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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 395 · 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: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  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: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  26. 26.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) an unsigned poster (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  30. 30.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  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.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) round it to 100 (c) make it bigger (d) check where it came from
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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