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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 314 · 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: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  5. 5.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  8. 8.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  10. 10.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) an unsigned poster (c) the city water board (d) a chat forward
  15. 15.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  22. 22.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  25. 25.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  33. 33.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (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: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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