19f Using appropriate evidence

19fUsing appropriate evidence

What is acceptable and persuasive evidence in one discipline may be less so in another. Observable, quantifiable data may constitute the best evidence in experimental psychology, but similar data may be less appropriate—or impossible to come by—in a historical study. An engineering proposal will be backed up with drawings, maps, and detailed calculations. A case study in cultural anthropology, on the other hand, may depend almost entirely on interview data. As you grow familiar with an area of study, you will develop a sense of what it takes to prove a point in that field. You can speed up this process, however, by investigating and questioning. The following questions will help you think about the use of evidence in materials you read:

In addition to carrying out your own investigation, ask your instructor how you can best go about making a case in this field.