In a constructed-response essay, which statement best describes how the claim or thesis should be handled?

• A. Relevant evidence and reasoning.
• B. Personal anecdotes only.
• C. Unrelated facts.
• D. Quotes only without explanation.

Answer: (A)

The main concept here is that a thesis in a constructed-response essay must be supported with relevant evidence and clear reasoning. Your claim should be answered with facts, examples, or quotations that directly relate to it, and you need to explain how that evidence backs up what you’re arguing. This shows your reader not just what you think, but why you think it and how the pieces fit together.

Personal anecdotes alone don’t establish a broad, persuasive argument unless they’re connected to a general point and analyzed to show why they matter. Unrelated facts don’t address the claim at all, so they won’t help prove your thesis. Quotes without explanation don’t demonstrate how the evidence supports your argument either; they need to be followed by analysis that ties them back to the claim.

So the statement that best describes how the claim should be handled is the one that emphasizes using relevant evidence and reasoning to support and explain the thesis.