← Strong and weak evidence lesson New set →

Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 244 · 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: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  2. 2.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) hide the source (c) make it bigger (d) check where it came from
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  16. 16.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  17. 17.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  23. 23.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  32. 32.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  37. 37.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

Free debate lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/debate-for-students