Claim, evidence, reasoning: building an argument

November 13, 2026 · Clairity Tutoring

Whether your student is writing a persuasive essay or preparing for a debate round, most strong arguments follow the same three steps: claim, evidence, and reasoning.

Claim: what you're arguing

The claim is a clear statement of your position. It should be specific enough that someone could disagree with it.

Evidence: what supports it

Evidence can be a quotation from a text, a statistic, an example, or an expert source. Good evidence is relevant and comes from a reliable place.

Reasoning: why the evidence proves the claim

This is the step students skip most often. Reasoning explains the connection. It answers "So what?" and shows how the evidence supports the claim.

Claim: Schools should start later in the morning.
Evidence: Health organizations recommend that teenagers get more sleep than many currently do on school nights.
Reasoning: If early start times cut into the sleep teens need, a later start gives them a better chance to be rested and ready to learn.

Practice at home

Pick a low-stakes topic, like the best pizza topping.
Have your student state a claim, give one piece of evidence, and explain the reasoning.
Then switch sides and argue the opposite. It's great debate practice.

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