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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 399 · 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.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  2. 2.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  3. 3.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  5. 5.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) a chat forward (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  8. 8.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  10. 10.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  22. 22.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 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
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.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) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  30. 30.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  39. 39.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable

Answer key

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

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