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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 292 · 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: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) check where it came from
  3. 3.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  5. 5.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) relevant and reliable (c) old and vague (d) funny and short
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a chat forward (c) the city water board (d) a guess
  11. 11.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  14. 14.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
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  16. 16.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  22. 22.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak 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: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  28. 28.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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