What is CER?

What is CER, and how can it help your student?

Explaining the CER research and writing process for middle school students and high school students who must compose a non-fiction research paper. What is CER? What does it stand for? How does it help produce a well-written, well-thought out research-based composition?

Introduction

CER stands for Claim, Evidence, Reasoning. It is an easy-to-remember acronym that can help students write well-crafted research papers. When done correctly, it provides structure for a paper’s argument and helps students to organize their thoughts so that the paper flows logically from start to end. Let's look at an example of how CER works and what it can do for your student's research writing process.

The basics of CER

CER is a three-step process used in non-fiction research writing. First, the student makes a claim about their topic; this is the main idea or argument they are trying to make in their paper. Then they support this claim with evidence found through research on the topic; this could be facts, data, quotes from experts, etc. Finally, they explain why this evidence supports their claim; this is known as reasoning. This process helps them form a strong argument and ensure that their paper has logical flow and coherence.

Using CER in your writing process

Once you understand the basics of CER, it's time to apply it to your actual writing process! Start by doing some basic research on your topic — this will give you an idea of what kind of evidence you need for your argument. Then create an outline for your paper using the CER method — begin with your main claim, and then add in evidence and reasoning to support that claim as you go along. Once you have your outline complete, begin drafting your paper, piece by piece, using the information from your outline as a guide. Remember to reference any outside sources used throughout your paper — this ensures that all information is properly attributed! Finally, once you have finished drafting your paper, read through it carefully for any errors or inconsistencies before submitting it.

Conclusion

CER is a great tool to help middle school and high school students compose a well-written, non-fiction research paper. It provides structure for organizing their thoughts and presenting arguments in a logical way that enhances readability and clarity of ideas presented throughout the composition. By following these steps outlined above, students can easily incorporate CER into their writing process while still having plenty of creative freedom to craft their own unique arguments along the way! With practice and guidance from teachers or parents/guardians/tutors, students can use CER confidently when creating future research papers!

If you found this post helpful, you may also get a lot out of reading, How to write an argumentative essay. This post provides a perfect complement to what you just learned about the CER process. How to write an argumentative essay takes you step-by-step through the process of crafting a solid argument, naming and describing all the main components you'll need for success. At the end, you'll see a comprehensive list of argumentative essay topic ideas!