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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 185 · 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.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  2. 2.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) make it bigger (c) hide the source (d) check where it came from
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.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) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  14. 14.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  18. 18.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  30. 30.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  32. 32.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 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
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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