Opening subject page...
Loading your content
Learn to spot exactly which facts, examples, and reasons back up each point an author makes.
Every time you read a newspaper article, a science textbook, or even an ad for a new video game, the author is trying to convince you of something. Maybe they want you to believe that recess is important, or that recycling helps the planet. But how do you know if what they say is actually true? The answer is: you look at their reasons and evidence.
People have been studying how writers persuade readers for a very long time. Let's look at a few key moments in history when people figured out that reasons and evidence really matter.
So here's the big question this lesson will help you answer: How do you figure out which reasons and evidence an author uses to support each specific point they make? By the end of this lesson, you'll be a detective who can connect the dots between a claim and the proof behind it.
Before we start practicing, let's make sure we understand four important words. These are the building blocks you'll use throughout this lesson.
The diagram below shows how an author's argument is organized. At the top you see the main point. Below it, two reasons branch out. Under each reason, you'll find specific evidence. Notice how each piece of evidence connects to only one reason, and each reason connects up to the main point.
In this example, the author's main point is that schools should have longer recess. They give two reasons: recess helps focus and recess keeps kids healthy. Then they back up each reason with specific evidence — facts, statistics, and reports. Notice that the evidence about test scores supports Reason 1 (focus), not Reason 2 (health). And the CDC fact supports Reason 2, not Reason 1. Matching each piece of evidence to the correct point is exactly the skill you're learning today!
Good news: there's a simple method you can use every time you read an informational text. Follow these four steps and you'll be able to match reasons and evidence to an author's points like a pro.
Let's talk about each step in a bit more detail. In Step 1, you're looking for sentences that sound like opinions or big ideas. Authors often put their main point near the beginning of an article — sometimes in the very first paragraph. Words like "should," "must," "believe," and "important" can be clues that you've found a point.
In Step 2, you read the paragraphs after the main point and look for sentences that explain why the author holds that opinion. Reasons often start with signal words like "because," "since," "one reason is," or "first of all."
In Step 3, you look for the proof. Evidence can be a statistic (like "75% of students…"), a quote from an expert, or a real-life example. Evidence is different from a reason because evidence is a concrete fact, while a reason is more of an explanation.
Finally, in Step 4, you draw the lines. You ask yourself: "Does this fact about test scores support the point about health or the point about focus?" If the evidence talks about grades and concentration, it supports the focus point — even if it appears in the same article as the health point.
Not all evidence looks the same. Authors use different kinds of proof depending on what they're writing about. Here's a breakdown of the most common types you'll find in informational texts.
| Type of Evidence | What It Looks Like | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics / Numbers | Facts with numbers, percentages, or measurements | "72% of students said they felt happier after recess." |
| Expert Quotes | Words from a scientist, doctor, or other authority | "Dr. Patel says, 'Physical activity boosts brain power.'" |
| Examples | A specific story or case that shows the point in action | "Lincoln Elementary added 15 extra minutes of recess and saw fewer behavior problems." |
| Research / Studies | Results from a scientific experiment or survey | "A 2019 university study found that active children sleep better." |
| Comparisons | Showing how two things are different to prove a point | "Countries with more recess time score higher on international tests." |
When you read a text, pay attention to which type of evidence the author uses. A number from a study supports a point differently than a personal story does. Strong informational texts usually mix several types of evidence together. And here's a key skill: always ask yourself, "Does this evidence actually connect to the point the author is making — or does it seem off-topic?"
Let's practice with a short passage. Read the text below carefully, and then we'll walk through the four steps together.
Not every author does a great job of supporting their points. Sometimes the evidence is strong and convincing. Other times, it's weak or doesn't even connect to the point the author is making. Here's how to tell the difference.
| Strong Evidence | Weak Evidence |
|---|---|
| Comes from a trusted source (scientists, official reports, experts) | Has no source — the author just says "some people think…" |
| Directly connects to the point the author is making | Seems interesting but doesn't really prove the point |
| Uses specific numbers, dates, or names | Uses vague words like "a lot," "many," or "everyone knows" |
| Can be checked or verified by the reader | Is based on one person's personal opinion with no facts |
For example, imagine an author writes: "Students should wear uniforms because they look nice." That's a reason, but it's an opinion with no evidence. A stronger version would be: "Students should wear uniforms because a 2020 survey of 500 parents found that 80% believe uniforms reduce morning stress." See the difference? The second version has a specific fact you can check.
Now that you can identify reasons and evidence and match them to an author's points, you're ready for the next level. In 6th grade and beyond, you'll take these skills even further. Here's a sneak peek.
| What You're Learning Now (5th Grade) | What Comes Next (6th Grade and Beyond) |
|---|---|
| Find the author's main point | Evaluate whether the author's argument is convincing or flawed |
| Identify reasons and evidence | Judge whether evidence is relevant, sufficient, and credible |
| Match evidence to the right point | Compare two authors who make different claims about the same topic |
| Recognize different types of evidence | Identify bias — when an author leaves out important evidence on purpose |
You can see how the skills you're building right now are the foundation for everything that comes next. If you can already spot which evidence supports which point, you're going to have a much easier time in middle school when teachers ask you to evaluate whether that evidence is actually any good. Think of it this way: first you learn to see the building blocks, and then you learn to judge whether the builder did a good job.
Time to test your skills! Read each question carefully, think about your answer, and then click "Show Answer" to check your work.
In this lesson, you learned how to break down an author's argument into its building blocks. Every informational text is built around points — the big ideas or opinions the author wants you to believe. Those points are held up by reasons, which explain why the author thinks the point is true. And those reasons are proven with evidence — specific facts, statistics, expert quotes, studies, and real-world examples. Your most important job as a reader is to match each piece of evidence to the correct point it supports, because not every fact in an article supports the same idea.
You also learned a four-step strategy: find the point, spot the reasons, hunt for evidence, and match the evidence to the right claim. You practiced telling the difference between strong evidence (specific, sourced, and directly connected) and weak evidence (vague, off-topic, or unsupported). These skills are the foundation for everything you'll do with informational texts from now on — in school and in real life. Keep being a reading detective!