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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 387 · 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: an unsigned post with no source? (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.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  5. 5.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  8. 8.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 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
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  12. 12.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.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) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  19. 19.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  24. 24.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) not relevant (c) very strong
  27. 27.🔎 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
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  37. 37.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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