DECISIONPOINT EDUCATIONEvidence coachEVIDENCE & SOURCE COACH
CLAIM TO TEST
[Write the claim.]
SOURCE IDENTITY
Type: Book or textbook
Title: [Add the title.]
Creator/publisher: [Identify who created or published it.]
Date: [Find the publication or creation date.]
SOURCE QUESTIONS
1. Who created this source, for what audience, and for what purpose?
2. What access, expertise, or perspective did the creator have?
3. What might the creator gain, omit, misunderstand, or emphasize?
4. Is the source close enough in time and context to answer this question?
5. Can the key information be confirmed by an independent source?
EVIDENCE YOU SELECTED
[Quote briefly or paraphrase accurately, then record the page, section, timestamp, or URL location.]
EVIDENCE TEST
• What part of the claim does this evidence directly support?
• Does it support “all,” “most,” “some,” or only one example?
• Is the evidence a fact, interpretation, example, statistic, or opinion?
• What important group, time period, or condition is missing?
YOUR REASONING
Complete this sentence yourself: This evidence supports/challenges the claim because…
LIMITS OR COUNTEREVIDENCE
Identify what this source cannot prove and what evidence could challenge your conclusion.
REVISION PROMPTS—DO NOT COPY AS AN ANSWER
• Narrow the claim if the evidence supports only part of it.
• Add a condition such as “for,” “during,” “when,” or “according to.”
• Distinguish correlation, sequence, and causation.
• Add a second independent source if one source carries the whole argument.
FINAL CHECK
□ My evidence actually addresses the claim.
□ I represented the source accurately and recorded its location.
□ I explained the connection instead of dropping in a quotation.
□ I acknowledged limits or counterevidence.
□ I followed assignment rules for citation and AI use.
The coach asks questions; it does not determine whether the source or conclusion is correct. Verify with the original source and your teacher’s requirements.
