Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 392 · 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.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
2. 2.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
3. 3.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
4. 4.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
5. 5.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
8. 8.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
10. 10.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
12. 12.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
13. 13.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
14. 14.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
15. 15.🔎 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
16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
17. 17.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
18. 18.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
19. 19.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
20. 20.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
21. 21.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
23. 23.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
24. 24.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
25. 25.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
28. 28.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
30. 30.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (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) the city water board (d) a chat forward
32. 32.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
34. 34.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
35. 35.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
36. 36.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
37. 37.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
39. 39.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
40. 40.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False

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