percent."
Example: "Based on the clinic's records, 15 students were treated for back pain."
Example: "In a survey of 50 students, 7 out of 10 said they skip breakfast."
Example: "A DepEd report found that students average 40 minutes of computer time."
Example: "On Monday morning, this writer counted more than 60 students waiting in line."
Weak vs. Strong Support — Side by Side
"The classrooms are very hot. Students feel bad when it is hot. It is hard to study. The school should do something about the fans."
"For example, according to a temperature reading taken by the school's science teacher during the first week of April, classrooms without fans reached 36 degrees Celsius by 10 AM. Several students reported headaches and could not finish their morning activities. This shows that the heat is not just uncomfortable — it is already getting in the way of learning. Installing fans in every classroom is a basic step the school can and must take right now."
✏️ Practice Time
Evaluate evidence strength, add source attributions, and write complete evidence paragraphs.
Choose the Best EvidenceRead each argument and determine which supporting evidence block is stronger.
• Evidence A: "Comfort rooms are important for hygiene and student health."
• Evidence B: "According to the school's maintenance log, three of the four student comfort rooms have had broken door locks and no running water for over two weeks. Last Friday, a Grade 4 class had to walk to the barangay hall just to use a working restroom."
• Evidence A: "Last Tuesday, heavy rain fell at exactly 4:30 PM — right when 80 students were waiting for their rides. According to the school clinic, five students reported colds the very next morning."
• Evidence B: "Rain is common in the Philippines. Students sometimes get wet when it rains."
Guided Writing — Add the SourceRewrite each sentence by adding an attribution phrase at the beginning.
Writing Practice — Writing Supporting DetailsDraft a complete, evidence-backed argument paragraph for a position of your choice.
🔍 Self-Check Guide
| What to Check | Done ✅ | Try Again 🔄 |
|---|---|---|
| My paragraph contains a specific, logical reason | ☐ | ☐ |
| I introduced my evidence using 'For example' or 'According to' | ☐ | ☐ |
| I explicitly named the source of my fact or number | ☐ | ☐ |
| I used 'This shows that' to clearly explain what the evidence proves | ☐ | ☐ |
📊 Simple Rubric
🧠 Strong Support or Weak Support?
Read each piece of evidence and decide if it represents STRONG SUPPORT (sourced, specific) or WEAK SUPPORT (vague, sourceless) for the given argument.