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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 522 · 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: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  2. 2.True or false: “It is good for many reasons.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  3. 3.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  4. 4.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  5. 5.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) a chat forward (b) a guess (c) an unsigned poster (d) the city water board
  6. 6.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  7. 7.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) check where it came from (b) make it bigger (c) round it to 100 (d) hide the source
  8. 8.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  9. 9.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  11. 11.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  12. 12.True or false: In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  13. 13.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Everybody knows it.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  14. 14.🔎 A fact about cricket in a debate on school uniforms is… (a) very specific (b) very strong (c) not relevant
  15. 15.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on saving water: “My favourite colour is green.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  16. 16.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) relevant and reliable (c) loud and long (d) funny and short
  17. 17.True or false: the attendance register for the whole year is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  18. 18.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  20. 20.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  21. 21.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  22. 22.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.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
  24. 24.True or false: In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.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
  26. 26.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not relevant (b) not specific (c) not reliable
  28. 28.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on school gardens: “Cricket is popular in India.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  29. 29.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  30. 30.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  31. 31.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
  32. 32.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  33. 33.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  34. 34.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  35. 35.True or false: “Lots of students like it.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  37. 37.True or false: “My cousin said so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  39. 39.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  40. 40.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: one friend’s guess? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence

Answer key

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

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