3. Dealing with evidence: secondary sources

Dealing with Evidence: Secondary Sources
The 100 & 200 Level [Comprehend/Recognize/Interpret/Apply]

Comprehend how an author’s argument determines the evidence he or she selects.

Operations commonly required for this component

Possible Assessment Examples

a. Understand that authors have arguments and be able to identify them.

a. Ask students to identify the argument that an author is making in the assigned articles in the course.(For a detailed example, see Appendix 2.)

b. Discriminate between the argument and the evidence.

b. In a piece of writing, have the students identify the evidence used to sustain the argument in an article the students are reading for the course.

c. Distinguish between and author’s main argument(s) and secondary and supporting points.

c. Give the students an argument and ask them what secondary and supporting points would have to be proven for it to be true. (For a detailed example, see Appendix 5.)

d. Distinguish between an author’s argument and recapitulations of the arguments of other scholars.

d. Give the students examples of an author stating his or her own argument and an author recapitulating the argument of a secondary source. Ask the students to distinguish between them.

e. Comprehend how an author’s argument determines the evidence he or she selects.

e. Once students recognize an author’s argument, give them a list of possible sources s/he could have used, and have them discuss why the author selected certain evidence rather than other evidence.