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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 386 · 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.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  5. 5.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  6. 6.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) relevant and reliable (c) old and vague (d) loud and long
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  16. 16.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  19. 19.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) round it to 100
  29. 29.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  32. 32.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.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
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  39. 39.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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