4.3: Gathering and Evaluating Evidence

Gathering and Evaluating Evidence for Arguments

In the world of critical thinking, argumentative reading, and writing, gathering and evaluating evidence is a foundational skill. This process involves systematically collecting credible information to support your thesis and rigorously assessing the quality and relevance of this evidence. By approaching evidence with a critical mindset, you can ensure that your arguments are well-supported and persuasive. This section will guide you through a brief overview of identifying reliable sources, analyzing their validity, and integrating this evidence effectively into your writing to strengthen your overall argument. This beginning overview provides essential techniques from an argumentative perspective, which will be explored in greater depth in the next chapter on research methods, where we will dive deeper into the processes of evaluating sources and evidence in detail.

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In college-level writing, gathering and evaluating evidence is crucial for constructing a well-supported argument. This section will provide a concise guide to finding and assessing evidence, emphasizing critical thinking skills to ensure your arguments are robust and credible.

Step-by-Step Guide to Gathering Evidence

1. Identify Your Sources
   • Primary Sources: Original materials such as interviews, surveys, historical documents, and experimental results.
   • Secondary Sources: Analyses, interpretations, or summaries of primary sources, including academic books, articles, and reviews.
2. Conduct Comprehensive Research
   • Use academic databases, libraries, and credible online resources.
   • Collect diverse sources to cover various perspectives on your topic.
3. Assess the Credibility of Sources
   • Check the author's credentials and expertise.
   • Evaluate the publication's reputation and peer-review status.
   • Ensure the information is current and relevant to your topic.
4. Take Detailed Notes
   • Record key points, quotations, and data accurately.
   • Note the source of each piece of evidence to streamline citations and avoid plagiarism.

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Definition: 4 Elements of Evidence Evaluation

4 Elements of Evaluating Evidence:

1. Relevance
   • Ensure the evidence directly supports your thesis and main arguments.
   • Exclude irrelevant information that does not contribute to your argument.
2. Accuracy
   • Verify facts and data through cross-referencing with other credible sources.
   • Avoid evidence from biased or unreliable sources.
3. Bias and Objectivity
   • Identify potential biases in the evidence.
   • Use evidence from multiple perspectives to provide a balanced view.
4. Strength of Evidence
   • Prioritize high-quality, well-supported evidence over weaker or anecdotal examples.
   • Use statistical data, well-documented case studies, and expert testimony to strengthen your argument.

Gathering and Evaluating Evidence: A Critical Thinking Approach Expanded

In the context of critical thinking, argumentative reading, and writing, gathering and evaluating evidence is essential to constructing robust and persuasive arguments. Here, we expand on four key elements—relevance, accuracy, bias and objectivity, and strength of evidence—through a critical lens.

Relevance

Ensuring that evidence directly supports your thesis and main arguments is paramount. Evidence must be pertinent to the claims you are making, contributing meaningfully to the development of your argument. Irrelevant information, no matter how interesting, can distract from your central points and weaken your overall argument. Critically assess each piece of evidence to determine its direct connection to your thesis. Ask yourself how each piece of evidence advances your argument and whether it aligns with your main points.

Accuracy

Accuracy is crucial for maintaining the credibility of your argument. Verify facts and data through cross-referencing with other credible sources. This process involves checking the reliability of your information and confirming its truthfulness. Avoid using evidence from biased or unreliable sources, as this can undermine the validity of your argument. Employ critical reading skills to scrutinize the sources of your evidence, looking for signs of credibility such as peer-reviewed publications, reputable authors, and well-established institutions.

Bias and Objectivity

Recognizing potential biases in your evidence is a critical aspect of evaluation. Bias can distort the presentation of facts and affect the objectivity of your argument. Identify any biases in the sources you are using and consider how they might influence the information presented. To provide a balanced view, use evidence from multiple perspectives. This approach not only strengthens your argument by presenting a well-rounded analysis but also demonstrates your ability to think critically and consider different viewpoints.

Strength of Evidence

The strength of your evidence significantly impacts the persuasiveness of your argument. Prioritize high-quality, well-supported evidence over weaker or anecdotal examples. High-quality evidence includes statistical data, well-documented case studies, and expert testimony. These forms of evidence are typically more reliable and compelling. Critically evaluate the strength of each piece of evidence, considering its source, the methodology used to gather it, and its relevance to your argument. Strong evidence should be robust, replicable, and clearly linked to your thesis.

By applying these principles, you can gather and evaluate evidence effectively, ensuring that your arguments are well-supported and persuasive. This approach not only enhances the credibility of your writing but also demonstrates your critical thinking skills, enabling you to engage more deeply with the material and present a compelling case.

