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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 301 · 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: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) a chat forward (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  8. 8.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  14. 14.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  15. 15.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 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
  18. 18.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  29. 29.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  40. 40.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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