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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 142 · 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: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  4. 4.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  9. 9.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  23. 23.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  27. 27.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  29. 29.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  32. 32.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific

Answer key

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

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