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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 442 · 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 sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  3. 3.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) relevant and reliable (c) old and vague (d) funny and short
  6. 6.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.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
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  10. 10.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) an unsigned poster (c) a guess (d) a chat forward
  14. 14.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  20. 20.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  23. 23.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) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  26. 26.🔎 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
  27. 27.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  32. 32.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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