Draw Evidence From Sources — Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis. - Praxis Core Writing

SECTION 1

Historical Context & Motivation

The ability to draw evidence from informational texts is not a modern pedagogical invention; it is a practice rooted in centuries of rhetorical and scholarly tradition. From Aristotle's emphasis on logos—logical appeals grounded in factual evidence—to the empirical methods of the Enlightenment, Western intellectual history has consistently privileged the writer's capacity to marshal textual support for claims. In the context of American education, however, the explicit requirement that students extract, evaluate, and integrate evidence from nonfiction sources gained formal prominence only in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, as standards-based reform reshaped how literacy was taught and assessed.

1983 • A Nation at Risk

The National Commission on Excellence in Education published this landmark report, catalyzing nationwide calls for higher academic standards—including more rigorous expectations for evidence-based writing across disciplines.

2001 • No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

Federal legislation mandated standardized assessments in reading and writing, increasing the emphasis on measurable literacy competencies, including the ability to reference and analyze informational texts.

2010 • Common Core State Standards

The CCSS explicitly codified 'drawing evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research' as a key anchor standard (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.CCR.9), directly influencing teacher certification exams like the PRAXIS.

2014 • PRAXIS Core Redesign

ETS revised the PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators tests to align with contemporary literacy standards, incorporating tasks that require test-takers to analyze source-based arguments and compose evidence-driven responses.

2020s • Information Literacy Era

Amid concerns about misinformation and media literacy, the capacity to evaluate and cite credible informational sources has become a cornerstone of K–12 instruction and, by extension, a non-negotiable competency for aspiring educators.

The trajectory from broad rhetorical ideals to explicit, assessable standards raises a central question for aspiring educators: How does one systematically locate, evaluate, and incorporate evidence from informational texts to produce writing that is analytically rigorous and persuasive? Answering this question is essential not only for passing the PRAXIS Core Writing exam but also for modeling evidence-based writing practices in your future classrooms.

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Core Principles & Definitions

Before examining strategies and examples, it is important to establish the foundational concepts that underpin the skill of drawing evidence from informational texts. The PRAXIS Core Writing exam evaluates your ability to perform several interrelated cognitive tasks: identifying relevant evidence within a source, assessing its credibility and relevance, integrating it smoothly into your own prose, and using it to advance a coherent analytical argument. Each of these tasks maps onto a principle that, once internalized, transforms evidence use from a mechanical exercise into a fluid analytical practice.

Relevance & Purposeful Selection

Not all information in a source is equally useful. Effective evidence selection requires identifying data, claims, or details that directly support your thesis or analytical point. Irrelevant evidence weakens rather than strengthens an argument.

Accurate Representation

Evidence must be presented faithfully. Paraphrasing should preserve the author's intended meaning, and direct quotations must be exact. Misrepresenting a source—intentionally or carelessly—undermines credibility and constitutes a logical fallacy.

Analytical Integration

Evidence should not be 'dropped' into a paragraph without context. Each piece of evidence requires a lead-in that introduces it and follow-up analysis that explains its significance to the writer's argument. This is often called the 'sandwich' or 'ICE' method.

Source Evaluation

Informational texts vary in authority, bias, and reliability. Aspiring educators must assess whether a source is credible—considering authorship, publication context, currency, and corroboration—before using it as evidence.

Synthesis Across Sources

Higher-order analysis often requires drawing evidence from multiple sources and synthesizing it into a unified argument. Synthesis goes beyond summary; it identifies patterns, contradictions, and complementary perspectives across texts.

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KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of drawing evidence like building a legal case in a courtroom. A prosecutor does not simply dump a box of documents on the jury's table; she selects the most compelling exhibits (relevance), reads them accurately into the record (accurate representation), explains how each exhibit supports her theory of the case (analytical integration), establishes each exhibit's chain of custody and authenticity (source evaluation), and weaves multiple exhibits into a narrative that proves her argument beyond a reasonable doubt (synthesis). Your analytical paragraph is your closing argument.

