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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 368 · 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.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  2. 2.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  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.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  16. 16.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.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) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  25. 25.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  33. 33.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) relevant and reliable (c) loud and long (d) funny and short
  34. 34.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  40. 40.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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