Standard: 11-12.RH.8 – Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by corroborating or challenging them with other information.
Grade level: Grade 11-12
Subject: English Language Arts
Domain: History/Social Studies
Teacher Overview
This standard focuses on developing students’ critical thinking skills by teaching them how to evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence. This is crucial for their ability to engage with historical and social studies texts at a higher level, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject matter and preparing them for college-level analysis. Students should already be able to identify an author’s main argument and supporting evidence. They should understand basic concepts of bias, perspective, and credibility.
After mastering this standard, students will be able to independently evaluate complex texts, construct well-supported arguments, and engage in sophisticated discussions about the reliability and validity of various sources.
Common Misconception 1
One common misconception is that all sources are equally credible. This is incorrect because sources vary widely in reliability based on factors such as the author’s expertise, the publication’s reputation, and the quality of the evidence presented.
Intervention 1
To address this, teach students to evaluate the credibility of sources by examining the author’s background, the publication’s reputation, and the evidence presented.
Common Misconception 2
Another misconception is that challenging an author’s claims means dismissing them entirely. This is incorrect because critical engagement involves questioning and corroborating information, not just rejecting it.
Intervention 2
Encourage students to critically engage with texts by questioning and corroborating information rather than outright rejecting it.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have a basic understanding of how to identify an author’s main argument and supporting evidence. They should also be familiar with the concepts of bias, perspective, and credibility in texts.
Subsequent Knowledge
After mastering this standard, students will be able to independently evaluate complex texts, construct well-supported arguments, and engage in sophisticated discussions about the reliability and validity of various sources.
Instructional Activities
- Group discussions analyzing different historical texts
- Debates on the credibility of various sources
- Research projects evaluating the evidence in historical arguments
- Peer reviews of written analyses
- Role-playing exercises where students defend or challenge historical claims
