Selecting Evidence for Argument Essays

Introduction

• Hosts: Tim Freitas from The Garden of English and Beth Hall from Coach Hall Writes
• Topic: How to select evidence for argument essays
• Objective: Help students and teachers effectively choose supporting evidence for their arguments

Guest Introduction: Beth Hall

• Role: AP Language teacher and soccer coach
• Platforms: YouTube channel (Coach Hall Writes) and Instagram (@coachhallwrites)
• Focus: AP Language videos and resources for teachers and students

Discussing the Prompt

• Prompt Example: Use of warning labels or messages to signal troubling content

Beth Hall's Method for Collecting Evidence

Use of Acronyms

• Chosen Acronym: CHORES
  • C: Current events
  • H: History
  • O: Outside knowledge
  • R: Reading
  • E: Experiences
  • S: Science

Brainstorming Individually

• Process: List out evidence based on the acronym, then form a thesis
• Common Issues:
  • Unequal entries for each letter
  • Struggling to find ideas

Importance of Specific Evidence

• Categorization:
  • Generalized (G)
  • Somewhat specific (SS)
  • Specific (S)
• Example: Media ratings and how to make it more specific

Steps for Narrowing Down Evidence

• Criteria:
  • Appropriateness for the task
  • Relationship and line of reasoning
  • Examples of evidence transitions: chronological order, cause and effect, progression of ideas

Tim Freitas's Additional Tips

Understanding the Audience

• AP Readers: Educated, value civics, potentially more politically moderate to liberal
• Evidence should:
  • Consider audience’s beliefs and values
  • Avoid over-reliance on personal anecdotes and hypotheticals

Planner for Evidence

• Acronym Used: S-cubed (Subjects, Society, Self)
• Organizer Elements:
  • Types of evidence (general, somewhat specific, specific)
  • Acceptability for audience

Example Evidence Selection Process

• Prompt: Signal troubling content in media
• Evidence Examples: Media ratings, Netflix's “Enola Holmes,” Starbuck's Christmas cup controversy

Conclusion Tips

• Final Checks:
  • Ensure evidence supports the thesis
  • Arranged logically and cohesively

Final Advice

• Practice and Model: Key to student success
• Combined Approach: Using both CHORES and S-cubed alongside audience consideration

Closing Remarks

• Resources: Posters from The Garden of English, instructional videos
• Follow: Subscribe on YouTube, follow on social media