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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

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

Answer key

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

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