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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 5 · 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.🔎 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
  2. 2.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  5. 5.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a guess (b) the city water board (c) a chat forward (d) an unsigned poster
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  8. 8.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  9. 9.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  10. 10.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.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
  13. 13.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  17. 17.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  20. 20.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  23. 23.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  24. 24.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  26. 26.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.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
  28. 28.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) False (b) True
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I saw it on a random poster once.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  31. 31.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 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
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  35. 35.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.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
  37. 37.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  38. 38.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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