Using Evidence in Persuasive Writing: Statistics, Examples and Expert Opinion — Answers
Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 11 persuasive writing worksheet.
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.
- Aan anecdote
- Ba statistic from research
- Cexpert opinion
- Da personal belief
Answer: a statistic from research
A measured result from a study is statistical evidence.
- Aexpert opinion
- Ban anecdote
- Chyperbole
- Da rhetorical question
Answer: expert opinion
The speaker's professional knowledge gives the claim authority.
- Aresearch data
- Ban anecdote
- Cexpert opinion
- Da statistic
Answer: an anecdote
A single personal story. It is vivid and relatable but cannot prove a general claim on its own.
- Aa fitness company's advertisement
- Ba blog post by an anonymous writer
- Ca recent review of many studies published by a university
- 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.
- Ait is too recent
- Bthe source may be biased
- Cit uses numbers
- Dit is too short
Answer: the source may be biased
The company benefits from the result, so there is a conflict of interest.
- Athe evidence is too emotional
- Bthe evidence is outdated and about a different group
- Cthe evidence is from an expert
- 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Answer: the evidence is outdated and about a different group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.
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.
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.
- ASomeone said that ...
- BAccording to Professor Lin, a specialist in adolescent health, ...
- CEveryone knows that ...
- 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.
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
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
Marking tips
- Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
- For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
- Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.