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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 514 · 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: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  3. 3.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) loud and long (b) funny and short (c) relevant and reliable (d) old and vague
  4. 4.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
  5. 5.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  6. 6.True or false: “Studies show things.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  7. 7.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  8. 8.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
  9. 9.True or false: “Some people say it helps somehow.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  11. 11.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) False (b) True
  12. 12.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  14. 14.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  15. 15.True or false: “A website with no name says so.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Lots of students like it.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  17. 17.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) lots of students (b) 30 of 40 students
  18. 18.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  19. 19.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) a chat forward
  20. 20.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  21. 21.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  23. 23.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  24. 24.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
  25. 25.True or false: In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  26. 26.🔎 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
  27. 27.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  29. 29.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not reliable (b) not relevant (c) not specific
  31. 31.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Some people say it helps somehow.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  34. 34.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  35. 35.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  36. 36.True or false: figures from the city water board is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  37. 37.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  38. 38.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  40. 40.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

Answer key

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

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