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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 281 · 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? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  6. 6.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  11. 11.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  12. 12.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  13. 13.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (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) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  24. 24.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  31. 31.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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