E VIDENCE, W ARRANT, C LAIM Support, support, support

W HAT IS IT ? It’s a way of writing so that you have evidence for what you’re saying. It’s just like an RACE paragraph, but the way you set it up makes sure you cannot write without support. RACE stands for what? Respond to the question Answer the prompt Cite Examples from the text Support with evidence

W HAT IS A CLAIM ? Claim – The point you are trying to make Your claim is the point that you’re trying to prove. It is an arguable point. Someone can take a stance on what you say. For example: You’re writing an essay on Harry Potter and you say “Draco Malfoy not a good person.”

W HAT IS EVIDENCE Evidence – what you’ve found in the text to support your claim. You can paraphrase (a paraphrase is a rewording of something written or spoken by someone else.) Example: Draco Malfoy is described as enjoying bad things that happen. OR you could use the direct textual quote “‘It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.” (Rowling, 139).

W ARRANT Warrant – A statement that draws a clear connection between the evidence you have chosen and your claim. Evidence cannot stand on its own! You must interpret the evidence for the reader by making explicit HOW the evidence provided makes your point and supports your thesis. J.K. Rowling portrays Draco Malfoy as an evil character by the way writes his reactions. Rather than being concerned for Ms. Norris – the petrified cat – Draco is shown as smiling and evil.

A NOTHER EXAMPLE Claim: Michael Jordan is the best basketball player who ever lived. Evidence: Jordan was selected as the greatest basketball player of the 20h century by Sports Illustrated magazine. Warrant: Since professional basketball has only been played in the 20 th century, and since no basketball player was rated higher than Jordan in the survey, Jordan must be the greatest basketball player who ever lived.

Y OU MUST HAVE A WARRANT BECAUSE … You must explain your ideas and inferences clearly in order to convince the reader. The reader isn’t in your head. They don’t know what you’re thinking so you have to explain it. Since evidence that you’ve chosen could possibly be interpreted to support either side, evidence alone does not completely support your claim.

L ET ’ S TRY IT Evidence: When the animal in “Emancipation: A life fable” leaves his cage seeks, finds, hungers, thirsts, joys, and suffers. Claim one: He was better off inside the cage Claim two: He is better off outside the cage.

IVF S TATEMENTS IVF Statements are used for your topic or thesis statements. IVF Stands for Identify the Item you’re writing about Select a powerful Verb Finish your thought (wrap up whatever you’re talking about)

Q UESTIONS TO ASK WHILE FORMING YOUR IVF S TATMENT For Identify you should ask : What am I talking about? Answer: A document, a text, a painting, etc. For the verb you should ask: What’s the purpose of my paper? – compare contrast? Argumentitive? Etc. What is the text doing? Answer: compares, demonstrates, etc. When you finish your thought you should ask: What else do I need to talk about or include so the reader understands?

F OR EXAMPLE “I’ M N OBODY W HO ARE YOU ” E MILY D ICKINSON I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too? Then there's a pair of us -don't tell! They'd banish us, you know. How dreary to be somebody! How public, like a frog To tell your name the livelong day To an admiring bog! What is the poem talking about?

S O YOUR IVF STATEMENT WOULD BE Emily Dickinson’s poem “I’m Nobody! Who are you?” compares life in the public eye with life as an ordinary person. IdentifyVerbFinish your thought Emilly Dickinson’s poem “I’m Nobody! Who are you?” ComparesLife in the public eye with life as an ordinary person.