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what does "show your work" actually look like?

##The ideal answer is one that has a train of reasoning that can be understood. Claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself need support. This is what 'showing your work' looks like.

###What is a "train of reasoning that can be understood"?

The question needs to start from a text, the answer needs to answer the question, but the journey from text to question to answer should be a series of steps that a reasonable mind can comprehend. If most people are left thinking "How on earth does X lead to Y" then the answer is not ideal.

A simple example ^[1] :

Q What is the opinion on Jesus's use of the phrase "the eye of a needle" in Mark 10:25, Could it refer to the small gate which required a camel to unladen and cross through on its knees or could it be an extreme analogy?

 

A If it did refer to something that was merely difficult, the immediate reaction of the disciples would be incomprehensible:

²⁶And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?"

Here the logic is a single step from the context of the text in question (actually the following verse). Many other answers require more than a single step from text to conclusion, but the principle is the same: help us understand each step to your conclusion.

When showing steps from the text to your conclusion, it does not matter if the reasoning you present is your own or someone else's. If you draw from other sources (such as commentaries), quote or paraphrase the passage so we can see the logic for ourselves. What matters is that the argument is logical and understandable, leading us step by step to your conclusion.

In this example, the answer is a combination of original reasoning and quoted commentary that knit together to support the conclusion of "provoking" to What does “put the branch to their nose” in Ezekiel 8:17 mean?. Do the two sources of reasoning complement each other and take us step-by-step from the text to the conclusion? That is the basis on which the answer should be judged as "showing it's work". It should not matter whether a quote is included from an 'authority', as all the words quoted are logical reasoning from Biblical texts. What matters is whether the reasoning makes sense.

###How should claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself be supported

Another answer to the Eye of the Needle question takes a factual approach:

A The idea of the "eye of the needle" being a gate apparently had its origins in the Middle Ages.

This argument does not arise from a train of reasoning, but makes a truth claim, for which supporting evidence is provided. If we make factual claims we should back them up with credible sources.

^{1 I've taken some liberties with the question and the answers to help me make my points!}

what does "show your work" actually look like?

The ideal answer is one that has a train of reasoning that can be understood. Claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself need support. This is what 'showing your work' looks like.

What is a "train of reasoning that can be understood"?

The question needs to start from a text, the answer needs to answer the question, but the journey from text to question to answer should be a series of steps that a reasonable mind can comprehend. If most people are left thinking "How on earth does X lead to Y" then the answer is not ideal.

A simple example ^[1] :

Q What is the opinion on Jesus's use of the phrase "the eye of a needle" in Mark 10:25, Could it refer to the small gate which required a camel to unladen and cross through on its knees or could it be an extreme analogy?

A If it did refer to something that was merely difficult, the immediate reaction of the disciples would be incomprehensible:

²⁶And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?"

Here the logic is a single step from the context of the text in question (actually the following verse). Many other answers require more than a single step from text to conclusion, but the principle is the same: help us understand each step to your conclusion.

When showing steps from the text to your conclusion, it does not matter if the reasoning you present is your own or someone else's. If you draw from other sources (such as commentaries), quote or paraphrase the passage so we can see the logic for ourselves. What matters is that the argument is logical and understandable, leading us step by step to your conclusion.

In this example, the answer is a combination of original reasoning and quoted commentary that knit together to support the conclusion of "provoking" to What does “put the branch to their nose” in Ezekiel 8:17 mean?. Do the two sources of reasoning complement each other and take us step-by-step from the text to the conclusion? That is the basis on which the answer should be judged as "showing it's work". It should not matter whether a quote is included from an 'authority', as all the words quoted are logical reasoning from Biblical texts. What matters is whether the reasoning makes sense.

How should claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself be supported

Another answer to the Eye of the Needle question takes a factual approach:

A The idea of the "eye of the needle" being a gate apparently had its origins in the Middle Ages.

This argument does not arise from a train of reasoning, but makes a truth claim, for which supporting evidence is provided. If we make factual claims we should back them up with credible sources.

^{1 I've taken some liberties with the question and the answers to help me make my points!}

what does "show your work" actually look like?

