While writing an essay, a student’s main task is to represent their ideas to the audience and validate them. To get things right, you are expected to use supporting evidence that will show the readers that your claims are well-grounded.
In a nutshell, the supporting evidence you include in your paper can be anything from a quote from an external source to visual evidence, such as a graph or chart. The only rule is that it must support your ideas. And at the same time, it has to provide real value to the reader.
If you want to get a high grade for your next essay, you must learn how to integrate evidence into your argument the right way. If you are unsure how to do it, remember that paperwritingservice.com always has you covered. You can turn to professionals and get a flawless paper with no effort. But, if you want to figure it out on your own, read on, and we will tell you how to use evidence in your essays the best way.
1. Understand Different Types of Evidence
Making the most of your evidence in an essay can be hard. It takes time and practice to master this art. Luckily, students can always buy an essay paper online to save some time for honing their skills without putting their academic success at risk. And while professionals take care of your current assignments, you should start by getting clear on the different types of evidence:
● Textual – Written pieces including direct quotes, summaries of events or literary pieces, paraphrases, etc. When using this type of evidence, don’t forget to include page numbers and similar information to help the reader verify it.
● Analogical – Historical event, peer-reviewed study, expert opinion, statistics, or research on something related to your topic, but not exactly the same. Analogical evidence is considered the weakest type of evidence as it compares something known with something that is not certain. You should use it cautiously.
● Statistical – All numerical evidence, including statistics, percentages, measurements, etc. It is one of the most powerful types of evidence as it offers strong facts to support your argument. However, be sure to use only reliable sources.
● Testimonial – Expert opinion that can come in the form of quotes, direct interviews, conclusions from expert essays and papers, etc. Testimonial evidence is great for adding support and authority to your writing.
● Anecdotal – Story-based evidence, such as personal experience, case study, interviews that tell a story, etc. Keep in mind that this type of evidence is not the strongest yet helps to form a better connection with your reader.
● Hypothetical – Evidence that seems to have enough detail to appear valid, such as stories, imaginary, etc. It is another weak type of evidence. It is very similar to the anecdotal type.
Knowing about different types of evidence will help you pick the right ones for your essay and integrate them well.
2. Find Your Evidence
Before you can support your ideas, you will need to take some time to research your topic and find relevant evidence. There are several ways to gather it. Namely, you can collect evidence from:
● Your own experience;
● Literature;
● Electronic sources;
● Interviews;
● Observation;
● Surveys;
● Experiments;
● Academic journals and articles;
● Movies;
● Histories, etc.
Be sure to always critically assess all information you find. The evidence in your essay must be solid and valid.
Pro tip: When looking for evidence, pay special attention to the sources you are using. There are two main types of sources – primary sources and secondary sources. You should learn to distinguish them.
3. Set Up Your Evidence
When you collect enough evidence, you can move on to setting it up in your essay. Typically, you will use one piece of evidence per paragraph to support your main idea.
To set up your evidence the right way, begin your paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the main idea of your paragraph. Following the topic sentence, you need to present your assertion or argument that clarifies what you think about the topic of your essay. After this, you will be able to integrate your evidence.
4. Integrate Your Evidence
Begin the sentence where you will put in your evidence with some sort of introduction. This will help you make a smooth transition and make your essay easier to read. For example, you can begin with an introduction like “According to…,” “The experts claim…,” “As a study revealed…,” etc.
After the introductory clause, present your evidence. It can take the form of a statement or argument, quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Keep it clear and short. Don’t forget to mention the dates, names, and other important data related to your evidence.
If necessary, you can include 1-2 additional sentences after your evidence to explain it to the reader.
5. Cite Your Evidence
Regardless of the type of evidence you use, to get things right, you have to cite it properly, both in text and in your bibliography (if needed). To cite your evidence properly, be sure to check with your professor to know what citation style is preferred. The most common ones are APA (for Education, Psychology, and Sciences), MLA (for Humanities), and Chicago/Turabian (for Business, History, and the Fine Arts). Check with the particular citation style manual to see how sources need to be cited using it.
You can also take advantage of numerous citation tools, which you can easily find online. Some popular ones are Cite This for Me, EasyBib, Mendeley Cite, EndNote, etc.
6. Analyze Your Evidence
Finally, when your evidence is already integrated into your essay, take some additional time to analyze it.
At this stage, you want to ensure that every piece of evidence relates to your essay’s main topic and thesis. Check if it looks logical, clear, and solid enough to support your claims. And be sure to check that there is always a smooth transition after your evidence and the next part of the essay.
The Bottom Line
Integrating a strong piece of evidence in an essay can be pretty challenging. Luckily, now you have an actionable plan to get things right and ensure a high grade. Use the steps described above to make your essays well-grounded and persuasive. Good luck!
