Research & Evidence
📋 What it is
Strong evidence is relevant, recent, and from a trustworthy source — not just any fact you found.
🗣️ Coach says
Evidence isn’t equal. A stat from a research group beats "my cousin said". Ask three things: is it RELEVANT to my claim, is it RECENT, and is the SOURCE trustworthy? Good proof survives all three.
🧠 Memory hook
Relevant + Recent + Reliable source. Weak proof sinks a strong claim.
😂 Giggle
Why was the rebuttal always the last one picked for teams?
Because it only showed up to tear everyone else's arguments down!
😲 Whoa!
In debate, a single fabricated or outdated statistic can lose you the whole round if the other side catches it.
✅ Quick check: Name two things that make a piece of evidence strong rather than weak.
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
It’s relevant to the claim, recent/up-to-date, and comes from a trustworthy source (any two).
Judging evidence quality is what keeps arguments honest.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Take a claim and find one strong source — check it’s relevant, recent, and reliable.