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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 198 · 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 survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  2. 2.🔎 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
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  17. 17.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  22. 22.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  24. 24.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.🔎 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
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  29. 29.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  35. 35.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  40. 40.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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