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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 426 · 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 reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  5. 5.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  7. 7.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  12. 12.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) round it to 100
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  18. 18.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  20. 20.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  21. 21.🔎 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
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  23. 23.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  26. 26.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  30. 30.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  35. 35.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.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) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  40. 40.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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