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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 182 · 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) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  3. 3.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  6. 6.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
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  8. 8.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) round it to 100 (c) check where it came from (d) make it bigger
  9. 9.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  10. 10.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
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  21. 21.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  36. 36.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 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
  40. 40.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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