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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 457 · 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: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.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
  3. 3.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  4. 4.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  6. 6.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) relevant and reliable (b) loud and long (c) old and vague (d) funny and short
  13. 13.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  17. 17.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  19. 19.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) round it to 100 (c) make it bigger (d) hide the source
  21. 21.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  28. 28.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  33. 33.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very specific (c) very strong
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  37. 37.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) False (b) True
  38. 38.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  39. 39.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence

Answer key

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

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