How can you determine if your evidence is relevant?

• A. It is interesting.
• B. It directly supports your thesis and the specific claims you are making, with concrete examples.
• C. It comes from a famous author.
• D. It is vague and general.

Answer: (B)

Relevance in evidence means every piece you include directly supports your thesis and the specific claims you’re making. The best choice emphasizes direct support and concrete examples, because that’s how your reader sees the connection between your argument and the proof you’ve gathered. When evidence clearly ties to what you’re arguing, it shows exactly how your point is backed and strengthens your reasoning. Concrete elements like data, quotes, statistics, or specific illustrations make that connection tangible, so the reader can follow how the claim is proven.

Evidence that’s merely interesting, or drawn from a famous author without tying it to your point, or that’s vague, doesn’t help your argument because it doesn’t show how it supports the claim. To judge relevance, ask whether the piece of evidence directly links to a specific claim and can demonstrate, explain, or prove it with clear details.