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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 431 · 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 homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  2. 2.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  5. 5.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.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) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  19. 19.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.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) False (b) True
  21. 21.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) funny and short (c) old and vague (d) loud and long
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  27. 27.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 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
  36. 36.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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