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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 50 · 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.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  5. 5.True or false: “A forwarded message says so.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  6. 6.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  8. 8.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) make it bigger (c) hide the source (d) check where it came from
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  10. 10.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) relevant and reliable (c) funny and short (d) old and vague
  12. 12.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  17. 17.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) not relevant (c) very specific
  23. 23.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  24. 24.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  28. 28.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  29. 29.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
  30. 30.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  34. 34.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
  35. 35.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  38. 38.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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