ACT (Enhanced)EnglishMedium
A student is revising an argumentative essay and wants to introduce evidence from a source to support a claim. They have written the following sentence: "The recent economic downturn has disproportionately affected low-income families; therefore, governmental intervention is crucial." The student wants to add a statistic from a report that states, "Unemployment rates for households earning below the median income increased by 15% in the last quarter." Where should this statistic be most effectively integrated to strengthen the argument?
- AImmediately after 'low-income families,' as a supporting detail.
- BAfter the semicolon, replacing 'therefore, governmental intervention is crucial.'
- CAt the very end of the sentence, as an additional thought.
- DBefore the entire sentence, as an opening statement.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Immediately after 'low-income families,' as a supporting detail.
Integrating the statistic immediately after the claim about low-income families provides direct and immediate evidence for that specific point. This strengthens the argument by showing the 'how' and 'why' of the disproportionate effect, making the subsequent call for governmental intervention more compelling.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Replacing the conclusion ('governmental intervention is crucial') with evidence would weaken the argument by removing the call to action.
- C. Adding it at the very end would make it feel like an afterthought, reducing its impact as direct support for the preceding claim.
- D. Placing it before the sentence would introduce the evidence without context, making the claim seem unsupported.
Strategic Evidence Placement
Strategic evidence placement involves integrating supporting details directly where they are most relevant to a specific claim or statement, thereby strengthening the argument's logical flow and persuasiveness.
- Evidence should directly follow the claim it supports.
- Placement impacts the clarity and strength of the argument.
- Avoid placing evidence too early (lacks context) or too late (lacks impact).
- Aims to create a clear, logical connection between claim and proof.
Memory trick: Build your argument: Claim, then Evidence, then Reason why it's sound.