CurriculumGrade 11English Language Arts

Citing Evidence in Nonfiction

Aligned to RI.11-12.1 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.

What this lesson teaches

Analyzing informational text demands precise citation of facts, data, and phrasing that support your claim. Strong readers also flag where the author admits limits or leaves a question open.

Worked example

A report says a policy 'may reduce' costs; citing that hedge word is evidence the author is uncertain, not making a firm promise.

Practice questions

  1. Select the strongest fact supporting a stated claim.
  2. Explain what a specific statistic does and does not prove.
  3. Point to a sentence where the author signals uncertainty.

Watch the lesson

Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.

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En español

Citar Evidencia en la No Ficción

Analizar un texto informativo exige citar con precisión los hechos, los datos y las frases que respaldan tu afirmación. Los buenos lectores también señalan dónde el autor admite sus límites o deja una pregunta abierta.

Ejemplo: Un informe dice que una política 'podría reducir' los costos; citar esa palabra cautelosa es evidencia de que el autor no está seguro, no de que hace una promesa firme.

More Reading: Informational lessons

Evaluating Reasoning in Seminal U.S. TextsRI.11-12.8Central Ideas in Informational TextRI.11-12.2How Ideas and Events InteractRI.11-12.3Technical and Loaded LanguageRI.11-12.4Evaluating Argument StructureRI.11-12.5Analyzing an Author's RhetoricRI.11-12.6

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