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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 433 · 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 saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  2. 2.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  13. 13.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  14. 14.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  17. 17.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  21. 21.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) relevant and reliable (c) funny and short (d) loud and long
  22. 22.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  35. 35.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  38. 38.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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