← Strong and weak evidence lesson New set →

Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 334 · 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.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  2. 2.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  21. 21.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) an unsigned poster (c) a guess (d) the city water board
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  23. 23.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
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.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
  36. 36.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable

Answer key

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

Free debate lessons, practice and worksheets at talentjr.in/debate-for-students