Domain: Information and Ideas | Skill: Command of Evidence | Difficulty: Medium

Command of Evidence: Medium Strategies & Practice

Welcome to your next step in mastering the SAT Reading and Writing section! If you’ve ever felt like an SAT question was asking you to be part data-analyst and part literary-detective, you’ve likely encountered a Command of Evidence questions. These questions are a core part of the Information and Ideas domain, and they test a crucial skill: your ability to find, interpret, and use evidence to support or challenge a claim.

At the Medium difficulty level, these questions move beyond simply finding a quote. They require you to accurately interpret data from graphs or tables and connect it logically to an idea presented in the text. Think of it less like finding a specific clue and more like explaining how that clue solves the mystery. Mastering this skill is key to building confidence and achieving your SAT goals.

Decoding the Questions: Common Stems

Command of Evidence questions can be phrased in several ways. Getting familiar with these patterns helps you instantly recognize what you’re being asked to do. Here’s a breakdown of common question stems you’ll see at this level.

Typical Stem	What It Really Asks	Quick Strategy
Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph/table to complete the statement?	Find the answer that both correctly states the data AND makes a logical connection to the idea in the passage.	Verify, then connect. First, check if the numbers in the answer are accurate according to the graph. Then, check if the conclusion it draws makes sense based on the text.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support the researcher’s claim?	Identify the central argument in the passage and find the new piece of information that strengthens it the most.	Isolate the claim. Underline the specific claim or hypothesis in the passage. Then, treat each answer choice as a new fact and see which one provides the strongest proof for that specific claim.
Which finding would most effectively strengthen the student’s example of…?	You’re given a specific concept or example. Find the choice that adds the most relevant and powerful supporting detail.	Focus on relevance. The correct answer will be directly related to the specific example mentioned, not just the general topic of the passage.

Real SAT-Style Example

Let’s look at a typical Medium-level question that combines a short text with a graph. This is a classic Command of Evidence setup.

Some whale species employ lunge feeding, drawing in large volumes of water along with prey, but the time required to filter the water through their baleen varies significantly. The graph shows average filter times for four species, revealing distinct differences presumably linked to variations in body length and baleen surface area.

Question: Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph to complete the statement about whale feeding behavior?

• A) Fin whales and blue whales have nearly the same average filter time, indicating their body lengths only minimally affect the filtering process.
• B) Humpback whales, with an average filter time of around 30 seconds, display a much slower rate than minke whales.
• C) Blue whales, which have the highest average filter time shown on the graph, likely experience greater challenges filtering the engulfed water due to their larger size. ✅
• D) Minke whales, although smaller in body length compared to other species, take nearly as long to filter water as fin whales do.

Explanation: Choice C is correct because it accurately reads the data from the graph (blue whales have the highest filter time) and connects it to the passage’s hypothesis that these differences are “presumably linked to variations in body length.” It correctly infers that a larger size could lead to greater challenges and thus a longer filter time.

Your 4-Step Strategy for Medium Command of Evidence Questions

Tackling these questions systematically can turn confusion into points. Follow this approach:

1. Identify the Core Task & Key Idea: Read the question first. What must you do—support a claim, complete a sentence, challenge an idea? Then, locate the central idea or claim in the passage that the question relates to. Underline it.
2. Analyze the Graphic Methodically: Don’t just glance at the graph or table. Read the title, x-axis, y-axis, and legend. Identify the overall trend, the highest and lowest values, and any significant relationships or outliers.
3. Predict the Connection: Before reading the answer choices, form a simple sentence in your own words that connects the data to the passage’s key idea. For our example, you might say: “The graph shows bigger whales take longer to filter, which supports the idea that size affects filter time.”
4. Evaluate Choices Against Your Prediction: Now, test each answer choice.
   – Step 4A (Data Check): Is the data in the choice factually correct according to the graphic? If not, eliminate it immediately.
   – Step 4B (Logic Check): Does the choice make a logical connection that aligns with the passage’s key idea and your prediction? The correct answer must pass both checks.

Applying the Strategy to Our Whale Example

Let’s walk through the whale question using the 4-step strategy to see how it works in practice.

Step 1: Identify the Core Task & Key Idea

The question asks us to “use data from the graph to complete the statement.” The key idea in the passage is that filter time differences are “presumably linked to variations in body length and baleen surface area.” This is the connection we need to make.

Step 2: Analyze the Graphic Methodically

We look at the bar graph:

• Y-axis: Average Filter Time (seconds).
• X-axis: Whale Species.
• Lowest Value: Minke whale (around 15s).
• Highest Value: Blue whale (just under 60s).
• Overall Trend: As we move from Minke to Humpback to Fin/Blue, the filter time generally increases. Fin and Blue whales have very similar, high filter times.

Step 3: Predict the Connection

My prediction: “The graph shows that blue whales take the longest to filter, which supports the passage’s idea that filter time is linked to their large size.”

Step 4: Evaluate Choices Against Your Prediction

• Choice A: Data Check: Fin and blue whales do have nearly the same filter time. (Correct). Logic Check: The conclusion that body length “only minimally” affects the process is the opposite of what the passage suggests. The passage implies size is a major factor. Eliminate.
• Choice B: Data Check: Humpback (30s) is slower than minke (15s). (Correct). Logic Check: This statement is true but incomplete. It just states a fact from the graph without connecting it back to the passage’s core idea about why this difference exists (i.e., body size). It’s not the *most effective* choice.
• Choice C: Data Check: Blue whales have the highest average filter time. (Correct). Logic Check: It concludes this is likely due to their “larger size.” This perfectly matches my prediction and connects the data (highest time) to the passage’s key idea (“linked to…body length”). This is a strong contender.
• Choice D: Data Check: Minke whales take nearly as long as fin whales. This is factually incorrect. Minke is ~15s, Fin is ~55s. Eliminate.

By systematically checking the data and then the logic, Choice C clearly emerges as the only one that is both factually accurate and logically sound in the context of the passage.

Ready to Try It on Real Questions?

The best way to solidify this strategy is to apply it to a wide variety of official-style questions. At mytestprep.ai, you can build a targeted practice session focused exclusively on this skill.

• Navigate with Precision: From your dashboard, go to Information and Ideas → Command of Evidence → Medium. This will generate a quiz with questions perfectly matched to this topic and difficulty level.
• Choose Your Mode: Practice in Timed Mode to simulate test-day pressure or use Tutor Mode to get instant feedback after every question.
• Meet Your AI Tutor: Stuck on a question? Our Co-Pilot AI tutor can provide step-by-step explanations, helping you understand not just what the right answer is, but why it’s the best choice.

Key Takeaways

To conquer Medium Command of Evidence questions, remember to:

• Go beyond the numbers. The correct answer doesn’t just state a fact from the graph; it uses that fact to support, complete, or challenge an idea from the passage.
• Follow the 4-step process: 1) Identify the Task, 2) Analyze the Graphic, 3) Predict the Connection, and 4) Evaluate the Choices.
• Always perform a two-part check on answer choices: Is the data correct? Is the logic sound and relevant to the passage’s claim?

Practice consistently. Short, daily workouts are more effective than long, infrequent study sessions for building this analytical skill.