CER Conclusion Directions
Claim
The claim is a testable statement or conclusion that answers the original question.
Evidence
The evidence is scientific data that supports the student’s claim. This data can come from an
investigation that students complete or from another source, such as observations, reading
material, archived data, or other sources of information.
The data needs to be both appropriate and sufficient to support the claim. Appropriate data
supports the claim. A good explanation only uses data that supports the claim in answer to the
original question. Also consider whether or not you have sufficient data. Sufficient data is
whether they have enough data or not.
When selecting the data to use as evidence, consider both whether it is appropriate to support
their claim and whether or not there is enough data to support their claim.
Reasoning
Reasoning is a justification that shows why the data counts as evidence to support the claim
and includes appropriate scientific principles. The reasoning ties in the scientific background
knowledge or scientific theory that justifies making the claim and choosing the appropriate
evidence.
CER (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning) Rubric
Element
Claim (1x)
(Conclusion
that
answers
original
question.)
Evidence
(2x)
(Scientific
data that
supports the
claim.)
Not Evident
0
No claim is
provided.
Approaching
1
The claim is
inaccurate.
Does not
provide
evidence.
Only provides
inappropriate
evidence.
(Evidence that
does not
support claim).
Does not
Reasoning
provide
(2x)
reasoning.
(Justification
links claim
to the
evidence
using
scientific
principles)
Writing (1x)
(Quality
and
Clarity)
Writing does
not use clear
and
understandable
language.
Writing uses
conventional
terminology and
vocabulary.
Does not
provide
reasoning, or
only provides
reasoning that
does not link
evidence to
claim.
Writing uses
clear and
understandable...