Recap
Commentary connects chosen evidence to a claim and explains the significance and relevance of the evidence in relation to the line of reasoning. It operates at several levels: after the evidence, at the end of a paragraph, between paragraphs and in the conclusion. It keeps the argument connected from the first paragraph to the thesis.
Relevance and significance
| Term | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | Does the evidence bear directly on this paragraph’s claim? | Evening visit counts bear on a claim about evening hours |
| Significance | Why does it matter for the thesis? | It shows the library serves people with no other place |
Four levels of commentary
| Level | Where | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence-level | Right after the evidence | Explains what it shows |
| Paragraph-level | End of the paragraph | Draws the paragraph’s point |
| Bridge-level | Between paragraphs | Shows how one claim leads to the next |
| Thesis-level | Conclusion, key turns | Shows how the steps add up |
Techniques for keeping the argument connected
- Recurring key terms create a thread.
- Echo the thesis in the last sentence of a paragraph.
- Signpost steps (“The second reason is more serious”).
- Ask “So what?” after each piece of evidence and keep going until the answer reaches the thesis.
- Keep commentary at least as long as the evidence it explains.
Commentary habits to avoid
- Restating (“This shows that…”).
- Vagueness (“This is very significant”).
- Overreaching (“This proves libraries are essential everywhere”).
- A clever remark with no link to the claim.
Worked mini-example
Douglass, 5 July 1852: “This Fourth [of] July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.” Relevance: the contrast of “yours” and “mine” shows he is excluded from the celebration. Significance: the day has opposite meanings for different people, which prepares his larger claim that the nation’s ideals contradict its practice. “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me” lists the audience’s own ideals and shows he does not share them.
Reading tip
If you read only the commentary sentences of a strong argument, you should be able to follow its path. Use that test on your own drafts.
Mistakes to avoid
- Confusing relevance with significance.
- Placing commentary only after quotations.
- Writing commentary that repeats the evidence.
- Writing commentary that does not reach the thesis.
- Padding.
- Using a clever remark that distracts.
Quick self-check
- What question does significance answer? Why does the evidence matter for the argument as a whole?
- Where can commentary appear besides after evidence? At the end of a paragraph, between paragraphs and in the conclusion.
- What is a bridge-level sentence for? To link one claim to the next.
- Give one technique for keeping an argument connected. For example recurring key terms or echoing the thesis.
- Why is “This is very significant” weak? It does not say why.
For the full explanation and worked examples, return to the study guide.