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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 365 · 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: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  4. 4.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) an unsigned poster
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  10. 10.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 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
  14. 14.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  26. 26.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  29. 29.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) funny and short (c) old and vague (d) loud and long
  30. 30.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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