Find the claim the writer wants you to accept
After reading, finish this sentence in your own words: “The writer wants me to believe that…” Use the surrounding sentences to check that your answer covers the whole passage.
Match evidence to the exact claim
Imagine a writer argues that longer evening library hours would help more students finish homework. A student survey about difficulty finding a quiet place after 6 p.m. supports the claim more directly than the total number of books in the library. Ask what each fact actually shows.
Try it yourself
Which detail better supports the need for longer evening hours? Thirty students said they could only visit after 6 p.m., or the library added two new shelves.
Show the answer
The first detail. It directly identifies a group of students whose available hours may fall outside the current schedule.