SECTION 3

Visual Explanation — The Evidence Integration Cycle

Effective evidence use is not a linear, one-step act; it is a cyclical process in which the writer moves between the source text, the analytical claim, and the integration of evidence into the argument. The following diagram illustrates the Evidence Integration Cycle, showing how each stage feeds into the next. The cycle begins with a close reading of the source, moves through claim formulation and evidence selection, and culminates in analytical commentary that links the evidence back to the writer's thesis.

The cycle begins at Stage 1 (Close Read) and moves clockwise. After you analyze and comment at Stage 5, you return to the source to identify additional evidence or refine your claim, creating a recursive loop that deepens analytical rigor with each pass.

Notice that the thesis occupies the center of the cycle, serving as the gravitational anchor for every stage. A well-formulated thesis guides which evidence you select, how you frame it, and what analytical commentary you attach to it. Conversely, encountering unexpected evidence during close reading may prompt you to revise or sharpen your thesis—an intellectually honest practice that the PRAXIS exam rewards rather than penalizes.

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How It Works — The ICE Method & Beyond

Several established frameworks exist for integrating evidence into analytical writing. The most widely taught is the ICE method (Introduce, Cite, Explain), which provides a structural template for embedding evidence within body paragraphs. While the ICE method is sometimes perceived as formulaic, it reliably ensures that evidence is never left unanalyzed—a common pitfall on timed writing assessments. More advanced writers adapt ICE into fluid prose that conceals its scaffolding, but the underlying logic remains the same.

The ICE Method

Introduce (I)

Provide context for the evidence. Identify the author, the source, and the relevance of the information. Signal to the reader why this evidence matters before presenting it. Example signal phrases: 'According to…,' 'As [Author] argues…,' 'Data from [Source] indicate…'

Cite (C)

Present the evidence itself—through a direct quotation, a paraphrase, or a summary of specific data. Ensure accuracy and fidelity to the original text. Use quotation marks for direct quotations and proper attribution for paraphrases.

Explain (E)

Analyze the evidence. Explain how it supports your claim, what it implies, or why it is significant. This step is where the writer's voice and critical thinking are most visible. Without explanation, evidence is merely information, not argument.

Evidence Integration Formulas

While evidence integration is not a mathematical operation, it can be represented schematically to clarify the structural relationships. The following formulas codify the paragraph-level and essay-level logic of evidence-based analysis.

PARAGRAPH-LEVEL STRUCTURE

Effective Body ¶ = Topic Sentence + (I + C + E)₁ + (I + C + E)₂ + Concluding Sentence

Where I = Introduce the evidence, C = Cite the evidence, E = Explain its significance. Each body paragraph ideally contains two evidence clusters (ICE₁ and ICE₂) to provide sufficient analytical depth.

ESSAY-LEVEL STRUCTURE

Analytical Essay = Thesis + Σ(Body ¶ᵢ) + Synthesis Conclusion

The essay's overall strength is the sum of its individually well-supported body paragraphs, unified by a thesis and capped by a conclusion that synthesizes (not merely restates) the evidence.

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PRAXIS TIP

On the PRAXIS Core Writing source-based essay task, you are typically given two short passages and asked to draw evidence from both. Scorers explicitly reward responses that integrate evidence from both sources rather than relying on only one. Plan to include at least one ICE cluster from each source in your essay.

SECTION 5

Types of Textual Evidence & Their Uses

Informational texts offer several distinct types of evidence, each with characteristic strengths and appropriate contexts for use. Understanding these types enables you to make strategic choices about which evidence will most effectively support a given analytical claim. The PRAXIS Core Writing exam may present you with passages containing statistical data, expert testimony, historical examples, or logical reasoning—and your ability to identify and leverage the right type of evidence will significantly impact your score.

The four primary types of textual evidence drawn from informational sources, arranged with visual indicators of their general persuasive impact. Note that combining evidence types (as shown in the lower panel) typically produces stronger analytical writing than relying on a single type.

