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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 455 · 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: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  6. 6.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  10. 10.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  21. 21.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) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) the city water board (c) a chat forward (d) an unsigned poster
  25. 25.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) relevant and reliable (d) funny and short
  28. 28.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  35. 35.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  40. 40.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) hide the source (c) round it to 100 (d) make it bigger

Answer key

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

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