Reasoning about text-based evidence

To improve students’ reasoning about text-based evidence, in two studies, we examine the effects of a brief intervention (i.e., Evidence-Based Reasoning, EBR) on students’ evidence identification, as determined by their performance on an objective evidence identification (EID) task, and their evaluation, selection, and ultimate use of evidence in writing. In Study 1, we found that the EBR intervention effectively improved students’ identification of different types of evidence (e.g., anecdotal, descriptive). Moreover, students with higher prior knowledge benefited more from the intervention. Study 2 aimed to replicate Study 1, and to further examine whether the positive effects of the EBR intervention manifested when students completed a multiple text reading-writing task. The effects of the EBR intervention on students’ evidence identification were replicated in Study 2. Nevertheless, this positive effect did not transfer to students’ completion of a multiple text reading-writing task. In contrast to Study 1, students with lower prior knowledge benefited more from the intervention in Study 2. Students’ evidence evaluation and their selection and inclusion of evidence in writing did not differ across EBR intervention and control conditions, suggesting directions for future work.