Strong Reasoning Should Connect to the Claim

Authors need strong reasoning to explain how their evidence supports their claim.

Strong reasoning does not draw a conclusion that is unrelated to the claim. Instead, it draws a conclusion from the evidence and directly supports the claim.

Example

Claim: Katniss had a close relationship with her father.

Plot Point: Katniss says that wearing the mockingjay pin is like having a little piece of her father with her, keeping her safe (Collins 43).

Weak Reasoning: Not Connected to the Claim

This suggests that Katniss is superstitious.

This reasoning is weak because it draws a conclusion from the evidence, but that conclusion does not support the claim.

Strong Reasoning

Katniss’s warm feelings for the pin show that she clearly felt protected and loved by her father while he was alive.

This reasoning is strong because it draws the conclusion that Katniss’s father was a source of comfort for her, and that conclusion supports the claim.