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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 303 · 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 lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  3. 3.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
  4. 4.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) make it bigger (c) hide the source (d) round it to 100
  6. 6.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  8. 8.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  12. 12.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
  13. 13.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  15. 15.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) the city water board (c) a chat forward (d) a guess
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  21. 21.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.🔎 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
  29. 29.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  33. 33.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  38. 38.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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