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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

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

Answer key

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

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