For example, consider this subpoint (in blue) offered by a student in support of one of her main points (in brown): "By tolerating their children's involvement in violent gangs, parents signal to their children they do not care about their children's future. Members of violent gangs often suffer physical injuries, long-term disabilities, or even death. These are possible calamities that no responsible parent would tolerate." Readers will probably not be convinced of this statement at face value--they will demand evidence that gang members really suffer these calamities!

The student could offer the following evidence, located through her research:

Quotation/Statistic: In her three-year study of Hispanic gangs in one Chicago community in the early 1970's, sociologist Ruth Horowitz found that "[a]cts of expressive violence by one or more gang members were relatively common." Although most violent incidents did not end in death, the community experienced an average of five gang-related deaths per year (439).

Examples: In her study of Chicago gangs, Ruth Horowitz reports various examples of gang members who suffered injuries from being hit by a baseball bat, fighting at school, and participating in drive-by shootings (443; 446; 444).

Quotation: According to Kristen Sandor O'Connor, author of "Gangs," "If we don't educate ourselves and our kids, we may find ourselves . . . doing, saying, or wearing the wrong thing at the wrong time, and paying a deadly price."