Types of Evidence (ERWC)
The following handout defines types of evidence that an author may use to argue his/her position.
As you read an article, you may want to identify and label the types of evidence used by the author.
Known Facts/Common Knowledge (KC): A common fact, such as who the current
president of the United States is, may be used as evidence to support an author’s claim.
Factual Example (FE): An example presented as a reliable “fact” to support the author’s
claim, although there is no source offered to prove its truth.
Personal Anecdote (PA): A story from the author’s personal life or personal observations
used in support of the author’s claim.
Allusions or Comparisons (AC): The author’s claim alludes or is compared to a well-known
historical or cultural event, artifact, pop culture icon, etc.
Expert Testimony (ET): The author’s claim is backed up with either a quotation or a
summary from an individual person or professional agency which has expertise or
experience about the topic.
Statistics/Research (SR): This type of evidence cites specific numbers, percentages, dates,
etc. This evidence may or may not be a part of expert testimony.
Commonly Held Assumption or Belief (CHB): An inclusive statement presented about
societal values, human nature, or human behavior as if all readers would be in agreement
with the author.
Hypothetical Situation (HS): Similar to an anecdote, this type of evidence tells a story, but
the story is based on an imaginary situation, for example: “Imagine you were…” or “What
if…”
Analogy or Metaphorical Evidence (AME): A metaphor or analogy is used as evidence, to
help explain a claim.
Other: The types of evidence listed above are not the only kinds of evidence an author can
use to argue a point. If you find your author using some other type of evidence, feel free to
create a label and definition like the ones above.