Books Quote by John Ciardi
““Good writing tends to present evidence rather than judgments. When the evidence is well presented, the reader’s judgments will agree with those implicit in the writing. But nothing is more disastrous to the communication between writer and reader than a series of implicit judgments with which the reader cannot agree or which he finds to be simply silly or for which he is given no evidence he can respect.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Writing Advice, 1970s
Effective writing shows evidence first, letting readers form judgments; hidden judgments without proof undermine trust.
In simple terms: Show facts, let readers decide; hidden opinions break trust.
Key Takeaway
Provide clear evidence to support claims.
Themes
communication
clarity
evidence
trust
writing technique
Mood
analytical
instructive
thoughtful
Type
advice
explanatory
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic papers
- journalistic articles
- marketing copy
- policy documents
Key Concepts
rhetoric
critical thinking
reader-writer relationship
Questions to Reflect On
- How can writers balance evidence with persuasive voice?
- When is it appropriate to state a judgment directly?
A Different Perspective
Overreliance on evidence can stifle creativity or nuance.
![“[Microscopic] evidence cannot be presented ad populum. What is seen with the microscope depends not only upon the instrument and the rock-section, but also upon the brain behind the eye of the observer. Each of us looks at a section with the accumulated experience of his past study. Hence the…” quote by Thomas George Bonney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f35/thomas-george-bonney-58324_ads_microscopic-evidence-cannot-be-presented_1648037.jpg)
