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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 217 · 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.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  2. 2.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong 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 rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) hide the source (c) check where it came from (d) round it to 100
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  28. 28.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  30. 30.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  34. 34.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  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: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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