Week 6: Research and Evidence

Unit Title

Research and Evidence

Week 6 Objectives

By the end of this week, students will be able to:

 Identify credible and reliable sources.

 Evaluate information for accuracy and bias.

 Apply fact-checking strategies.

 Distinguish between quoting and paraphrasing.

 Use evidence effectively to support arguments.

 Understand basic citation practices.

 Conduct research and prepare evidence-based debate cases.

Hour 1: Research Skills

Learning Goal

Students will learn how to locate, evaluate, and verify information from credible sources.

Materials

 Internet access or printed articles

 Source evaluation worksheet

 Whiteboard or projector

 Sample websites and articles

Warm-Up Activity: Can You Trust It? (10 Minutes)

Display the Following Sources

 A scientific journal article

 A social media post

 A government report

 A news article

Discussion Questions

Ask students:

 Which source seems most trustworthy?

 Which source would you trust least?

 Why?

Record student responses.

Transition

Explain:

Not all information is equally reliable. Strong speakers and debaters carefully evaluate their
sources before using them.

What Makes a Source Credible? (15 Minutes)

Definition

A credible source is one that is trustworthy, accurate, and supported by evidence.

Characteristics of Credible Sources

Expertise

Is the author qualified?

Questions:

 What are their credentials?

 Do they have relevant experience?

Accuracy

Can the information be verified?

Questions:
  Are sources cited?

 Are facts supported by evidence?

Currency

Is the information up to date?

Questions:

 When was it published?

 Has new information become available?

Purpose

Why was the information created?

Questions:

 To inform?

 To persuade?

 To entertain?

 To sell something?

Credible Source Examples

Often Reliable

 Academic journals

 University publications

 Government websites

 Professional organizations

 Reputable news organizations

Use with Caution

 Personal blogs

 Anonymous websites

 Opinion pieces
  Social media posts

Fact Checking (15 Minutes)

Definition

Fact checking is the process of verifying information before accepting it as true.

Why It Matters

False information can weaken an argument and damage credibility.

Fact-Checking Strategies

Cross-Check Sources

Look for confirmation from multiple sources.

Verify Statistics

Locate the original study or report.

Examine Context

Make sure information has not been taken out of context.

Check Dates

Older information may no longer be accurate.

Activity: Fact or Fiction?

Present several claims.

Examples:

 "Humans only use 10% of their brains."

 "Reading improves vocabulary."

 "Social media is used by billions of people worldwide."

Students discuss how they would verify each claim.

Understanding Source Bias (15 Minutes)

Bias occurs when information reflects a particular perspective, opinion, or agenda.

Important Note

Bias does not automatically make a source unreliable.

However, speakers should recognize potential bias and consider multiple viewpoints.

Common Sources of Bias

Political Bias

Supporting a particular political position.

Financial Bias

Promoting products or services.

Personal Bias

Influenced by individual experiences or beliefs.

Activity: Detecting Bias

Provide short passages.

Students identify:

 Purpose

 Audience

 Possible bias

Discuss findings as a class.

Exit Ticket (5 Minutes)

Students answer:

1. What makes a source credible?

2. Why is fact checking important?

Hour 2: Evidence Usage

Learning Goal

Students will learn how to incorporate evidence effectively through quoting, paraphrasing, and
citations.

Materials

 Sample articles

 Evidence worksheet

 Citation examples

Warm-Up Activity: Why Use Evidence? (5 Minutes)

Ask students:

"Why isn't personal opinion alone enough in a debate?"

Discuss responses.

Explain:

Evidence strengthens credibility and supports claims.

Using Evidence Effectively (10 Minutes)

Strong Evidence Should Be:

 Relevant

 Accurate

 Current

 Reliable

 Clearly connected to the claim

Formula
Claim + Evidence + Explanation = Strong Argument

Emphasize that evidence should always be explained.

Quoting Sources (15 Minutes)

Definition

A quote uses the exact words from a source.

Example

According to a health researcher,

"Regular physical activity improves both physical and mental well-being."

