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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

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

Answer key

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

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