Da VIP Academy / GED / RLA / Argument & Evidence
Evaluating Evidence
Judge whether evidence is relevant, sufficient, and credible.
How it works
Three questions for any evidence
Is it relevant to this exact claim? Is there enough of it? Does it come from a source in a position to know?
Comparing two texts
When two writers disagree, find the point they actually dispute. Often they use different measures of the same situation.
Worked examples
Which letter uses stronger evidence?
- Letter A: ridership percentage and budget share.
- Letter B: one average plus personal anecdote.
- Letter A is better supported, though not automatically correct.
Words to know
- Credible
- Trustworthy because the source is informed and unbiased.
Test-day tips
- • Numbers are not automatically strong — check whether the number measures the right thing.