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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 512 · 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 strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  2. 2.True or false: “I saw it on a random poster once.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  5. 5.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) an unsigned poster (c) a guess (d) the city water board
  6. 6.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) funny and short (b) loud and long (c) relevant and reliable (d) old and vague
  7. 7.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  8. 8.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  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 forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  16. 16.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
  17. 17.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  23. 23.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school nurse’s record of sick days? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  25. 25.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very strong (b) very specific (c) not relevant
  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.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  29. 29.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “I think I dreamt it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  30. 30.True or false: In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (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 rumour forwarded in a chat group is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  38. 38.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A website with no name says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  39. 39.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
  40. 40.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True

Answer key

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

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