What is a scientific argument?

 In a nutshell, scientific argumentation requires scientists to support their claims (either for or against a particular idea or explanation) with evidence that has been gathered through observation or experimentation and then to use logic and reason to justify why that evidence supports their claims. Scientific arguments use evidence and data rather than belief or opinion to support a claim because evidence and data can be empirically reexamined and retested, whereas beliefs and opinions (no matter how strongly held) cannot be empirically verified.

Learning how to construct a valid scientific argument will help you recognize arguments that are unscientific — those based wholly or in part on emotion, ignorance, misinterpretation of scientific evidence, or denial.