Why Does This Skill Matter?
Every day you're surrounded by people trying to convince you of something. Advertisements tell you that a certain sneaker will make you faster. News articles claim that a new law will help students. Your friend insists that one video game is better than another. But how do you know if any of these claims are actually true?
The skill of tracing and evaluating arguments (following an author's line of thinking step by step) is one of the most important things you can learn. It lets you figure out whether a writer is giving you solid reasons and evidence or just hoping you'll agree without thinking. People have been studying this skill for thousands of years!
So here's the big question this lesson will help you answer: When you read an informational text, how do you figure out which claims are supported by evidence and reasons — and which claims are not?
Core Definitions You Need to Know
Before we can evaluate arguments, we need to learn the vocabulary. Think of these terms as your detective toolkit. Each one helps you break down what an author is saying and decide if it's trustworthy.
Argument
Claim
Reason
Evidence
Unsupported Claim
Visual Guide: The Anatomy of an Argument
The diagram below shows you how an argument is structured. Notice how the main argument sits at the top, supported by claims. Some claims are connected to reasons and evidence — those are supported claims. Others are floating with nothing underneath them — those are unsupported claims.
When you read a text, your job is to be like a detective. You look at each claim and ask: "Did the author give me a good reason for this? Did they show me evidence?" If the answer is yes, the claim is strong. If not, you should be skeptical.
The Step-by-Step Process
Here's how you actually trace and evaluate an argument when you're reading an informational text. Think of these as the four detective steps you follow every time.
Let's see what this looks like with a real passage. Notice how each step helps you become a smarter reader. In the next section, we'll break down the different types of evidence you might find (or not find!) in a text.
Types of Evidence & How to Spot Them
Not all evidence is the same. Some types of evidence are very strong, while others are weaker. Here's a guide to the types of evidence you might find in informational texts — and how to judge their strength.
| Type of Evidence | Strength | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics / Data | Very strong | "A 2023 study found that 82% of teens get less than 8 hours of sleep." |
| Expert Quotes | Strong | "Dr. Patel, a sleep scientist, explains that teens need 9 hours of rest." |
| Real-World Examples | Moderate | "At Jefferson Middle School, later start times led to fewer students falling asleep in class." |
| Personal Opinions | Weak | "Most people agree that kids should sleep more." (No data or source) |
| No Evidence | None | "Schools should obviously start later." (Nothing to support it) |
Worked Example: Tracing an Argument
Let's practice with a short passage. Read it carefully, then follow along as we trace and evaluate each claim step by step.
Strong Arguments vs. Weak Arguments
Now that you know how to trace and evaluate claims, let's compare what makes an argument strong versus what makes it weak. This will help you quickly spot the difference when you're reading on your own.
| Feature | Strong Argument | Weak Argument |
|---|---|---|
| Claims | Clear, specific claims that connect to the main argument | Vague or overly broad claims that are hard to prove |
| Evidence | Uses statistics, expert quotes, or real examples | Uses no evidence, or only personal opinions |
| Reasons | Explains why the evidence supports the claim | Jumps from claim to claim without explaining the logic |
| Language Clues | "According to…", "Research shows…", "A study found…" | "Everyone knows…", "Obviously…", "It's clear that…" |
| Overall Effect | You feel convinced because the proof is right there | You feel unsure because you're just asked to trust the author |
Where Does This Skill Lead?
The skill you're learning right now — tracing and evaluating arguments — is the foundation for something called critical thinking. As you move through school, you'll use this skill in bigger and more complex ways.
| What You're Learning Now (6th Grade) | What Comes Next (7th–8th Grade & Beyond) |
|---|---|
| Identify whether a claim is supported or unsupported | Evaluate whether the evidence is relevant (does it actually connect?) and sufficient (is there enough?) |
| Find evidence like facts, statistics, and expert quotes | Analyze bias — does the author have a reason to leave out certain evidence? |
| Trace one author's argument | Compare arguments from multiple authors on the same topic and decide which is more convincing |
| Spot vague language like "everyone knows" | Identify logical fallacies (tricks in reasoning) like false cause, straw man, and bandwagon appeals |
In 7th and 8th grade, you'll also start writing your own arguments in essays. The same rules apply to your own writing! When you make a claim, you'll need to back it up with evidence and reasons — just like the authors you're learning to evaluate now. Think of this lesson as training to become both a smarter reader and a stronger writer.
Practice Problems
Time to put your skills to the test! Try each problem before clicking "Show Answer." The problems start easy and get more challenging.
Putting It All Together
When you read an informational text, your job is to think like a detective. An argument is the author's overall point — what they want you to believe. That argument is built from claims, which are specific statements the author says are true. A supported claim is backed up by evidence (facts, statistics, expert quotes, or real examples) and reasons (logical explanations connecting the evidence to the claim). An unsupported claim has no evidence or reasons behind it — it's just an opinion pretending to be a fact.
To evaluate an argument, follow four steps: first, identify the main argument; second, find each claim; third, check whether each claim has evidence and reasons; and fourth, judge the overall strength of the argument. Watch out for red-flag phrases like "everyone knows" or "obviously" — these often signal an unsupported claim. The strongest evidence comes from statistics and expert sources, while the weakest "evidence" is really just the author's personal opinion. By mastering this skill, you become a critical reader who can't be fooled by smooth-sounding words without solid proof behind them.