How to diffrentiate between position and evidence

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Letter to the editor: Proposition Q, a controversial measure on this year’s ballot, would prohibit the ownership of handguns within the city’s limits. Under

the plan, gun owners would have a 90-day grace period to turn in their weapons to authorities. Proponents of the proposition argue that <B>fewer handguns on the streets would lead to less violent crime, making the city safer for all of its citizens. Unfortunately, the ban would actually have the opposite effect. Since only law abiding citizens would honor the ban, armed criminals would not only keep their weapons but would also have the confidence to act with impunity on a population that could no longer defend itself.</B>

a)Does the bold phrase represent an evidence or a position of the author?

b)Are there any links/tips to attack bold face questions.

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by gmatrant » Tue Nov 13, 2007 5:48 pm
Anonymous wrote:this looks like a position statement. evidence would present some sort of data ("a similar ban at another city showed that criminal activity involving weapons increased by 15%...")
well it is termed as an evidence ?? Its from Manhattan GMAT test.

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by beatthegmat » Tue Nov 13, 2007 6:04 pm
How does MGMAT define evidence? My impression is that it is a position statement...

Unfortunately, I haven't found much info about boldface question strategies to date. I'm always looking for more, so please share them in this community if you find some. :)

Here's one Boldface Strategy Link to give you some grounding...
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by Stacey Koprince » Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:26 pm
The complete boldface actually covers several different types of info.

This discusses the counterargument; it is not at all part of the author's argument:
fewer handguns on the streets would lead to less violent crime, making the city safer for all of its citizens.

This is the author's conclusion; it is a claim:
Unfortunately, the ban would actually have the opposite effect.

The author's conclusion / claim is also his position.

This is the author's support for his conclusion; support can be facts or claims - in this case, it is more of a claim than a fact:
Since only law abiding citizens would honor the ban, armed criminals would not only keep their weapons but would also have the confidence to act with impunity on a population that could no longer defend itself.

Note that the author claims this last as his evidence - that doesn't make it evidence in the police sense, something that we could use to prosecute a case (or the equivalent). But the author is using it as evidence to support his conclusion. (Even if we think it's kind of weak.)
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