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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 293 · 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: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  3. 3.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  8. 8.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  11. 11.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  17. 17.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  22. 22.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  27. 27.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  34. 34.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant

Answer key

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

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