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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

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

Answer key

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

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