Evidence Type	Best Used When…	Potential Weakness
Statistical Data	You need to demonstrate scale, frequency, or trends; ideal for policy or research-based arguments.	Can be manipulated through selective reporting; requires context to avoid misleading the reader.
Expert Testimony	You need to establish credibility or appeal to authority on a specialized topic.	Relies on the expert's credentials; can constitute an appeal-to-authority fallacy if the expert lacks relevant expertise.
Factual Examples	You need to ground abstract claims in concrete reality; effective for narrative-driven or historical analyses.	A single example may be anecdotal and unrepresentative of broader patterns.
Logical Reasoning	You need to explain causal mechanisms or draw inferences that connect evidence to a conclusion.	Can be subjective if not grounded in empirical evidence; susceptible to logical fallacies.

Types of textual evidence and their strategic applications

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Worked Example — Building an Evidence-Based Paragraph

The following worked example simulates a PRAXIS Core Writing task in which you must construct an analytical paragraph drawing evidence from a provided informational passage. Suppose you have been given a passage about the effects of class size on student achievement, and your thesis argues that reducing class size improves educational outcomes. The passage includes statistical data from a major study and expert commentary from an education researcher.

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SOURCE PASSAGE (Excerpt)

"The Tennessee STAR experiment, conducted from 1985 to 1989, randomly assigned over 11,000 students to small classes (13–17 students) or regular classes (22–25 students). Students in smaller classes scored significantly higher on standardized tests in reading and mathematics, with effect sizes averaging 0.22 standard deviations. Dr. Helen Pate-Bain, a lead researcher, noted that 'the benefits were particularly pronounced for minority students and students from low-income families, suggesting that class size reduction may serve as an equity intervention.'"

Constructing an Evidence-Based Analytical Paragraph

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Step 1 — Identify the Claim

Begin by articulating your topic sentence, which should connect to your thesis. Your claim for this paragraph is that empirical research supports the effectiveness of class size reduction. A strong topic sentence might read: "Rigorous experimental research provides compelling evidence that smaller class sizes lead to measurable gains in student achievement."

Topic sentence drafted — claim clearly stated.
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Step 2 — Introduce the Evidence (I)

Before citing the source, provide a brief lead-in that contextualizes the evidence. Identify the source and signal its relevance: "The Tennessee STAR experiment, one of the most influential randomized controlled trials in education, demonstrated this conclusively." This introduction establishes the source's authority (randomized controlled trial) and relevance (education).

Context and credibility established.
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Step 3 — Cite the Evidence (C)

Now present the specific evidence. You can use a direct quotation, a paraphrase, or a combination. Here, we blend paraphrase with a targeted quotation: "According to the passage, students assigned to classes of 13–17 students outperformed their peers in regular-sized classes by an average of 0.22 standard deviations on standardized assessments in both reading and mathematics." Note the use of the attribution phrase 'According to the passage,' which anchors the evidence to the source.

Specific, quantitative evidence cited with attribution.
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Step 4 — Explain the Evidence (E)

This is the most critical step and the one most often underdeveloped. Explain what the evidence means and how it supports your claim: "An effect size of 0.22 standard deviations, while seemingly modest, is educationally significant—equivalent to several additional months of learning. Moreover, Dr. Helen Pate-Bain's observation that benefits were 'particularly pronounced for minority students and students from low-income families' suggests that class size reduction functions not only as an academic intervention but also as a mechanism for promoting educational equity." This analysis accomplishes two things: it interprets the statistical data and connects a second piece of evidence (expert testimony) to a broader implication.

Evidence analyzed, significance explained, broader implications drawn.
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Step 5 — Craft the Concluding Sentence

Close the paragraph with a sentence that transitions or reinforces the thesis: "Taken together, the STAR data and expert interpretation demonstrate that reducing class size yields tangible, equity-enhancing benefits—a finding that policymakers would be unwise to ignore." This sentence synthesizes the evidence and links it back to the broader argument.

Paragraph completed with synthesis and thesis reinforcement.

