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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 166 · 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: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  11. 11.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  15. 15.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) a chat forward (c) the city water board (d) an unsigned poster
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  20. 20.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) hide the source (c) check where it came from (d) make it bigger
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  33. 33.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  34. 34.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long

Answer key

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

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