Unit 4: Fundamentals of Academic Essay Writing
32 Avoiding “Dumped Evidence”
How to Avoid “Dumped” Evidence
Integrating evidence, especially step three, can be a challenging part of the writing process. It may be tempting when writing a paragraph to simply “dump” several pieces of evidence, in the form of quotations or paraphrases, without any attempt to introduce or explain the evidence. Notice how the example below lacks integration.
Example
Why This Paragraph is Weak
In the example above, the writer has simply listed pieces of evidence one after another, but the paragraph does not include the writer’s voice. The writer’s voice is needed to connect the ideas and build a clear argument. As a result, the paragraph is not cohesive, and it is unclear how the ideas are related to each other.
How to Fix Dumped Evidence
To avoid dumped evidence, you must make your thinking visible to the reader. This is done by:
- Introducing the evidence (top bun / I)
- Paraphrasing and citing the evidence (meat / C)
- Explaining why the evidence is important and how it supports your claim (bottom bun / E)
Remember: Your explanation is your voice. Without it, the evidence does not clearly support your argument. As one student wisely said, “Without a bottom bun, the meat will fall on the floor.”
Below is the Research Hamburger as a quick guide to remind you where your voice belongs in a paragraph.
Key Takeaways
- Do not just list evidence in a paragraph.
- Evidence must be introduced and explained. Don’t forget to include attribution.
- Your analysis shows your voice.
- Use ICE: Introduce, Cite, Explain.
- The explanation (bottom bun) is the most important part.
- Clear writing = clear thinking made visible.
