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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 351 · 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.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  2. 2.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.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
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  17. 17.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) check where it came from
  20. 20.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  22. 22.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  25. 25.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (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: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  37. 37.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) the city water board (c) a chat forward (d) a guess

Answer key

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

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