A comprehensive unit for analysing, evaluating and developing facts, ideas and opinions using relevant textual support.
This unit develops the ability to analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions. You will learn to identify claims, reasons and evidence, follow an argument, recognise assumptions and bias, compare viewpoints, select relevant textual support and make justified judgements.
A fact is information that can be checked or verified. An opinion expresses a belief or judgement. An interpretation explains what information may mean.
Fact: “The library opened at 8 a.m.”
Opinion: “The library opens far too late.”
Interpretation: “The early opening suggests that the school wants students to use the library before lessons.”
The main idea is the central point the writer wants the reader to understand. Look for important claims, repeated concerns, topic sentences, explanations and conclusions.
Writers develop main ideas through reasons, examples, facts, explanations, comparisons, statistics, expert views and consequences. Identify how each supporting detail contributes to the larger idea.
An assertion is a claim made by the writer. Evidence is information used to support that claim.
Assertion: “The new cycle route has made commuting safer.”
Evidence: Accident records or carefully collected observations could support the claim.
An idea may be introduced, explained, supported, extended or qualified. Follow its development from paragraph to paragraph.
Claim → reason → evidence → explanation → consequence → conclusion
An argument is a connected line of reasoning. Identify the writer's position, the reasons supporting it, the evidence supplied and the conclusion reached.
A reason explains why a writer holds a position. Evidence provides support for that reason or claim.
| Element | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Claim | What is the writer saying? |
| Reason | Why does the writer say it? |
| Evidence | What supports the claim? |
| Explanation | How does the support connect to the claim? |
Consider evidence for its relevance, sufficiency and reliability. Ask whether it genuinely supports the claim.
A strong argument connects claims, reasons and evidence clearly. It avoids major contradictions and draws conclusions supported by the available information.
Do not call an argument strong simply because you agree with it.
An assumption is something treated as true without being fully established. Critical readers identify what the writer appears to take for granted.
“Everyone wants a longer school day.” This assumes that all students, teachers and families share the same preference.
Perspective is the position from which a writer views an issue. Bias occurs when presentation favours one side unfairly or selectively. Look for selective evidence, loaded wording, omission of important alternatives and unequal treatment of opposing views.
| Stronger reasoning | Weaker reasoning |
|---|---|
| Connects evidence to the claim. | States a claim without support. |
| Recognises relevant limitations. | Ignores obvious limitations. |
| Uses relevant evidence. | Uses irrelevant examples. |
| Draws a proportionate conclusion. | Jumps from limited evidence to a sweeping conclusion. |
When two writers discuss the same issue, compare their claims, reasons, evidence, assumptions, perspectives and conclusions.
Both writers agree that ______. However, Writer A emphasises ______, whereas Writer B focuses on ______.
Good analysis uses evidence that directly supports the point being made. Choose the smallest relevant piece of information that proves or illustrates the point, then explain its significance.
Point → Evidence → Explanation
Do not stop after identifying evidence. Explain the connection. Ask: What does this evidence show, and why does that matter?
A judgement is strongest when it is based on relevant evidence and reasoning. Explain why your conclusion follows from the information in the text.
Personal response is not the same as textual evaluation. Your judgement should be connected to the text rather than based only on whether you agree.
Identify the claim → select relevant support → explain the connection → evaluate → reach a justified judgement.
Claim: A writer argues that a community garden benefits local residents.
Evidence: Residents use the garden for exercise, social interaction and growing food.
Analysis: The range of benefits supports the claim because the evidence shows that the garden serves more than one practical purpose.
Evaluation: The argument is reasonably convincing, although reliable figures about how many residents benefit would make it stronger.
Foundation: identify fact, opinion, claim and evidence.
Developing: explain how supporting details develop a main idea.
Secure: evaluate whether evidence convincingly supports a claim.
Advanced: compare two viewpoints and reach a justified judgement.
| Level | Evidence of performance |
|---|---|
| Mastery | Analyses and evaluates ideas precisely, selects relevant support, explains connections and reaches justified judgements. |
| Secure | Identifies important ideas and uses relevant support with generally clear explanation. |
| Developing | Identifies some ideas or evidence but explanation and evaluation may be incomplete. |
| Not yet secure | Relies mainly on description, unsupported opinion or disconnected details. |
“The town council should convert the unused car park beside the river into a public reading garden. The site already attracts walkers, but it has no quiet place where they can sit. A reading garden would provide shaded seating and could encourage families to spend more time outdoors. Some residents argue that the car park should remain available for visitors arriving by car. However, the council's own survey shows that the car park is rarely more than half full on weekdays. This suggests that part of the space could be redesigned without removing essential parking. The proposal is therefore a practical compromise rather than an attempt to eliminate car access.”
When answering an R3-style question, do not simply copy information from the passage. Select, connect, explain and evaluate.
Point → relevant evidence → explanation → evaluation → judgement.
This unit completes the current sequence on understanding and evaluating ideas. It connects close reading with the next examination stages: selecting information, summarising, comparing material and responding accurately to specific purposes.
Understand → Infer → Analyse language → Analyse and evaluate ideas → Select and use information