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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 423 · 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? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  3. 3.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) True (b) False
  4. 4.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) the city water board (c) a chat forward (d) a guess
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) hide the source (c) make it bigger (d) check where it came from
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  31. 31.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  33. 33.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.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) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  36. 36.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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