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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 452 · 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: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  3. 3.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) hide the source (b) round it to 100 (c) check where it came from (d) make it bigger
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) funny and short
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  9. 9.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
  10. 10.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  13. 13.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  18. 18.🔎 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
  19. 19.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  23. 23.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.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
  29. 29.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  36. 36.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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