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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 187 · 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: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) check where it came from
  4. 4.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a guess (c) the city water board (d) a chat forward
  6. 6.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.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) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  17. 17.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) funny and short (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  20. 20.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  31. 31.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (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: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  37. 37.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) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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