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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 239 · 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.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  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: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  6. 6.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  7. 7.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) the city water board (c) a guess (d) a chat forward
  9. 9.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  14. 14.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  17. 17.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  28. 28.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  38. 38.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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