Evaluating Evidence - SAT Reading SAT Study Notes
Overview
Imagine you're trying to convince your parents to let you stay up late. You wouldn't just say, "Please!" You'd probably say, "But Mom, my favorite show is on at 9 PM, and I finished all my homework!" That's using evidence! In SAT Reading, especially in science passages, you'll often need to figure out if the information (the **evidence**) an author gives you actually proves their main point (their **claim**). It's like being a detective and checking if the clues really lead to the conclusion. This skill is super important not just for the SAT, but for real life too! It helps you decide if a news story is trustworthy, if a product advertisement is telling the whole truth, or if your friend's excuse for not doing their chores actually makes sense.
What Is This? (The Simple Version)
Think of it like being a judge in a science fair. Someone presents their project and says, "My plant grew taller because I talked to it!" (That's their claim – what they believe is true).
Now, as the judge, you wouldn't just believe them. You'd ask, "What makes you say that? Show me your proof!" Their proof might be a chart showing the plant they talked to grew 10 inches, while the silent plant only grew 5 inches. That chart is their evidence – the facts, data, or observations that support their claim.
Evaluating Evidence means you look at that proof and decide: Is it strong? Does it really show what they're trying to prove? Or is it weak and doesn't really connect to their claim? You're checking if the evidence is a good, sturdy leg for their claim to stand on.
Real-World Example
Let's say your friend, Alex, tells you, "Eating chocolate makes you smarter!" (That's Alex's claim).
You, being a smart cookie, ask, "Oh really? What's your evidence?"
Alex might say:
- Evidence 1: "Well, I ate a chocolate bar right before my math test, and I got an A!"
- Evidence 2: "And I read an article that said people who eat chocolate have better memory."
Now, let's evaluate this evidence:
- Evidence 1: Is this strong? Not really. Maybe you got an A because you studied hard, not because of the chocolate. It's just one time, and lots of other things could have caused it. This is like a single, wobbly table leg.
- Evidence 2: This sounds better! If Alex can show you the article, and it's from a reliable source (like a science magazine, not just a random blog), and it talks about many people, then this is much stronger. This is like a sturdy table leg, especially if there are more like it.
So, by evaluating the evidence, you can see that Alex's first piece of evidence isn't very convincing, but the second one has potential if it comes from a good source.
How It Works (Step by Step)
When you're reading a science passage on the SAT and need to evaluate evidence, follow these steps: 1. **Identify the Claim:** First, find what the author or scientist is trying to prove or state as true. This is their main idea or hypothesis. 2. **Locate the Evidence:** Next, find the specific f...
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Key Concepts
- Claim: The main idea or statement an author is trying to prove.
- Evidence: The facts, data, observations, or examples used to support a claim.
- Evaluating Evidence: The process of judging how strong, relevant, and reliable the evidence is for a given claim.
- Relevance: How closely the evidence relates to and supports the claim.
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Exam Tips
- →Always identify the author's main claim first before looking for evidence.
- →Highlight or underline specific pieces of evidence as you read the passage.
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