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Common Strengths & Pitfalls in Evidence Use

Understanding what strong evidence use looks like is only half the battle; you must also recognize and avoid the common pitfalls that cost test-takers points on the PRAXIS Core Writing exam. The following table contrasts effective strategies with frequent errors, drawn from ETS scoring rubrics and test-preparation research. As a future educator, internalizing these distinctions will also help you provide targeted feedback when teaching evidence-based writing to your own students.

Effective Practice ✓	Common Pitfall ✗	Why It Matters
Selects evidence that directly supports the specific claim in the paragraph.	Includes tangentially related evidence that does not clearly connect to the claim.	Irrelevant evidence suggests the writer cannot distinguish important from unimportant information.
Provides analytical commentary after each piece of evidence (the 'E' in ICE).	'Hit-and-run' quotations: inserting quotes without analysis or explanation.	Without explanation, the reader must infer the evidence's relevance—an interpretive burden the writer should bear.
Paraphrases accurately and uses direct quotes selectively for impact.	Over-reliance on long block quotations that dominate the paragraph.	Excessive quotation signals that the writer cannot process and restate ideas in their own words.
Draws evidence from multiple parts of the source or from both provided sources.	Relies on a single sentence or data point from one source for the entire essay.	PRAXIS scorers reward breadth and synthesis; single-source reliance limits analytical depth.
Acknowledges complexity or counterevidence while maintaining a clear position.	Ignores counterevidence entirely or presents an oversimplified, one-sided argument.	Engaging with complexity demonstrates critical thinking—a hallmark of upper-score-range responses.

Effective practices vs. common pitfalls in evidence-based analytical writing

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KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of evidence as the load-bearing walls in a building. An architect (writer) must choose structurally essential walls (relevant evidence) and explain to the engineer (reader) why each wall is placed where it is (analytical commentary). Random walls thrown in without structural purpose weaken the building; walls placed without explanation leave the engineer unsure whether they're weight-bearing or decorative. On the PRAXIS, your essay is the blueprint—make every wall count.

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Connection to Advanced Analytical Writing

The evidence-drawing skills assessed on the PRAXIS Core Writing exam represent a foundational layer of a much richer analytical tradition. As you progress in your teaching career—and potentially into graduate-level coursework or action research—you will encounter increasingly sophisticated demands for evidence use. Understanding where PRAXIS-level competency sits within this broader continuum helps you see the exam not as an isolated hurdle but as a checkpoint on a developmental trajectory.

Dimension	PRAXIS Core Level	Graduate / Professional Level
Source Complexity	1–2 short informational passages provided by the test.	Self-selected corpus of peer-reviewed articles, data sets, and primary sources.
Evidence Integration	ICE method; paraphrase and quotation within body paragraphs.	Literature review synthesis; thematic and methodological analysis across dozens of sources.
Critical Evaluation	Recognizing bias or limitations in a passage; acknowledging counterarguments.	Systematic evaluation of research design, validity, generalizability, and theoretical frameworks.
Analytical Depth	Explaining significance and drawing inferences within a timed essay.	Constructing original arguments that extend, challenge, or reframe existing scholarship.
Citation Conventions	Attribution phrases ('According to the passage…'); no formal citation style required.	Formal APA, MLA, or Chicago citation with reference lists, DOIs, and in-text citations.

PRAXIS Core evidence skills compared to graduate-level analytical writing

The key insight from this comparison is that the PRAXIS Core Writing exam assesses the essential cognitive architecture of evidence-based analysis—selecting, representing, integrating, and interpreting textual evidence—without requiring the procedural complexity of formal academic research writing. Mastering these foundational skills now will make the transition to more demanding contexts significantly smoother. Moreover, as a teacher, you will be responsible for scaffolding precisely these skills for your students, moving them from simple recall of textual facts toward sophisticated analytical reasoning.

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Practice Problems

The following five problems assess your ability to draw evidence from informational texts at escalating levels of complexity. Each problem includes a brief passage or scenario and asks you to demonstrate specific evidence-use skills. Detailed answers follow each question.

