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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 398 · 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: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  3. 3.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  6. 6.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
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) the city water board
  12. 12.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  16. 16.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  18. 18.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  19. 19.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 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
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.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
  23. 23.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) False (b) True
  24. 24.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) relevant and reliable (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
  36. 36.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) check where it came from

Answer key

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

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