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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 506 · 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: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.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
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  6. 6.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  7. 7.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  10. 10.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) False (b) True
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  15. 15.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  17. 17.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) round it to 100 (b) hide the source (c) make it bigger (d) check where it came from
  18. 18.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  19. 19.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  20. 20.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  21. 21.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  22. 22.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  26. 26.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  28. 28.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) True (b) False
  29. 29.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  31. 31.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  32. 32.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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