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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 464 · 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: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  2. 2.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  3. 3.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  10. 10.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  11. 11.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) the city water board (d) an unsigned poster
  12. 12.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  15. 15.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  17. 17.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  18. 18.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  21. 21.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) round it to 100
  22. 22.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
  23. 23.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.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) False (b) True
  25. 25.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  32. 32.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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