Why Do We Analyze Arguments in Nonfiction?
People have been arguing (in writing) for thousands of years. Long before social media posts or news articles, thinkers wrote essays and speeches to convince others of their ideas. But here's the catch — not every claim an author makes is actually supported by solid proof. That's why learning to trace arguments and evaluate claims is such an important skill.
The Common Core State Standards ask sixth graders to read literary nonfiction — things like essays, memoirs, speeches, and biographies — and figure out what the author is really arguing. You need to spot the main argument, find the specific claims, and decide whether those claims are supported by reasons and evidence or just by opinions and feelings.
Today, you encounter arguments everywhere — in articles, videos, advertisements, and social media. Learning to trace an argument and separate strong evidence from weak opinions will help you become a smarter, more confident reader and thinker.
Core Principles: The Building Blocks of an Argument
Before you can evaluate an argument, you need to understand the parts that make it up. Think of an argument like a building. If the building blocks are strong, the argument stands tall. If they're weak, the whole thing can fall apart. Here are the four most important ideas you need to know.
Central Argument
Specific Claims
Evidence & Reasons
Supported vs. Unsupported Claims
Visual Guide: Anatomy of an Argument
The diagram below shows how a well-built argument is structured. At the top is the author's central argument. Below it, you'll see the specific claims that hold it up. And at the bottom, each claim is connected to evidence — or, in some cases, to nothing at all (an unsupported claim).
Notice how Claims 1 and 2 have solid evidence beneath them — real studies and expert sources. Claim 3, on the other hand, just says "everyone knows," which isn't evidence at all. When you're reading literary nonfiction, your job is to build a mental picture like this diagram: find the central argument, identify each claim, and check whether each one has real evidence holding it up.
How It Works: A Step-by-Step Process
Evaluating an argument in literary nonfiction isn't something you do all at once. It's a process — a series of steps you follow, one at a time. Here's the method you can use every time you read a nonfiction text.
When you follow these four steps, you're doing exactly what the Common Core standard asks: you're tracing the argument (following it from start to finish) and evaluating the claims (deciding which ones are actually proven).
This flowchart is your reading roadmap. Every time you spot a claim, run it through the decision diamond: does it have evidence? If yes, it's supported. If not, it's just an opinion. Easy!
Types of Evidence: A Closer Look
Not all evidence is created equal. Some types of evidence are stronger than others. The table below shows you the most common types of evidence you'll find in literary nonfiction — and how strong each one is. Learning to spot these will make you a much better argument detective.
| Type of Evidence | What It Looks Like | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Facts & Statistics | Numbers, data, or proven truths — "73% of students said…" | Very Strong |
| Expert Quotes | Words from scientists, doctors, or other trusted authorities | Strong |
| Real Examples | Specific events, case studies, or historical examples | Strong |
| Personal Stories | The author's or someone else's personal experience — "When I was ten…" | Medium |
| Emotional Language | Words meant to make you feel something — "heartbreaking," "incredible" | Weak |
| Vague Statements | "Everyone knows…" "It's obvious that…" "Most people agree…" | Very Weak |
Here's a tip: when you read a piece of literary nonfiction, try highlighting different types of evidence in different colors (in your mind or on paper). You'll quickly see whether the author's argument is built on a solid foundation of facts or a shaky pile of opinions.
Worked Example: Analyzing a Real Passage
Let's practice the four-step process with a short passage. Read the sample text below, then follow along as we trace and evaluate the argument together.
See how that works? By following the four steps, you can break apart any argument and see exactly how it's built. Now it's your turn to practice!
Strengths and Challenges of This Skill
Being able to trace and evaluate arguments is one of the most useful skills you'll ever learn. But like any skill, it has some tricky parts. Let's look at what makes this skill powerful — and where it can get challenging.
| Strengths | Challenges |
|---|---|
| Helps you tell the difference between facts and opinions | Some authors mix facts and opinions so smoothly it's hard to separate them |
| Makes you a smarter reader of news, ads, and social media | Emotional language can be very convincing, even when there's no evidence |
| Builds your own writing skills — you learn what makes a strong argument | You might not always know if a "fact" is actually true without doing your own research |
| Works with any nonfiction text — essays, speeches, articles, memoirs | Literary nonfiction sometimes uses storytelling techniques that feel different from straightforward arguments |
Beyond 6th Grade: Where This Skill Takes You
The skill you're learning right now — tracing and evaluating arguments — doesn't stop in 6th grade. It grows with you. As you move through school, you'll use this same foundation to handle more complex tasks.
| What You're Learning Now (Grade 6) | What Comes Next (Grades 7–8) | Later On (High School) |
|---|---|---|
| Find the central argument | Evaluate how well the argument is organized and developed | Analyze the author's purpose, rhetoric, and persuasive strategies |
| Identify specific claims | Assess whether the evidence is relevant and sufficient | Evaluate whether reasoning is valid or contains logical fallacies |
| Distinguish supported from unsupported claims | Recognize bias and point of view in the author's argument | Compare multiple sources and synthesize arguments from different perspectives |
In 7th and 8th grade, you'll start asking not just "is there evidence?" but "is the evidence relevant and enough?" For example, an author might include a statistic — but does that statistic actually connect to the claim? In high school, you'll learn to spot logical fallacies (tricks in reasoning) and analyze how an author uses rhetorical strategies to persuade readers.
The bottom line: every time you practice tracing an argument and evaluating its claims, you're building a skill that will make you more successful in school, in college, and in life. You'll be the person who can read a news article, a political speech, or an advertisement and say with confidence, "This claim is supported — and that one isn't."
Practice Problems
Now it's your turn! Try each of these five problems. Start with the first one and work your way up. Click "Show Answer" when you're ready to check your thinking.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, you learned how to trace and evaluate arguments in literary nonfiction — a key 6th-grade reading standard. Every argument starts with a central argument (the author's big point), which is built on specific claims (smaller supporting statements). Your job as a reader is to check whether each claim is backed by evidence — like facts, statistics, expert quotes, and real examples — or whether it's just an unsupported opinion.
You now have a four-step process: find the central argument, identify specific claims, look for evidence, and judge each claim as supported or unsupported. You also know how to rank evidence from strongest (facts and statistics from trusted sources) to weakest (vague statements and personal feelings). These skills work with any nonfiction text — essays, speeches, articles, or memoirs — and they'll grow with you all the way through high school and beyond. Keep practicing, and you'll become the kind of reader who can see right through a weak argument!