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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 355 · 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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  2. 2.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) funny and short (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  3. 3.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  5. 5.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) the city water board (c) a guess (d) a chat forward
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  12. 12.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  16. 16.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) hide the source (c) make it bigger (d) check where it came from
  17. 17.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  24. 24.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  27. 27.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) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  38. 38.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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