Benefits

 Preserves exact wording

 Useful when wording is especially powerful

Caution

Do not overuse quotations.

The speaker's analysis should remain the focus.

Quoting Activity

Provide a short passage.

Students select one sentence that could be used as a direct quote.

Discuss why they chose it.

Paraphrasing Sources (15 Minutes)

Definition

Paraphrasing means restating information in your own words while maintaining the original
meaning.

Example
Original:

"Students who regularly read for pleasure often demonstrate stronger vocabulary
development."

Paraphrase:

Students who read frequently for enjoyment tend to build larger vocabularies.

Benefits

 Demonstrates understanding

 Integrates information naturally

 Makes speeches sound more conversational

Practice Activity

Students paraphrase short passages.

Partners compare their work.

Discuss whether the original meaning remains accurate.

Citation Basics (10 Minutes)

Definition

A citation identifies the source of information.

Why Citations Matter

 Give credit to original authors

 Increase credibility

 Avoid plagiarism

 Allow audiences to verify information

Basic Oral Citation Format

Before presenting evidence, identify:

 Author or organization
  Source

 Date if available

Example

"According to a 2024 report from the National Institutes of Health..."

Debate Citation Example

"A study published by researchers at Stanford University found..."

Evidence Integration Activity (5 Minutes)

Students receive a claim.

Example:

"Schools should start later."

Students write:

 One quote

 One paraphrase

 One oral citation

Share responses.

Hour 3: Debate Preparation Lab

Learning Goal

Students will apply research skills to prepare evidence-based debate cases.

Materials

 Computers or library resources

 Debate planning sheets

 Research organizer

 Team folders
Introduction to the Lab (5 Minutes)

Explain:

Students will begin preparing for a formal debate by researching evidence and constructing
arguments.

Debate Topic Selection (10 Minutes)

Assign or allow teams to choose a topic.

Examples:

 School uniforms

 Homework policies

 Social media restrictions

 Cell phone use in schools

 Community service requirements

 School start times

Teams determine:

Affirmative Position

Supports the resolution.

Negative Position

Opposes the resolution.

Research Phase (20 Minutes)

Teams gather evidence from credible sources.

Research should include:

Facts

Statistics

Expert Opinions
Examples

Counterarguments

Students complete a research organizer.

Teacher circulates and assists with source evaluation.

Building the Debate Case (15 Minutes)

Teams organize research into an argument structure.

Claim

What are we arguing?

Evidence

What supports our position?

Reasoning

Why does this evidence matter?

Counterargument

What will opponents likely say?

Refutation

How will we respond?

Team Practice Round (5 Minutes)

Each team presents one argument.

Partner teams challenge the argument.

Students practice:

 Refutation

 Evidence use

 Oral citations
Instructor Feedback (5 Minutes)

Discuss common strengths:

 Strong source selection

 Effective use of evidence

 Clear organization

Discuss common challenges:

 Weak reasoning

 Insufficient evidence

 Missing citations

 Overreliance on opinion

Reflection Journal (5 Minutes)

Students respond to the following prompts:

1. What source was most useful today?

2. How did you determine whether a source was credible?

3. What evidence best supports your position?

4. What counterargument concerns your team most?

5. What additional research do you need before the debate?

Week 6 Summary

This week students learned how to research effectively and support arguments with evidence.

Research Skills

Credible Sources

Reliable, accurate, and trustworthy information.

Fact Checking

Verifying information through multiple sources.

Recognizing perspectives and potential agendas.

Evidence Usage

Quoting

Using exact words from a source.

Paraphrasing

Restating ideas in your own words.

Citations

Giving credit to original sources.

Debate Preparation Skills

 Researching evidence

 Evaluating source credibility

 Building argument cases

 Preparing refutations

 Using oral citations

Key Takeaway

Strong arguments are built on strong evidence. Effective speakers and debaters do not rely on
opinion alone—they research carefully, evaluate sources critically, and use evidence ethically to
support their claims. Research transforms ideas into persuasive, credible arguments.