Arguments and Evidence

First, let us consider what we mean by the idea that essays are made up of arguments and evidence.

The arguments within the essay are your interpretations of a given topic or answer to a question.
Take, for example, an essay assessing the impact of Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s reaction to the Cuban Missile Crisis; your argument would be YOUR assessment of what that impact was. For example: Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s indecisiveness during the Cuban Missile Crisis not only damaged his chances of re-election but also hurt Canada’s image abroad.
Your arguments are summarized in a clear thesis statement that is presented at the beginning of the essay. For more information on how to write a strong thesis statement, please see the module entitled Constructing an Argument.

The evidence in an essay is the information and examples that you use to prove to the reader that your argument is convincing.
Evidence can take the form of historical events, figures, concepts, images, or historical documents or literature that are relevant to the argument that you are making.
The evidence is generally presented in the body of your essay. In presenting it, you need not only to give the example, paraphrase, or quotation, but also explain how it illustrates the arguments that you are making.