Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 380 · 40 questions

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.

1. 1.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
2. 2.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
3. 3.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
4. 4.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
8. 8.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
10. 10.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) an unsigned poster (c) a guess (d) a chat forward
11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
12. 12.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
13. 13.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔎 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
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.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
20. 20.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
21. 21.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
24. 24.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
28. 28.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
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) True (b) False
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? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
33. 33.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
36. 36.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) False (b) True
37. 37.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
39. 39.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
40. 40.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

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