Following the Guildline

Follow like the guidlines

Permission is granted to instructors to copy and distribute this worksheet for instructional purposes only. Copyright ©
2004 PLATO Learning, Inc. All rights reserved. PLATO® is a registered trademark of PLATO Learning, Inc. PLATO
Learning is a trademark of PLATO Learning, Inc.

–1 of 4–

Module: Supporting Arguments with Additional Evidence

Name: _______________________ Date: __________________

1. Choose a topic for a persuasive essay.

2. Who do you want to persuade? On another sheet of paper, describe your
audience by completing the sentences below:

I am writing this paper to persuade:

My audience has these important experiences, needs, and opinions:

3. On another sheet of paper, create a draft outline. Include at least three
arguments supporting your position. Leave some room in your outline for
steps 4 through 6, below.

4. On your outline, under each argument, describe what ideal evidence for
this argument would be.

For example, let’s say your position was that insurance should pay for
alternative medicine, and one argument was that acupuncture eases pain.
Ideal evidence for this argument would be a study comparing pain levels
in people who get acupuncture versus those who don’t. That would
probably be enough to convince someone who wasn’t against
acupuncture but was against insurance paying for it.

5. Do some research and try to find the ideal evidence you’ve listed in your
outline. Note that looking for evidence might give you new ideas—it’s OK
to rewrite your outline based on what you find.

6. Add to your outline descriptions of the evidence you did find, even if it
wasn’t ideal.

7. Write one paragraph for each of your arguments (at least three total)
answering these questions:

Is your audience likely to be persuaded by the evidence you found? Why
or why not?

–2 of 4–

8. Hand in
your topic, audience, and outline for a persuasive paper
descriptions of ideal evidence for each argument
detailed descriptions of actual evidence you found for each argument
these cover sheets and the following scoring pages

Advanced Activity
(Complete this Advanced Activity if instructed by your teacher.)

Go to the editorial page in a newspaper and choose a persuasive essay.
Look at how the author used evidence. Write a one-page critique of the
author’s use of evidence. Did he or she use enough evidence? Did he or
she ever have to make do with less than ideal evidence?

Scoring Pages (Your teacher will fill out these pages.)

Module Objective
Learners will identify when to support arguments with multiple reliable sources
of evidence.

Module Strategy

As you review your arguments, ask yourself whether you have provided
enough reliable evidence to persuade your audience. Consider adding
evidence when

• your audience strongly disagrees with an argument
• your argument is supported by an expert opinion rather than a statistic

or a fact

Rubric: This writer

____ Yes ____ No specified as “ideal” evidence, types of evidence that
would indeed logically and specifically support his or her
arguments (as opposed to only being related on the
surface).

Comments:

____ Yes ____ No called for multiple pieces of evidence to support
arguments that targeted readers are likely to disagree
strongly with.

Comments:

–3 of 4–

____ Yes ____ No called for multiple pieces of evidence to support an

argument when the only evidence he or she could find
was opinion, example, or anecdote.

Comments:

Summary
This writer

____ effectively uses the Supporting Arguments with Additional Evidence

strategy.

____ needs more practice.

Comments/Next Steps:

–4 of 4–

Turn in your highest-quality paper
Get a qualified writer to help you with

“ Following the Guildline ”

Get high-quality paper

NEW! AI matching with writer

Still stressed with your coursework?

Get quality coursework help from an expert!

Order now