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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 419 · 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: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  3. 3.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) round it to 100 (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  5. 5.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  8. 8.🔎 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
  9. 9.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  15. 15.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  26. 26.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  27. 27.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  34. 34.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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