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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 342 · 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: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  3. 3.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  5. 5.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  7. 7.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 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
  9. 9.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  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: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  27. 27.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  34. 34.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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