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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 448 · 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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.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
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.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
  11. 11.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  15. 15.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) an unsigned poster (c) the city water board (d) a chat forward
  16. 16.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.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) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  24. 24.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) funny and short (c) old and vague (d) relevant and reliable
  26. 26.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
  27. 27.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  30. 30.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
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  34. 34.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  38. 38.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  40. 40.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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