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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 356 · 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: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) hide the source (c) check where it came from (d) make it bigger
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  25. 25.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a guess (c) the city water board (d) a chat forward
  33. 33.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  36. 36.🔎 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
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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