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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 192 · 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: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  3. 3.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.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) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  14. 14.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) an unsigned poster
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  19. 19.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  20. 20.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 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
  23. 23.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  28. 28.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  31. 31.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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