Evaluating Arguments by Assessing Evidence

An argument is strong if solid scientific evidence supports that argument. However, not all sources of evidence are created equal. To evaluate the quality of the evidence source, the audience should take into consideration the researcher's authority and whether the source is peer-reviewed. It might also be necessary to analyze the evidence source directly to gauge its quality.

It is often convenient to make an initial judgement of the quality of the scientific evidence by referring to the authority of the researcher. This authority depends on a few tangible factors, namely the researcher's expertise, the body which he or she is part of or represents, and the researcher's track record of integrity. These aspects are important because they contribute to the audience's confidence in the evidence source. For example, it is easier to believe the evidence reported by a professor of Science, who has dedicated years of research at a university, than to take the word of individuals without a scientific background or a scientist discredited for fraudulent practices. Although not decisive, the authority behind the evidence source is a good indication of its credibility.

The next step in assessing the quality of evidence is to check if the source report is peer-reviewed. The logic behind this is that if a number of authorities in the field reviewed and accepted the research paper, the research is likely to have adhered to proper scientific methods of inquiry. The process of assigning reviewers to papers is usually done by established academic journals hence the association between quality research and being published in those journals. John Bohannon's much critiqued bogus research paper sting on the open access publishers, many who do not practice proper peer review policies, demonstrated that false evidence is easily fabricated and published if peer review is not practiced properly. Nonetheless, it is being peer-reviewed that is the sign of trustworthiness, not prestigious publication.

For the expert audience, critical examination of the source report is the best way to gauge its quality. One aspect, among many, to look out for is proper method of data collection and management. For example, without plunging into too much details, in the paper Electrolyzed-Reduced Water Protects Against Oxidative Damage to DNA, RNA and Protein, published in the peer-reviewed journal Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, a set of quantitative data, which includes information about the control as well as the uncertainty in each measurement, was used to support the paper's thesis. The meticulous treatment of the data indicates the rigorousness of the research effort and this translates to credibility and usefulness as evidence.

In conclusion, an argument draws its strength from the soundness of the scientific evidence supporting it. The evidence is not all there is to an argument, but it is the foundation. Therefore, by assessing the evidence, the audience is able to make better evaluation of arguments.