##The ideal answer is one that has a train of reasoning that can be understood. Claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself need support. This is what 'showing your work' looks like.

###What is a "train of reasoning that can be understood"?

The question needs to start from a text, the answer needs to answer the question, but the journey from text to question to answer should be a series of steps that a reasonable mind can comprehend. If most people are left thinking "How on earth does X lead to Y" then the answer is not ideal.

A simple example ^[1] :

Q What is the opinion on Jesus's use of the phrase "the eye of a needle" in Mark 10:25, Could it refer to the small gate which required a camel to unladen and cross through on its knees or could it be an extreme analogy?

A If it did refer to something that was merely difficult, the immediate reaction of the disciples would be incomprehensible:

²⁶And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?"

Here the logic is a single step from the context of the text in question (actually the following verse). Many other answers require more than a single step from text to conclusion, but the principle is the same: help us understand each step to your conclusion.

When showing steps from the text to your conclusion, it does not matter if the reasoning you present is your own or someone else's. If you draw from other sources (such as commentaries), quote or paraphrase the passage so we can see the logic for ourselves. What matters is that the argument is logical and understandable, leading us step by step to your conclusion.

In this example, the answer is a combination of original reasoning and quoted commentary that knit together to support the conclusion of "provoking" to What does “put the branch to their nose” in Ezekiel 8:17 mean?. Do the two sources of reasoning complement each other and take us step-by-step from the text to the conclusion? That is the basis on which the answer should be judged as "showing it's work". It should not matter whether a quote is included from an 'authority', as all the words quoted are logical reasoning from Biblical texts. What matters is whether the reasoning makes sense.

###How should claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself be supported

Another answer to the Eye of the Needle question takes a factual approach:

A The idea of the "eye of the needle" being a gate apparently had its origins in the Middle Ages.

This argument does not arise from a train of reasoning, but makes a truth claim, for which supporting evidence is provided. If we make factual claims we should back them up with credible sources.

^{1 I've taken some liberties with the question and the answers to help me make my points!}

what does "show your work" actually look like?

##The ideal answer is one that has a train of reasoning that can be understood. Claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself need support. This is what 'showing your work' looks like.

###What is a "train of reasoning that can be understood"?

The question needs to start from a text, the answer needs to answer the question, but the journey from text to question to answer should be a series of steps that a reasonable mind can comprehend. If most people are left thinking "How on earth does X lead to Y" then the answer is not ideal.

A simple example ^[1] :

Q What is the opinion on Jesus's use of the phrase "the eye of a needle" in Mark 10:25, Could it refer to the small gate which required a camel to unladen and cross through on its knees or could it be an extreme analogy?

A If it did refer to something that was merely difficult, the immediate reaction of the disciples would be incomprehensible:

²⁶And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?"

Here the logic is a single step from the context of the text in question (actually the following verse). Many other answers require more than a single step from text to conclusion, but the principle is the same: help us understand each step to your conclusion.

When showing steps from the text to your conclusion, it does not matter if the reasoning you present is your own or someone else's. If you draw from other sources (such as commentaries), quote or paraphrase the passage so we can see the logic for ourselves. What matters is that the argument is logical and understandable, leading us step by step to your conclusion.

In this example, the answer is a combination of original reasoning and quoted commentary that knit together to support the conclusion of "provoking" to What does “put the branch to their nose” in Ezekiel 8:17 mean?. Do the two sources of reasoning complement each other and take us step-by-step from the text to the conclusion? That is the basis on which the answer should be judged as "showing it's work". It should not matter whether a quote is included from an 'authority', as all the words quoted are logical reasoning from Biblical texts. What matters is whether the reasoning makes sense.

###How should claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself be supported

Another answer to the Eye of the Needle question takes a factual approach:

A The idea of the "eye of the needle" being a gate apparently had its origins in the Middle Ages.

This argument does not arise from a train of reasoning, but makes a truth claim, for which supporting evidence is provided. If we make factual claims we should back them up with credible sources.

^{1 I've taken some liberties with the question and the answers to help me make my points!}

what does "show your work" actually look like?

