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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 498 · 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.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.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) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  5. 5.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  9. 9.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  11. 11.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  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: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  18. 18.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) an unsigned poster (b) a guess (c) a chat forward (d) the city water board
  19. 19.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  21. 21.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  22. 22.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) make it bigger
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  26. 26.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) funny and short (c) loud and long (d) relevant and reliable
  27. 27.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  28. 28.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.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
  33. 33.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  34. 34.True or false: figures from the city water board is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  39. 39.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) True (b) False
  40. 40.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) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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