Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 462 · 40 questions

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.

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

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