Question 1: CONCEPTUAL

A writer includes the following sentence in an essay: 'Many studies show that homework is beneficial for students.' Why is this an example of weak evidence use, even though the claim may be factually accurate? Explain at least two specific improvements the writer could make.

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This sentence is weak evidence use for two primary reasons. First, it lacks specificity: 'many studies' is a vague attribution that does not identify any particular source, making the claim unverifiable and reducing the writer's credibility. The writer should cite a specific study or source—for instance, 'Cooper's (2006) meta-analysis of homework research.' Second, the sentence provides no analytical commentary; it states a conclusion without explaining the data or reasoning behind it. An improved version might read: 'According to Cooper's meta-analysis, students who completed homework in secondary school showed a significant positive correlation with academic achievement, suggesting that structured practice outside the classroom reinforces content mastery.' This revision names the source (Introduction), cites specific findings (Citation), and offers analytical interpretation (Explanation), following the ICE method.

Question 2: BASIC APPLICATION

Read the following passage excerpt: 'The National Center for Education Statistics reports that in 2022, approximately 14% of public school students received special education services under IDEA. This figure has risen steadily from 8.3% in 1976, reflecting both expanded eligibility criteria and improved identification practices.' Write a proper ICE-formatted sentence cluster (Introduce, Cite, Explain) using this passage to support the claim that special education services have become more accessible over time.

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A strong ICE-formatted cluster might read as follows. Introduce: 'Federal data illustrate a decades-long expansion in the reach of special education services.' Cite: 'According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the percentage of public school students receiving services under IDEA rose from 8.3% in 1976 to approximately 14% in 2022.' Explain: 'This nearly 70% increase over forty-six years reflects not only the broadening of eligibility categories—such as the addition of autism and traumatic brain injury as qualifying conditions—but also improvements in screening and identification practices that ensure more students receive appropriate support. The upward trend therefore demonstrates that special education access has become substantially more inclusive, though the question of whether increased identification translates to improved outcomes remains open.' This cluster introduces the source with context, cites specific quantitative evidence with proper attribution, and provides substantive analytical commentary that connects the data to the broader claim.

Question 3: INTERMEDIATE

You are given two sources for a PRAXIS-style essay. Source A argues that standardized testing motivates students and ensures accountability. Source B argues that standardized testing narrows the curriculum and increases student anxiety. Your thesis is: 'While standardized testing provides valuable accountability data, its negative effects on curriculum breadth and student well-being necessitate reform.' Write a body paragraph that draws evidence from BOTH sources to support this thesis. Your paragraph should include at least one ICE cluster from each source.

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A model paragraph: 'Proponents of standardized testing are correct that these assessments serve an important accountability function. As Source A notes, standardized test data enable school districts to "identify performance gaps across demographic subgroups and allocate resources accordingly." This capacity for data-driven equity monitoring is a legitimate strength of the testing regime. However, this benefit must be weighed against significant costs. Source B presents evidence that teachers in high-stakes testing environments "reduced instructional time for science, social studies, and the arts by an average of 44 minutes per week" to focus on tested subjects. This curricular narrowing directly undermines the goal of providing students with a well-rounded education—a goal that the accountability system is ostensibly designed to support. Moreover, Source B cites survey data indicating that 61% of students reported increased anxiety during testing periods, suggesting that the motivational benefits claimed by testing advocates may be offset by psychological harm. Taken together, these findings support the conclusion that standardized testing, while valuable as an accountability tool, requires significant reform to mitigate its unintended consequences for curriculum and student well-being.' This paragraph demonstrates synthesis across both sources, strategic evidence selection, proper attribution, analytical commentary, and acknowledgment of complexity—all elements that PRAXIS scorers reward.

Question 4: APPLIED

You are a first-year teacher preparing a lesson on evidence-based writing for 10th graders. One student submits a paragraph that reads: 'School uniforms are good because they make everyone equal. The article says uniforms reduce bullying. This shows uniforms work.' Identify three specific weaknesses in this student's evidence use, and for each weakness, describe how you would coach the student to improve, referencing the principles from this lesson.

