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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 406 · 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: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  3. 3.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  7. 7.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  12. 12.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.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) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) round it to 100 (c) check where it came from (d) hide the source
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  17. 17.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) an unsigned poster
  21. 21.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (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? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  25. 25.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  29. 29.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  33. 33.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) relevant and reliable (c) funny and short (d) loud and long
  34. 34.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.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) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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