Command of Evidence comes in two flavors: textual (which quotation/finding supports a claim) and quantitative (which data point from a graph or table backs an argument). Both test whether evidence actually proves the specific claim.
Nail the claim first. Underline exactly what must be supported. Then test each choice: "Does this directly prove that claim?" — not a nearby one.
Quantitative (graph/table) questions
- Read the axes, units, and legend before the data. Most misses come from misreading what a number measures.
- The right answer both (a) reads the data correctly and (b) supports the claim. Wrong answers often do one but not the other.
- Beware choices that state a true number that's irrelevant to the claim.
Textual trap: A quotation that's on the same topic but supports a different point. Relevance to the exact claim is everything.
Worked examples
How do you attack a data/graph evidence question?
- Read the CLAIM first and underline exactly what must be supported.
- Read the axis labels, units, and legend before you read any numbers.
- Check each choice twice: (1) does it read the data correctly, and (2) does it support THAT claim?
- Eliminate choices that state a true number but don't address the claim.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing a choice that accurately quotes the data but supports a different claim than the one asked about.
- Misreading units or axis scales (thousands vs millions, percent vs count).
- Picking a quotation that's on the same topic but doesn't prove the specific point.
- Assuming correlation shown in a graph proves causation.