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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 243 · 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.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  7. 7.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) an unsigned poster (c) a guess (d) a chat forward
  10. 10.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.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
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  21. 21.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.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) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  28. 28.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  33. 33.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  37. 37.🔎 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
  38. 38.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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