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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 51 · 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: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  5. 5.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  7. 7.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) the city water board (c) an unsigned poster (d) a guess
  10. 10.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  15. 15.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  17. 17.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) hide the source (c) round it to 100 (d) make it bigger
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the attendance register for the whole year? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  25. 25.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  26. 26.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  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: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  32. 32.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  36. 36.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.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
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  39. 39.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  40. 40.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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