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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

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

Answer key

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

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