Dinosaur diet claims should bring their evidence with them

A vivid feeding illustration can look persuasive while providing no evidence itself. Read the museum's account of teeth or other clues, then preserve any qualifications when explaining the proposed diet.

Identify the claim. Locate supporting evidence. State its limits.

What supports the interpretation?

A source may connect tooth form with an interpretation of feeding.

Read the evidence summary before repeating the diet claim. Retain words such as likely when the source uses them to qualify interpretation.

A dramatic illustration is not evidence by itself. What supports the interpretation?

Highlight evidence phrases.

Resources

• Fossil Clue Partner Game — Use the paper clues as a classroom evidence model.

Further reading

• Smithsonian — palaeontology teaching resources

Read next

• The complete museum skeleton may include restored parts
• Let one fossil clue lead to a focused research question
• Follow one place through a day-and-night globe model

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