← Strong and weak evidence lesson New set →

Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 286 · 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? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.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
  4. 4.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  8. 8.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  9. 9.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) relevant and reliable (c) old and vague (d) funny and short
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  13. 13.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 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
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 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
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  26. 26.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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