English Language Arts
Grade 11
15 min
Choose the analysis that logically connects the evidence to the claim
Choose the analysis that logically connects the evidence to the claim
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify the distinct roles of claim, evidence, and analysis within an argumentative paragraph.
Differentiate between analysis that merely summarizes evidence and analysis that explains its significance.
Evaluate multiple analysis options to select the one that most effectively and logically supports a given claim and evidence.
Articulate why a specific piece of analysis successfully creates a logical bridge between evidence and a claim.
Spot common logical fallacies or weak connections in sample arguments.
Construct their own single sentence of analysis that logically connects a piece of evidence to a claim.
Ever see a lawyer present a single fingerprint in court and win the whole case? 🕵️♀️ The fingerprint is the evidence, but the lawyer's explana...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
ClaimThe central, debatable argument or thesis statement of a piece of writing. It's the point you are trying to prove.In *The Great Gatsby*, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the symbol of the green light to critique the illusion of the American Dream.
EvidenceThe specific facts, quotations, examples, or data used to support a claim. It's the 'proof' you offer.Gatsby believes in the 'green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther….'
Analysis (or Commentary)The explanation of *how* and *why* the evidence supports the claim. It interprets the evidence and connects it back to the main argument, answering the 'so what?'...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The 'So What?' Test
After stating your evidence, ask yourself, 'So what?'. Your analysis is the answer to that question.
Use this test to ensure your analysis goes beyond summary. If your analysis just re-states the evidence in different words, it fails the test. It must explain the evidence's significance, implication, or connection to the larger claim.
The Bridge Formula: Evidence -> Analysis -> Claim
Effective analysis must explicitly connect a specific detail from the evidence to an abstract concept in the claim.
Think of your analysis as a bridge. One end must be anchored in the concrete words of the evidence (e.g., the word 'recedes'). The other end must be anchored in the abstract idea of your claim (e.g., 'unattainable il...
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Challenging
Claim: In 'The Yellow Wallpaper,' the narrator's fixation on the wallpaper symbolizes her descent into psychosis as a result of her oppressive patriarchal confinement. Evidence: The narrator writes, 'I've got out at last... in spite of you and Jane. And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!' Which analysis rests on the most logical inference?
A.The narrator's triumphant declaration of having 'got out' while still being physically in the room implies a psychological escape. The act of tearing the paper, which she believes has trapped another woman, becomes a symbolic act of liberating her own repressed self, tragically confirming her complete break from reality.
B.This quote suggests that the narrator has developed supernatural strength and was able to physically break out of the room.
C.The narrator's mention of 'Jane' proves that she has a multiple personality disorder, and Jane is her alter ego.
D.By tearing the wallpaper, the narrator is trying to make the room ugly to spite her husband, John, showing the passive-aggressive nature of their marriage.
Challenging
Claim: Frederick Douglass uses the contrast between the idyllic appearance of slave-owning households and their brutal reality to expose the moral corruption of slavery. Evidence: Douglass describes Colonel Lloyd's plantation as having a 'beautiful lawn,' 'finely cultivated garden,' and 'choice fruit,' but then details the horrific beatings of slaves like Old Barney and Young Barney within this same setting. Why does the following analysis fail? Analysis: 'The beautiful garden shows that Colonel Lloyd was a wealthy and powerful man, but the beatings show he was also cruel. This proves that slavery was a bad system.'
A.It focuses too much on the evidence and not enough on the claim.
B.It falls into the 'Summary Trap' and the 'Vague Connection' pitfall by stating the obvious ('slavery was a bad system') without analyzing how the specific literary device of contrast works to expose 'moral corruption.'
C.It makes an 'Assertion Leap' by assuming Colonel Lloyd was personally cruel.
D.It is a 'Disconnected Idea' because it talks about wealth instead of morality.
Challenging
Claim: The ending of *The Great Gatsby* suggests that the American Dream is an illusion. Evidence: Nick reflects, 'Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us.' Compare Analysis 1 and Analysis 2. Analysis 1: 'The green light receding shows that the future is unattainable, proving the American Dream is a lie.' Analysis 2: 'Nick’s description of the future as 'receding' transforms the green light from a symbol of a specific goal into a universal symbol of human aspiration. The fact that it constantly moves away suggests that the dream is not in the destination, but in the perpetual, and ultimately futile, act of striving.' Which statement provides the best critique?
A.Analysis 1 is better because it is more direct and easier to understand.
B.Analysis 2 is better because it uses more sophisticated vocabulary.
C.Analysis 2 is stronger because it applies the 'Rule of Specificity' to the word 'recedes' and offers a more nuanced interpretation of the symbol, connecting it to a universal human condition rather than just stating the claim's conclusion.
D.Both analyses are equally effective because they arrive at the same conclusion about the American Dream.
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