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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 349 · 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.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) an unsigned poster
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  9. 9.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  11. 11.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) make it bigger
  13. 13.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  16. 16.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) relevant and reliable (c) old and vague (d) funny and short
  22. 22.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  24. 24.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  26. 26.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — 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 school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  35. 35.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.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
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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