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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 371 · 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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.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
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  8. 8.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  15. 15.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  16. 16.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  19. 19.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  23. 23.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
  24. 24.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a chat forward (c) an unsigned poster (d) a guess
  29. 29.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  34. 34.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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