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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 475 · 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.🔎 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
  2. 2.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  8. 8.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) old and vague (c) relevant and reliable (d) loud and long
  10. 10.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) not relevant (b) very strong (c) very specific
  11. 11.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  13. 13.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  14. 14.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.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
  17. 17.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  19. 19.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  23. 23.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
  24. 24.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  26. 26.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  28. 28.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  31. 31.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  36. 36.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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