A Scratch Tells All Summary

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The passages "A Scratch Tells All" by Vaughn M. Bryant and "Hard Facts" by Joe J. Simmons III, both address the topic of tooth decay using relevant evidence to support their ideas. But whose central idea is better supported by using credible sources as well as relevant and sufficient text evidence? Some people believe that Simmons's passage is supported by credible sources and sufficient text evidence, more so than Bryant's passage, but it in fact is not. Vaughn M. Bryant's passage "A Scratch Tells All" develops his central idea best by using credible sources and relevant and sufficient text evidence. Bryant uses research backed up by experts and explanations of the research to develop his central idea. To start off, Bryant's use of the statement from Jared Diamond provides the reader with some background information. "Scientist Jared Diamond shocked the world with his article "The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race." Diamond said that the invention of agriculture, supposedly our most important step toward a better life, was actually a catastrophe from which humans have never recovered." Bryant sort of creates questioning in the reader and a sort of controversy to hook the audience. In the next section of the passage, Bryant quotes a professional to bring up the …show more content…

This is true, Simmons explains how tooth decay is caused and how to prevent it. But Simmons's central idea is not supported by credible sources or relevant text evidence. Simmons only uses statements to create his central idea such as "Even the smallest traces of food in a person's mouth can serve as a source of food for the decay-producing bacteria." and "Dentists call the accumulation of bacteria on teeth plaque, and it is in the plaque that the acidic attack and resulting cavities occur." But Simmons never uses credible sources in his passage to create his central idea, like Bryant does in

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