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Practical Application: Evaluating Evidence in the Context of Misinformation During Elections

To illustrate how to gather and evaluate evidence through a critical thinking lens, let's consider the timely and relevant issue of misinformation in social media during elections. Suppose your assignment is to write an essay on the impact of misinformation during elections. Here’s how you would approach this task in practice:

📚 Identify Your Sources

📝 Primary Sources:

• Interviews with Experts: Arrange and conduct interviews with political scientists, social media analysts, or election officials to gain firsthand insights.
• Surveys on Public Opinion: Design and distribute surveys to understand how misinformation affects voter perceptions and behaviors.

📖 Secondary Sources:

• Academic Articles on Misinformation: Use databases like JSTOR and Google Scholar to find peer-reviewed studies on the spread and impact of misinformation.
• Credible News Analyses: Access reputable news outlets to find analyses and reports on recent elections and misinformation campaigns.

🔍 Conduct Comprehensive Research

Utilize academic and journalistic databases to gather a broad range of perspectives and data. This involves:

• Databases: Use JSTOR for academic papers, Google Scholar for scholarly articles, and trusted news outlets like The New York Times, BBC, or Reuters for current analyses.
• Search Strategies: Apply advanced search techniques using specific keywords like “misinformation in elections,” “social media impact on voting,” and “fact-checking efficacy.”

✅ Assess the Credibility of Sources

Critically evaluate the reliability and objectivity of your sources:

• Author Credentials: Verify the qualifications and backgrounds of the experts, authors, and journalists. Check their affiliations, previous work, and expertise in the subject matter.
• Publication Reputation: Ensure your sources come from peer-reviewed journals or well-respected news organizations known for their rigorous standards and lack of bias.

🗒️ Take Detailed Notes

Document your research findings meticulously:

• Record Key Information: Note how misinformation spreads through social media platforms and its effect on voter behavior. Pay attention to patterns, statistical data, and case studies.
• Proper Citation: Keep detailed records of each source for accurate citation in your essay. This includes noting authors, publication dates, and URLs or DOI numbers.

🧠 Apply Critical Thinking

Evaluate the evidence you have gathered:

• Relevance: Ensure that each piece of evidence directly supports your thesis on the impact of misinformation during elections.
• Accuracy: Cross-reference facts and data with multiple credible sources to verify their truthfulness.
• Bias and Objectivity: Identify any potential biases in your sources and use a variety of perspectives to present a balanced view.
• Strength of Evidence: Prioritize high-quality, well-supported evidence such as statistical data from reliable studies, documented case studies, and expert testimony over anecdotal examples.

📝 Integrate Evidence into Your Argument

Incorporate your findings effectively into your essay:

• Construct a Strong Thesis: Develop a clear, concise thesis statement that outlines your argument regarding the impact of misinformation during elections.
• Support Your Claims: Use the evidence you have gathered to support your thesis, ensuring that each piece of evidence is clearly linked to your argument.
• Avoid Fallacies: Be vigilant to avoid logical fallacies and biases in your reasoning, presenting a coherent and well-substantiated argument.

By following these steps, you will be able to gather and evaluate evidence effectively, ensuring your argumentative essay is both persuasive and well-supported. This approach not only demonstrates critical thinking skills but also prepares you to engage thoughtfully with complex issues in both academic and real-world contexts. Remember to take notes, document your sources and ask for help!

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Conclusion

Gathering and evaluating evidence is essential for building strong, persuasive arguments. By identifying credible sources, conducting thorough research, and critically assessing the relevance, accuracy, bias, and strength of evidence, you can enhance the credibility and effectiveness of your writing. Applying these steps to current events, such as misinformation in social media, demonstrates the practical importance of these skills in understanding and addressing real-world issues.

Further Reading:

• Gathering Information, Evaluating Sources and Understanding Evidence by Nathan Smith et al. Open Stax: SIFT Method
• Evaluating Evidence by James Sandy
• Why Categorize and Evaluate Evidence? By Steven D Krause
• Gathering Your Sources by Bost, Hall, Kassorla, McKinney-Holley, Swenson and Weaver
• Evaluating Sources

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Attributions

The content above was assisted by ChatGPT in outlining and organizing information. The final material was curated, edited, authored, and arranged through human creativity, originality, and subject expertise of the Coalinga College English Department and the Coalinga College Library Learning Resource Center and is therefore under the CC BY NC SA license when applicable. To see resources on AI and copyright please see the United States Copyright Office 2023 Statement and the following case study on using AI assistance but curating and creating with human originality and creativity.

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All original source content remix above came from the following open educational resources:

4: Evaluating Sources is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

This chapter was compiled, reworked, and/or written by Andi Adkins Pogue and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Original sources used to create content (also licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0):

Bond, Emily. (2018). Evaluate the date [Video file]. https://youtu.be/jAfGCfWJfgo

Evaluate: Assessing your research process & findings. (2016). In G. Bobish & T. Jacobson (Eds.), The information literacy user's guide. Milne Publishing. https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/the-information-literacy-users-guide-an-open-online-textbook/chapter/evaluate-assessing-your-research-process-and-findings/

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