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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 304 · 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: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) check where it came from (c) make it bigger (d) hide the source
  4. 4.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  7. 7.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  11. 11.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  17. 17.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (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.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  25. 25.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.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) True (b) False
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  29. 29.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  39. 39.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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