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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 268 · 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.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  3. 3.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  5. 5.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) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  8. 8.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) relevant and reliable (c) old and vague (d) loud and long
  13. 13.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
  14. 14.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  16. 16.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  18. 18.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  20. 20.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 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
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  25. 25.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.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) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) the city water board (c) a chat forward (d) a guess
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant

Answer key

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

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