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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 113 · 40 questions
TalentJR

Debater's tip (Relevant, specific, reliable): Relevant: does it talk about the topic of the motion? Specific: does it say exactly who, what, where or how many? “30 of 40 students” beats “lots of students”. Reliable: can we trust where it came from? Records, textbooks and official bodies beat rumours and unsigned posts.

NameDateTime takenScore ___ / 40
  1. 1.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  4. 4.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  16. 16.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) the city water board (c) a chat forward (d) a guess
  17. 17.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  19. 19.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  28. 28.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

  1. True
  2. weak evidence
  3. not relevant
  4. False
  5. False
  6. not specific
  7. strong evidence
  8. False
  9. False
  10. False
  11. weak evidence
  12. strong evidence
  13. False
  14. False
  15. not relevant
  16. the city water board
  17. True
  18. not reliable
  19. False
  20. True
  21. strong evidence
  22. True
  23. True
  24. strong evidence
  25. True
  26. False
  27. 30 of 40 students
  28. False
  29. True
  30. False
  31. True
  32. True
  33. True
  34. True
  35. True
  36. check where it came from
  37. not reliable
  38. not specific
  39. not specific
  40. strong evidence

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