All scientific theories *must* be supported by evidence (data).
I am not certain what you are talking about when you say "scientific argument" however, so I may have misunderstood what you are trying to ask.
In science the terms "empirical evidence" and "observational data" are pretty much synonymous.
Also I do not think "claim" is really appropriate, in science the proper term is not claim, it would be "hypothesis"...hope it helps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!