##The ideal answer is one that has a train of reasoning that can be understood. Claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself need support. This is what 'showing your work' looks like.

###What is a "train of reasoning that can be understood"?

The question needs to start from a text, the answer needs to answer the question, but the journey from text to question to answer should be a series of steps that a reasonable mind can comprehend. If most people are left thinking "How on earth does X lead to Y" then the answer is not ideal.

A simple example ^[1] :

Q What is the opinion on Jesus's use of the phrase "the eye of a needle" in Mark 10:25, Could it refer to the small gate which required a camel to unladen and cross through on its knees or could it be an extreme analogy?

A If it did refer to something that was merely difficult, the immediate reaction of the disciples would be incomprehensible:

²⁶And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?"

Here the logic is a single step from the context of the text in question (actually the following verse). Many other answers require more than a single step from text to conclusion, but the principle is the same: help us understand each step to your conclusion.

When showing steps from the text to your conclusion, it does not matter if the reasoning you present is your own or someone else's. If you draw from other sources (such as commentaries), quote or paraphrase the passage so we can see the logic for ourselves. What matters is that the argument is logical and understandable, leading us step by step to your conclusion.

In this example, the answer is a combination of original reasoning and quoted commentary that knit together to support the conclusion of "provoking" to What does “put the branch to their nose” in Ezekiel 8:17 mean?. Do the two sources of reasoning complement each other and take us step-by-step from the text to the conclusion? That is the basis on which the answer should be judged as "showing it's work". It should not matter whether a quote is included from an 'authority', as all the words quoted are logical reasoning from Biblical texts. What matters is whether the reasoning makes sense.

###How should claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself be supported

Another answer to the Eye of the Needle question takes a factual approach:

A The idea of the "eye of the needle" being a gate apparently had its origins in the Middle Ages.

This argument does not arise from a train of reasoning, but makes a truth claim, for which supporting evidence is provided. If we make factual claims we should back them up with credible sources.

^{1 I've taken some liberties with the question and the answers to help me make my points!}

what does "show your work" actually look like?

##The ideal answer is one that has a train of reasoning that can be understood. Claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself need support. This is what 'showing your work' looks like.

###What is a "train of reasoning that can be understood"?

The question needs to start from a text, the answer needs to answer the question, but the journey from text to question to answer should be a series of steps that a reasonable mind can comprehend. If most people are left thinking "How on earth does X lead to Y" then the answer is not ideal.

A simple example ^[1] :

Q What is the opinion on Jesus's use of the phrase "the eye of a needle" in Mark 10:25, Could it refer to the small gate which required a camel to unladen and cross through on its knees or could it be an extreme analogy?

A If it did refer to something that was merely difficult, the immediate reaction of the disciples would be incomprehensible:

²⁶And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?"

Here the logic is a single step from the context of the text in question (actually the following verse). Many other answers require more than a single step from text to conclusion, but the principle is the same: help us understand each step to your conclusion.

When showing steps from the text to your conclusion, it does not matter if the reasoning you present is your own or someone else's. If you draw from other sources (such as commentaries), quote or paraphrase the passage so we can see the logic for ourselves. What matters is that the argument is logical and understandable, leading us step by step to your conclusion.

In this example, the answer is a combination of original reasoning and quoted commentary that knit together to support the conclusion of "provoking" to What does “put the branch to their nose” in Ezekiel 8:17 mean?. Do the two sources of reasoning complement each other and take us step-by-step from the text to the conclusion? That is the basis on which the answer should be judged as "showing it's work". It should not matter whether a quote is included from an 'authority', as all the words quoted are logical reasoning from Biblical texts. What matters is whether the reasoning makes sense.

###How should claims that don't arise from the reasoning itself be supported

Another answer to the Eye of the Needle question takes a factual approach:

A The idea of the "eye of the needle" being a gate apparently had its origins in the Middle Ages.

This argument does not arise from a train of reasoning, but makes a truth claim, for which supporting evidence is provided. If we make factual claims we should back them up with credible sources.

^{1 I've taken some liberties with the question and the answers to help me make my points!}