You have probably witnessed or participated in an exchange like this at some point in your life:

Child: I don’t want to. Why do I have to?

Parent: Because I said so.

Child: But that’s not fair!

The parent may have “won” this argument, but it’s clear that the child is far from convinced. That’s understandable because the parent offers no evidence to support his or her position. Successful arguments—those that influence the intended audience—require evidence to support the claim. Evidence is the heart of an argument: without effective evidence, you’re basically just reasserting your claim. Learning how to use evidence effectively is therefore very important. If you recall the rhetorical triangle, one of the key components of writing and analyzing an argument is to understand the intended audience of the argument, and to think about what might be convincing to members of that audience. Effective writers know how to appeal to their audiences by including types of evidence that their readers will find appealing.

Keep in mind too that you can cite evidence either to support your argument directly or to show your understanding of a counter position.

Just as a good argument shouldn’t be based entirely on one type of appeal, a good argument shouldn’t be based on just one type of evidence. Solid evidence appeals strongly to reason (logos) and builds the speaker’s credibility (ethos). A shocking statistic or anecdote might appeal to emotion (pathos). It’s important to use a variety of evidence and use it strategically to make your point.

Let’s look at a few common types of evidence.