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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 251 · 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: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  3. 3.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  13. 13.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  15. 15.🔎 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
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  18. 18.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  22. 22.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.🔎 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
  25. 25.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  27. 27.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.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) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  32. 32.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.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) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (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) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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