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Using Evidence in Persuasive Writing: Statistics, Examples and Expert Opinion — Answers

Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 10 persuasive writing worksheet.

Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheetYear 10 · English · Persuasive Writing

Using Evidence in Persuasive Writing: Statistics, Examples and Expert Opinion — Answers

Part A: Types and quality of evidence

Strong evidence is relevant (on topic), current (recent enough), reliable (from a trustworthy source) and fairly presented. Circle the best answer.

1.In one study, students who slept eight hours scored 12 percent higher on memory tests than those who slept six. This evidence is:
  1. Aan anecdote
  2. Ba statistic from research
  3. Cexpert opinion
  4. Da personal belief

Answer: a statistic from research

A measured result from a study is statistical evidence.

2.A sleep scientist at a children's hospital says teenagers need between eight and ten hours of sleep each night. This evidence is:
  1. Aexpert opinion
  2. Ban anecdote
  3. Chyperbole
  4. Da rhetorical question

Answer: expert opinion

The speaker's professional knowledge gives the claim authority.

3.My cousin stopped using his phone after 9 p.m. and says he feels much better. This evidence is:
  1. Aresearch data
  2. Ban anecdote
  3. Cexpert opinion
  4. Da statistic

Answer: an anecdote

A single personal story. It is vivid and relatable but cannot prove a general claim on its own.

4.Which piece of evidence is most reliable for an argument about the benefits of exercise for mood?
  1. Aa fitness company's advertisement
  2. Ba blog post by an anonymous writer
  3. Ca recent review of many studies published by a university
  4. Da comment on social media

Answer: a recent review of many studies published by a university

A recent review of many studies by an independent research institution is current, broad and less likely to be biased.

5.A soft drink company funds a study that finds sugar has little effect on energy levels. The main problem with this evidence is:
  1. Ait is too recent
  2. Bthe source may be biased
  3. Cit uses numbers
  4. Dit is too short

Answer: the source may be biased

The company benefits from the result, so there is a conflict of interest.

6.A writer arguing for longer lunch breaks quotes a statistic about adult office workers from twenty years ago. The main weaknesses are:
  1. Athe evidence is too emotional
  2. Bthe evidence is outdated and about a different group
  3. Cthe evidence is from an expert
  4. Dthe evidence is too detailed

Answer: the evidence is outdated and about a different group

Good evidence is current and relevant to the group and issue being discussed.

Part B: The evidence sandwich

Evidence does not speak for itself. After every piece of evidence, explain how it proves your point.

7.This paragraph drops evidence in without explaining it: Teenagers need more sleep. Research shows 70 percent of teenagers get less than eight hours. Schools should start later. What is missing?[2 marks]

Answer: An explanation that links the statistic to the argument: why the lack of sleep matters (for example, its effect on learning, mood or safety) and how a later start would help.

8.Rewrite the paragraph using the evidence sandwich: introduce the evidence, present it, then explain how it supports the point.[4 marks]

Answer: Model: Many teenagers are simply not getting the sleep their bodies need. According to a national health survey, 70 percent of teenagers sleep less than eight hours on school nights. This matters because sleep is when the brain stores new learning, so a tired student is not just yawning but learning less. A later start time would give students the extra hour they need to arrive ready to learn.

9.Which phrase is the best way to introduce expert evidence?
  1. ASomeone said that ...
  2. BAccording to Professor Lin, a specialist in adolescent health, ...
  3. CEveryone knows that ...
  4. DI think that ...

Answer: According to Professor Lin, a specialist in adolescent health, ...

Naming the expert and their field shows why the reader should trust the evidence.

10.Why is it a good idea to include more than one type of evidence in a persuasive piece?[2 marks]

Answer: Different types of evidence work together: statistics show the scale of an issue, expert opinion adds authority, and anecdotes make it personal and memorable. Using several types makes the argument harder to dismiss.

Part C: Your turn

11.Your turn: write one persuasive body paragraph (7–9 sentences) arguing that schools should provide more outdoor learning. Use the evidence below. Include at least two different types of evidence, introduce each one and explain how it supports your point. Evidence bank: (1) A review of 40 studies found that students who learn outdoors at least once a week show better concentration in class afterwards. (2) An environmental educator says: "Children who touch, measure and explore the real world remember what they learn." (3) One teacher reported that her class's science test results rose after ten weeks of garden lessons. (4) A sportswear company's survey found that 9 out of 10 parents want more outdoor time.

Model answer: Outdoor learning does more than give students fresh air; it helps them think more clearly. A review of 40 studies found that students who learn outdoors at least once a week show better concentration in class afterwards. Because this finding comes from many studies rather than one, it suggests a reliable pattern: time outside does not cost learning time but improves it. Experts who work with young people agree. As one environmental educator explains, "Children who touch, measure and explore the real world remember what they learn." Hands-on experiences turn abstract ideas into memories, which is exactly what good teaching aims to do. One teacher saw this first-hand when her class's science results rose after ten weeks of garden lessons. While a single class cannot prove the case alone, it shows what the research looks like in a real classroom. Schools that want focused, engaged learners should therefore take at least some lessons outside.

Success criteria:

  • Clear topic sentence that states the paragraph's argument
  • At least two different types of evidence, each introduced and presented accurately
  • Each piece of evidence is followed by an explanation of how it supports the point
  • Weighs up evidence quality (for example, leaves out or questions the biased survey, or notes the limits of an anecdote)
  • Linking sentence that returns to the contention
  • Formal, persuasive language; accurate spelling and punctuation
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