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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 364 · 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) a guess (b) the city water board (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  2. 2.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 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
  4. 4.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  7. 7.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.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) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  13. 13.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  21. 21.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  24. 24.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  28. 28.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (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 specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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