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Three weaknesses and coaching strategies: First, the topic sentence ('School uniforms are good because they make everyone equal') is vague and uses an undefined term ('good'). Coaching: Guide the student to make a specific, arguable claim—e.g., 'Mandatory school uniforms reduce socioeconomic-based bullying by minimizing visible markers of economic status.' This applies the principle of relevance and purposeful selection. Second, the evidence citation ('The article says uniforms reduce bullying') lacks specificity—it does not quote or paraphrase specific data or language from the source. Coaching: Teach the student to use signal phrases and include specific details—e.g., 'According to the article, a 2019 survey of 500 middle school students found that reports of clothing-related teasing decreased by 35% after a uniform policy was implemented.' This applies the principle of accurate representation. Third, the analysis ('This shows uniforms work') is a circular restatement rather than genuine explanation. Coaching: Model the Explain step by asking the student 'Why does this data support your claim? What does it mean?' Guide them toward something like: 'This decline in clothing-related teasing suggests that removing visible markers of wealth—brand logos, designer accessories—eliminates a common trigger for peer harassment, thereby supporting the argument that uniforms promote a more equitable social environment.' This applies the principle of analytical integration.

Question 5: CRITICAL THINKING

Consider the following claim: 'Drawing evidence from informational texts is sufficient for producing strong analytical writing.' Construct a nuanced counterargument that acknowledges the importance of textual evidence while identifying at least two additional competencies that are equally essential for analytical writing. Support your counterargument with reasoning that a PRAXIS scorer would find persuasive.

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While drawing evidence from informational texts is necessary for analytical writing, it is not sufficient. At least two additional competencies are equally essential. First, logical argumentation—the ability to structure claims, reasons, and evidence into a coherent argumentative framework—is indispensable. A writer can select compelling evidence but, without logical organization (such as establishing clear topic sentences, maintaining paragraph unity, and using transitions that signal logical relationships), the evidence remains a collection of facts rather than a persuasive argument. The PRAXIS rubric explicitly evaluates 'development and organization,' indicating that textual evidence must be embedded within a sound argumentative architecture to earn high scores. Second, rhetorical awareness—the ability to adapt language, tone, and evidence selection to a specific audience and purpose—determines whether evidence is presented effectively. For instance, statistical data might be the strongest evidence type for a policy-oriented audience but could be less persuasive for an audience that values narrative and lived experience. A skilled analytical writer does not merely find and cite evidence; she considers how her audience will receive it and adjusts her presentational strategy accordingly. In sum, evidence-drawing is the raw material of analysis, but logical argumentation provides the blueprint and rhetorical awareness ensures that the finished structure serves its intended purpose. This more holistic view of analytical writing competency aligns with the PRAXIS Core Writing rubric's multi-dimensional assessment criteria, which evaluate not only evidence use but also organizational coherence, syntactic variety, and rhetorical effectiveness.

SUMMARY

Summary — Drawing Evidence From Informational Texts

Summary

Drawing evidence from informational texts is a foundational competency for the PRAXIS Core Writing exam and for effective teaching practice. The process follows a recursive Evidence Integration Cycle: close reading of the source, formulation of a claim, strategic evidence selection based on relevance, integration using the ICE method (Introduce, Cite, Explain), and analytical commentary that connects evidence to the thesis. The four primary evidence types—statistical data, expert testimony, factual examples, and logical reasoning—each carry distinct strengths, and combining them produces the most persuasive analytical writing.

Avoid the most common pitfalls: hit-and-run quotations (evidence without analysis), irrelevant evidence (information that does not support the claim), and single-source reliance (failing to draw from all provided texts). Remember that on the PRAXIS Core Writing exam, scorers reward synthesis across sources, accurate representation of source material, and the depth of your analytical explanation. Master these skills for the exam, and you will simultaneously build the instructional expertise needed to teach evidence-based writing in your own classroom.