Backing It Up: Using Evidence to Win an Argument
Imagine two kids arguing about which is the best pet: dogs or cats. One kid says, 'Dogs are better because I like them more.' The other says, 'Cats are better - a 2019 study found cat owners reported lower stress levels than non-cat-owners.' Which argument sounds more convincing? The second one wins because it's backed up with real evidence, not just an opinion.
What You'll Learn
- Tell the difference between a claim (an opinion) and evidence (proof) - Identify three types of evidence: facts, statistics, and expert opinions - Explain why evidence makes an argument stronger and harder to disagree with - Build your own argument using a claim plus at least one piece of evidence
Claim vs. Evidence
A claim is the point you're trying to make - 'Recess should be longer.' On its own, a claim is just an opinion, and someone can just say 'nuh-uh' right back at you. Evidence is the proof that backs up your claim - things like facts, numbers, or what an expert says. 'Recess should be longer, because a study of elementary students found kids who had 20+ minutes of recess paid attention better in class afterward' is a claim PLUS evidence, and it's much harder to simply disagree with.
Three Kinds of Evidence
Facts are things that are true and can be checked, like 'Our school has 400 students.' Statistics are numbers that measure something, like '80% of students surveyed said they wanted a longer lunch.' Expert opinions are statements from someone who studies the topic, like a doctor saying kids need physical activity for healthy brain development. Strong debaters mix more than one kind of evidence so their argument doesn't rely on just one source.
Why Evidence Beats 'Just Because'
When you argue with only your opinion, the other side can trade opinions back and forth forever with no winner. Evidence changes the game because it points to something outside of just your feelings - a number, a fact, or an expert's finding that anyone can check. That's why judges in real debate competitions almost always score arguments with solid evidence higher than arguments that are only opinions, no matter how confidently those opinions are said.
Not all 'evidence' is equal. 'My friend said so' is much weaker than 'A published survey of 500 people found...' Before you use a piece of evidence, ask: where did this number or fact come from, and can I check it?
Match each example to the correct type of evidence.
Terms
Definitions
Drag terms onto their definitions, or click a term then click a definition to match.
Which sentence is a CLAIM rather than evidence?
Why is 'Recess should be longer, because a study found kids paid attention better after 20+ minutes of recess' stronger than 'Recess should be longer because I like it'?
Build Your Argument
Pick something you want to argue for (example: 'Our class should get a class pet' or 'Field trips should happen every month'). Write your claim in one sentence. Then find or write down at least one piece of real evidence - a fact, a statistic, or an expert opinion - that supports your claim. Share your claim-plus-evidence with a partner and ask them if the evidence makes your argument more convincing.
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