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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 246 · 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: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  4. 4.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) the city water board (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  6. 6.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) round it to 100
  7. 7.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) relevant and reliable (c) loud and long (d) old and vague
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  28. 28.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) False (b) True
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  34. 34.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  37. 37.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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