In writing, what is the difference between a claim and evidence?

• A. A claim is a minor detail that the author asserts.
• B. Evidence is the main assertion; claims support it with data.
• C. A claim is the main assertion; evidence supports it with data or quotes.
• D. Evidence is a conclusion drawn from the claim.

Answer: (C)

A claim is the position or main statement the writer is trying to prove about a topic. Evidence are the facts, data, examples, or quotes from sources that back up that claim and help show readers why the claim is believable.

For example, if you claim that a school should start later in the morning to help students sleep better, the evidence would include things like a study showing improved grades or alertness when schools start later, a survey of student sleep habits, or quotes from students and teachers about how early start times affect performance. The claim states what you believe, and the evidence provides the reasons and specifics that support that belief.

So the relationship is that the claim sets the point to be accepted, and the evidence strengthens it by showing why it’s true. Without evidence, a claim would be just an opinion; with evidence, it becomes a supported argument. The other ideas don’t fit because the claim isn’t a minor detail or the evidence itself isn’t the main assertion, and evidence isn’t a conclusion drawn from the claim—it's the support used to back the claim up.