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Debate Worksheet: Strong and Weak Evidence

Debate lesson 3: Strong and weak evidence · Set 525 · 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.🔎 Before using a number in a debate, you should… (a) make it bigger (b) check where it came from (c) hide the source (d) round it to 100
  2. 2.🔎 Which source is most reliable in a debate on saving water? (a) the city water board (b) a chat forward (c) a guess (d) an unsigned poster
  3. 3.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: an unsigned post with no source? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  4. 4.🔎 What makes evidence strong? (a) old and vague (b) loud and long (c) funny and short (d) relevant and reliable
  5. 5.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on homework: “Mount Everest is very tall.” (a) not relevant (b) not reliable (c) not specific
  6. 6.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a fact from our science textbook? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  7. 7.True or false: measured results from our class experiment is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  8. 8.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on sports periods: “Mangoes grow in summer.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  9. 9.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: measured results from our class experiment? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  10. 10.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “A forwarded message says so.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  11. 11.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: figures from the city water board? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  12. 12.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “It is good for many reasons.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  13. 13.True or false: In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) True (b) False
  14. 14.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: the school library’s record of books borrowed? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  15. 15.True or false: the school nurse’s record of sick days is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  16. 16.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.True or false: a rumour forwarded in a chat group is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  19. 19.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a rumour forwarded in a chat group? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  20. 20.True or false: a fact from our science textbook is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False
  21. 21.True or false: “My neighbour heard it from someone.” — this is weak because it is not specific (no who, what or how many). (a) True (b) False
  22. 22.True or false: a story you are not sure about is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  23. 23.True or false: “Everybody knows it.” is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  24. 24.True or false: one friend’s guess is strong evidence. (a) True (b) False
  25. 25.True or false: “A lot of water gets wasted somewhere.” — this is weak because its source is not reliable. (a) False (b) True
  26. 26.True or false: one friend’s guess is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  27. 27.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “My neighbour heard it from someone.” (a) not specific (b) not relevant (c) not reliable
  28. 28.🔎 Which is more specific? (a) 30 of 40 students (b) lots of students
  29. 29.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “My cousin said so.”? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  30. 30.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: “Lots of people think so.”? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  31. 31.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? In a debate on reading: “Trains run on tracks.” (a) not reliable (b) not specific (c) not relevant
  32. 32.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a survey of 300 students in our school? (a) weak evidence (b) strong evidence
  33. 33.🔎 Why is this weak evidence? “Studies show things.” (a) not specific (b) not reliable (c) not relevant
  34. 34.True or false: “I think I dreamt it.” — this is weak because it is not relevant to the topic. (a) False (b) True
  35. 35.True or false: a survey of 300 students in our school is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  36. 36.True or false: an unsigned post with no source is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  37. 37.True or false: the school library’s record of books borrowed is strong evidence. (a) False (b) True
  38. 38.True or false: a story you are not sure about is weak evidence. (a) False (b) True
  39. 39.🔎 Strong or weak evidence: a story you are not sure about? (a) strong evidence (b) weak evidence
  40. 40.True or false: “Lots of people think so.” is weak evidence. (a) True (b) False

Answer key

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

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