The correct answer is number 2. It is called evidence.
Information used to support a statement is called evidence.
Evidence is anything that it is served to prove your point. It could be documents, film, audio, written information on books, serious websites, or interviews. When you show your evidence you try to prove something. When in court, lawyers have to provide evidence to prove their claims. Evidence is very important because it shows that what you are saying has some kind of validity ans it's not limited to your opinion.
