A student writes: 'The author says the environment is at a tipping point. This shows the issue is serious.' What essential component is missing?
AA topic sentence
BA source citation
CAn explanation connecting the quotation to the claim
DA second piece of evidence for balance
The student provides evidence (the quotation) and a claim (the issue is serious), but omits the explanation — the warrant that shows *how* 'tipping point' language demonstrates seriousness. This is the C-E-E pattern's most frequently skipped step. Without explanation, the logical connection between evidence and claim is left for the reader to infer, which means the writer is not doing the intellectual work.
Question 2 True / False
A well-chosen quotation from a recognized expert does not require further explanation because the authority of the source makes the connection to the claim self-evident.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
Expert authority makes evidence credible, not self-explanatory. Every quotation requires interpretation that explains *why* this evidence supports *this* claim in *this* context. The explanation step does work the quotation cannot do on its own: it identifies the relevant aspect of the evidence, connects it to the claim, and shows the logical link. Skipping it is one of the most common errors in developing writers' paragraphs, regardless of how authoritative the source is.
Question 3 Short Answer
What is the 'warrant' in the C-E-E writing pattern, and why is it the step developing writers most frequently omit?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: The warrant (explanation) is the sentence or sentences that explicitly show how the evidence connects to the claim — the logical bridge from data to conclusion. Developing writers omit it because they assume the connection is obvious to the reader, not realizing that making the connection explicit is where their own analysis and thinking becomes visible. The writer who omits the warrant is doing the reader's work for them instead of their own.
The warrant is the hardest part of C-E-E to write because it requires the writer to articulate their reasoning, not just gather information. A quotation or statistic presents data; the warrant interprets it in relation to the specific claim. Beginning writers often feel that strong evidence speaks for itself, but this misconception produces underdeveloped paragraphs. Deliberately over-explaining at first — stating the connection as explicitly as possible — trains the skill of making analytical reasoning visible.